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Child Law

Schedule 1 Children Act Solicitors in Solihull

Advice on divorce involving substantial assets, including business interests, property portfolios, pensions, trusts and inherited wealth.

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If you need financial provision for your child after separation, our family law team can advise on Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989 applications and the support the court may order.

Our family law solicitors in Solihull can help you apply for financial support for your child or respond to an application made against you. We’ll explain what you could reasonably seek or may be expected to provide, so you can make informed decisions about your child’s financial future.

In England and Wales, Schedule 1 to the Children Act 1989 allows the court to order financial provision for children, including where their parents have never married. Depending on your child’s needs and each parent’s financial circumstances, this could include a lump sum or property arrangements to provide a home. The court’s powers to order regular maintenance are restricted where the Child Maintenance Service has jurisdiction, so we’ll check which route applies before advising you on the next steps.

Our family law team advises on financial disputes and matters involving children, so we can consider your child’s needs alongside the financial issues behind an application. We’ll help you identify the evidence needed to support your position and understand whether a proposed agreement would meet those needs. You can discuss your concerns at a free initial consultation, where we’ll explain how we can help with your application or response.

How can our Schedule 1 solicitors help you?

Our Schedule 1 solicitors help you assess the financial provision your child may need and identify the appropriate legal route. We advise on making an application and responding to one. We can help you with:

  • Initial advice on eligibility, including considering your relationship to the child and whether Schedule 1 provides a route for the financial provision being sought.
  • Housing provision, including considering an application for property arrangements that would provide a home for your child while identifying when those arrangements might end.
  • Lump sum applications, including assessing requests for particular child-related expenses and the evidence needed to explain the expenditure for which provision is sought.
  • Additional maintenance, including considering whether an application for top-up payments is available after the Child Maintenance Service has made the required maximum assessment.
  • Education and disability-related provision, including examining whether the circumstances fall within an exception to the usual restrictions on court-ordered child maintenance.
  • Financial disclosure, including preparing information about your resources and expenditure and requesting the documents needed to assess the other parent’s financial position.
  • Responding to applications, including reviewing the financial provision requested and explaining how your resources and existing responsibilities may affect the court’s assessment.
  • Negotiated settlements and orders, including discussing proposals for your child’s benefit and ensuring that property terms explain the intended arrangements when the provision ends.

Why choose Pearcelegal for a Schedule 1 application?

Pearcelegal can consider a Schedule 1 application alongside the property questions arising from an unmarried separation. Our cohabitation service addresses ownership rights, which may need separate assessment from an application for financial provision for your child.

We explain the work involved and can provide a no-obligation quote. Your free initial consultation gives you an opportunity to raise questions about an existing maintenance arrangement or a proposed housing application. If you already have a Child Maintenance Service calculation or court order, bring it with you so we can consider the existing arrangements when discussing next steps.

Get in touch

If you need advice about financial provision for your child or a Schedule 1 application made against you, contact our family law team to arrange a free initial consultation about your circumstances.

Page updated: 3rd November 2026

Frequently asked questions

Does financial provision always end when a child turns 18?

No, provision can sometimes continue beyond 18, including for education or training, or where special circumstances apply. The rules depend on the type of order and the application. You should obtain advice before assuming payments or housing arrangements will continue. You should also check the wording of an existing order against the circumstances.

Is Schedule 1 only for wealthy parents?

No, Schedule 1 applications are not limited to wealthy parents, although the resources available will affect what the court can order. The application must concern financial provision for the child and fit within the court’s powers. Ordinary child maintenance usually falls within the Child Maintenance Service system where it has jurisdiction, so you need to check the appropriate route.

Can I claim more than the Child Maintenance Service amount?

You may be able to seek top-up maintenance where the paying parent’s gross income exceeds £3,000 a week and the Child Maintenance Service has first made the required maximum assessment. Court provision may also be available for education or disability-related expenses within the relevant exceptions. We check the existing calculation before advising whether a court application is available.

Can the court provide a home for my child?

Yes, the court can make property-related orders for a child’s benefit under Schedule 1 to the Children Act 1989. The arrangements depend on the needs established and the available resources. Housing provision may be temporary, with the property or funds returning later. We explain the proposed ownership terms and the events that would bring the arrangement to an end.

Can I apply if we were never married?

Yes, Schedule 1 applications are often used where parents were never married. The available provision is for the benefit of the child, and eligibility depends on the circumstances of the application. You do not acquire a general right to share your former partner’s assets. We consider the provision sought alongside your child’s needs and the resources available.

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