Fully updated in 2025, the Child Support Handbook is the standard practical guide to the statutory child maintenance scheme in England, Wales and Scotland. Making sure parents get the correct child maintenance is a key step in income maximisation.
This handbook is designed for advisers of all experience levels, providing clear guidance on the child maintenance process. It covers how applications are submitted, how the Child Maintenance Service gathers information, how payments can be adjusted, are collected and paid. Additionally, it provides advice on how to change, query or challenge decisions and how to complain about anything to do with child support.
