Maintenace for fathers

Redbhoy

Is it possible for a single father to claim maintenance from the mother?
i.e. if both are in a saimilar situation re; same income, same outgoings. And they share responsibilities i.e. father takes child/children for 3.5 days per week and pays half of any costs like presents for birthdays/Christmas etc etc?
Would the father be entitiled to half the childrens allowance seeing as he has to provide shelter, food and clothing for half of the time?

Nevyn

Joint custody is extremly rare in this country and one parent will usually have primary custody.

IF a parent who happens to be the father has primary custody then yes he is entitled
to lone parents, maintance from the other parent and as far as I know the children's allowance.

Redbhoy

What if the father has joint custody but the mother is down as primary carer. Father has child 3.5 days per week. Can he apply for half the childrens allowance?
I deem it as a 50-50 situation therefore I think father has a claim on half the childrens allowance.

traceybere

I've never heard of exact joint custody i 3.5 days. How old is the child? Was this agreement of half and half reached through a court or is it a personal agreement?

Normally the mother is the primary career hence she would receive the children's allowance and maintenance, but in turn she would normally pay things like school fees, uniforms, books, day to day clothing

Redbhoy

Came to an agreement in front of the judge so its halvo-halvo.
I reckon shes going to try come looking for maintenance soon enough so Im wondering whether I should stick an application in first and see who gets what.
At present I take the child half the week and give half of anything like school fees, uniforms presents etc etc.

Splendour

Redbhoy wrote: »

Is it possible for a single father to claim maintenance from the mother?
i.e. if both are in a saimilar situation re; same income, same outgoings. And they share responsibilities i.e. father takes child/children for 3.5 days per week and pays half of any costs like presents for birthdays/Christmas etc etc?
Would the father be entitiled to half the childrens allowance seeing as he has to provide shelter, food and clothing for half of the time?

If both incomes/outgoings etc. are the same I don't see how (or why) you could claim for maintenance. Though you are both entitled to child allowance, I imagine one of you would have to claim it and then spilt it (or if possible have it paid into a savings account for your child's future...)

Redbhoy

I have the child half the week and spend probably more on the child than my ex does, as I have afore mentioned child at the weekends. She has her during the week when she is at school so sees little and spends little. We're in similar financial situations yet she has the benefit of the childrens allowance to help her along as well as me paying for half of anything like birthdays uniforms books etc etc!