Child Maintenance. Can I Get It If We Weren't Married?
From Get Legally Speaking With Hatti Suvari by Hatti Suvari
May 11, 2026 · 43 min · Episode 190
About this episode
This episode clarifies child maintenance rights for unmarried parents and dispels common myths in family law.
No marriage. No ring. No “common law” rights. But does that mean no child maintenance? Absolutely not. In this essential episode of Get Legally Speaking, Hatti is joined by senior family law Barrister Maria Scotland to cut through some of the BIGGEST myths in family law and explain, in plain English, how child maintenance really works when parents were never married. They break down: Whether being unmarried affects your right to child maintenance How the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) actually works What happens if the other parent refuses to pay When the court can step in under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989 Why “common law marriage” is a myth — and why it matters This is one of the most emotional and misunderstood areas of family law. Whether you’re newly separated, co-parenting, or simply want to know where you stand, this episode gives you clarity, confidence, and practical next steps. No fear. No myths. Just the law — explained in plain and simple English. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
People in this episode
Host: Hatti Suvari
Guest: Maria Scotland
Topics covered
- child maintenance
- family law
- unmarried parents
- co-parenting
- legal rights
- myths in family law
Keywords
- child maintenance
- unmarried parents
- family law
- legal rights
- Child Maintenance Service
- Children Act 1989
- co-parenting
- myths
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Child Maintenance Service, Children Act 1989
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