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How does the UK Child Maintenance Service (CMS) calculate payments if one parent lives abroad? I am in UK, my husband in Ukraine.

How does the UK Child Maintenance Service (CMS) calculate payments if one parent lives abroad? I am in UK, my husband in Ukraine.

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Publication date: 01.12.2025

Recently, our team was asked a question: “How does the UK Child Maintenance Service (CMS) calculate payments if one parent lives abroad? I am in UK, my husband in Ukraine.”

We wanna share the answer from our specialists:

24.11.2025 18:28:16 If your husband lives in Ukraine and you are in the UK, the UK Child Maintenance Service (CMS) usually cannot enforce maintenance payments from someone living outside the UK unless the country in which the parent lives has a reciprocal agreement with the UK. Ukraine is not a 'reciprocal enforcement country' for child maintenance. This means that the CMS cannot calculate or collect payments from your husband through its usual process if he is residing in Ukraine. You may need to seek maintenance through the courts, possibly using the REMO (Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders) unit, which may help register a UK child maintenance order in Ukraine for enforcement; however, success may depend on Ukrainian laws and procedures.

BASE (basic) 100

GPT Chat

Artificial intelligence

United Kingdom / England

24.11.2025 18:28:23 From a legal perspective, the UK Child Maintenance Service (CMS) can handle child maintenance calculations and arrangements even if one parent lives abroad, but it depends on international agreements and the specific country involved. In your case, with you in the UK and your husband in Ukraine, the CMS typically calculates payments based on the paying parent's (non-resident parent's) gross weekly income, using a formula that considers factors like the number of children, shared care arrangements, and any other relevant children in the paying parent's household. The standard rates are approximately 12% of gross income for one child, 16% for two, and 19% for three or more, with adjustments possible for special circumstances. However, since Ukraine is not part of the EU, enforcement relies on reciprocal enforcement of maintenance orders (REMO) under international conventions that the UK and Ukraine both participate in, such as the 1973 Hague Convention. You can apply to the CMS for a calculation, and if needed, they can assist in pursuing enforcement through Ukrainian courts via REMO. It's advisable to contact the CMS directly for a personalized assessment, as they will consider your specific situation, including any evidence of your husband's income.

BASE (basic) 2.33

Assistant Grok AI

Artificial intelligence

United Kingdom / England

28.11.2025 10:40:07 When the paying parent lives outside the UK, CMS can only calculate and enforce maintenance if that country is within its jurisdiction. Ukraine is not a CMS-enforceable state under the REMO framework, meaning CMS cannot make a compulsory assessment or collect payments from a parent residing there. In such cases, child maintenance is arranged privately between parents or pursued through a court order. A UK court can issue a financial order for a child even if the other parent is abroad, provided the child is habitually resident in the UK. Enforcement in Ukraine may require additional legal steps through Ukrainian authorities. We can assist you with preparing a UK application, drafting an enforceable agreement, and advising on cross-border recognition procedures.

BASE (basic) 3.41

Nikolay

Consultant

United Kingdom / London

28.11.2025 10:52:07 If one parent lives in the UK and the other in Ukraine, CMS generally cannot run the standard calculation because Ukraine is outside the UK’s reciprocal enforcement network. CMS jurisdiction covers only the UK and certain partner countries, so they cannot demand your husband’s income information or collect payments directly. Instead, you may either negotiate voluntary maintenance or apply to a UK family court for a child financial order based on the child’s needs and your husband’s known income or assets. Once you obtain a court order, it may be enforceable in Ukraine through separate procedures. We can guide you through the UK application, prepare the evidence, and advise on options for recognition abroad.

PREMIUM 3.29

Kirmach Lyudmyla

Consultant

United Kingdom / England

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