Spousal Maintenance

Following a divorce, spousal maintenance payments may be made to the former spouse by the ex-husband or ex-wife. Your family law solicitor will advise on the duration and amount of spousal maintenance you may be likely to receive or pay. This will depend on the recipient’s financial needs and the paying spouse’s income as they will be responsible for making the payments.

One of the main differences is the payment duration. The former husband or wife will pay spousal maintenance over a set period. For instance, spousal maintenance may be paid for a year, several years, or even for the rest of their lives until the former spouse’s death.

However, child maintenance will cease to be paid on 31st August on or after the child turns 16 years old and no longer in approved education. If they are still in approved education, then payments will stop after their 20th birthday.

To be awarded spousal maintenance support by a UK court, you will need to have a lower income than your former spouse and be unable to support yourself without the financial contributions of your ex-partner. Spousal maintenance in the UK is only available to divorcing married couples or couples dissolving their civil partnership.

If you are seeking spousal support, we recommend speaking with one of our maintenance experts at Lund Bennett Law. We will guide you through the court application process and ensure your interests are well-represented to achieve the best possible result. Contact our team on 0161 924 0079. 

The spousal maintenance payment can change pending the paying partner’s circumstances. For instance, if they saw a decrease in income and could not meet the previous payment amounts, they may apply to the court to have the amount updated.

Equally, the court may reduce the payments if the recipient had a change of circumstances by which they have new income sources, i.e. new employment to support themselves financially.