Contents
Child Support : Contents

Client is a carer

A carer may get Child Support payments from a liable parent or paying parent to help with the cost of raising a child.

When Child Support is arranged through a formula assessment or a voluntary agreement, Inland Revenue collects Child Support from the liable parent and passes this on. In these situations the person getting the Child Support payments is called a receiving carer.

When there is a private arrangement, the paying parent pays Child Support directly to the carer.

Carers getting Unsupported Child's Benefit for a child may have to apply for a formula assessment.

Carers getting other assistance can decide if they want to apply and what arrangement they have, if any.

For more information see:

Changes in receiving carer's circumstances
Client is a liable parent
Carers getting Child Support income
Formula assessment of Child Support
Private arrangement for Child Support
Voluntary agreements for Child Support

Legislation

  • UCB beneficiary to be compellable witness against liable parent section 122 Child Support Act 1991
  • UCB beneficiaries must apply for formula assessment section 9 Child Support Act 1991
  • Who may apply for formula assessment section 8 Child Support Act 1991
  • Voluntary agreements that qualify for acceptance section 48 Child Support Act 1991
  • receiving carer (definition) schedule 2 Social Security Act 2018
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A person who must pay Child Support to Inland Revenue in respect of a qualifying child.

They may or may not also be a caregiver of that child. For example, they may be a caregiver of the qualifying child in a shared care situation, as well as being the liable parent.

Legislation

A caregiver who is owed Child Support, payable through Inland Revenue, in respect of a child. They may or may not be a parent of the child.

A person can be a receiving carer, without meeting the definition of a carer.

Legislation

A person is a paying parent of a child if they are not a carer of that child and are any of the following:

A carer is a person who is the principal provider of ongoing daily care for a child, or someone who shares the ongoing care of a child substantially equally with another person (for at least 40% of the time).

Legislation