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Child Maintenance Premium
If your family's on Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, you may be able to get Child Maintenance Premium (CMP) payment of up to £10 a week extra when Child Maintenance is paid for your children.
Who is eligible?
You’re eligible if you get Income Support or income-based Jobseekers Allowance, and also have care of a child for whom you get Child Support Maintenance.
Who isn't eligible?
If you have care of a child and you've 'opted out' of Child Maintenance without 'good cause', you won't be eligible for Child Maintenance Premium.
How much do you get?
If you're eligible for Child Maintenance Premium you'll be able to get an extra income of up to £10 a week in Child Maintenance payments before any changes to your benefit package.
As a person with care of a child, you can get one Child Maintenance Premium of up to £10 a week, regardless of the number of qualifying children and non-resident parents (parents not living in the family household) involved.
How is it paid?
If your Child Maintenance is collected by the CSA, you'll get your full Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance from Jobcentre Plus, and the CSA will pay the Child Maintenance Premium by Direct Payment or cheque. They'll do this once payment from the non-resident parent has cleared.
If you get Child Maintenance directly from the non-resident parent, you'll need to tell Jobcentre Plus. They'll then work out how much Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance is paid to you, allowing an increase in income of up to £10 a week.
Effect on benefits or tax credits
Child Maintenance Premium allows £10 a week extra income from Child Maintenance on top of any Income Support or income-related Jobseeker's Allowance you're getting. It doesn't affect your entitlement to Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit.
How to claim
If you have care of a child and you're getting Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, you don't have to apply for Child Maintenance.
The CSA starts an application for Child Maintenance automatically (unless you ask them not to). This also happens when someone else in the family household claims Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance.
How to appeal
If you disagree with a decision made by the office dealing with your claim, you can ask them to look again at their decision. If you're still unhappy, you can appeal.
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