Covid 19 - Can't afford to pay Maintenance

Due to the Covid 19 outbreak my partner has had to take a 10% pay reduction from 1st April. He currently pays his ex wife Spousal and child maintenance. Can these be reduced inline with the 10% pay decrease?

To note I am possibly going to be out of work indefinitely by next week so it may be that we won't be able to pay anything towards the children at all.

Is CM paid via the CMS or is this an informal arrangement?

If it's via the CMS, then I suggest your partner contact them to inform them of the change of financial circumstances.

If it's informal, then an email to the other parent explaining the situation and from which date the new, reduced amount will be paid. Explain that this is temporary due to the current pandemic.

There may be some information in the offical Government blurb that may help your situation regarding reduced income - Government Advice for Employees and Covid-19>[/]

The CM is via the CMS yes, once his pay cut is confirmed in writing he will contact them but it says on their website to only contact them if his pay is effected by 25% or more?

What about the Spousal, would that be an application to the court?

If he is paying spousal and CMS what are his earnings already, is a 10% cut in his earnings having a material effect on your income(excluding changes to your income)

Long story short:

At the time SM was ordered in 2017 he was earning 52k pa as overtime was readily available and he was doing all available shifts.

Earnings as of today 41.5k pa as no overtime available for over a year.

So now total monthly outgoing on SM and CMS combined equates to 50% of his net income. That was without the 10% reduction.

Have previously considered application for variation of SM as it’s payable for another 9 years.

So yes an additional 10% cut would have a big impact on what is left.

He is paid weekly so both maintenance payments are also paid weekly, after the 10% reduction, yes things are going to be tight.