Who is maintenance paid for?

Maintenance is paid for dependent children. A dependent child for maintenance purposes is:

  • someone who is under 18, or
  • someone between 18 and 23 years if they are in full-time education, or
  • someone who has a mental or physical disability and where it is not reasonably possible for the child to maintain her/himself fully. In this case the duty to financially maintain that child continues indefinitely.

In some circumstances maintenance may also be paid for an ex-spouse or former co-habitant.