CMS Hub was built by a parent who went through the Child Maintenance Service, a mandatory reconsideration, a First-tier Tribunal appeal and the family court without a lawyer.
The rules were not impossible. What made it hard was that the guidance was scattered, written for professionals, or silent on the questions that mattered: how are nights really counted, what does “day to day care” mean, what should a tribunal submission look like, and what do you do when an appeal bundle gets your family wrong?
This site is the resource I wished I had found on day one. It explains the system in plain English, gives you templates and tools that save hours, and is honest about what is hard.
What we believe
- Children come first. Child maintenance exists for children. Getting it right, for whichever parent, is in their interest.
- The system should be understandable. Parents should not need a lawyer to follow a process designed for the public.
- Both parents deserve clear information. This site is written for paying and receiving parents alike.
- Accuracy matters. If something here is wrong or out of date, we want to know.
What we do not do
We do not give legal advice, take on cases, or charge for anything on this site. We do not collect what you type into the tools. We are not connected to the CMS, DWP or HMCTS.
Privacy of the people behind it
To protect children and families, CMS Hub does not publish details of any real case, including our own. Examples on this site are invented or combined from common situations.