UK Spousal Maintenance Calculator 2026
Instantly estimate potential spousal maintenance payments. A free UK family law tool to help divorcing couples understand financial settlements and alimony estimates.
Maintenance Projection
Enter financial details to estimate spousal support
The monthly take-home pay of the spouse paying maintenance.
The monthly take-home pay of the spouse receiving maintenance.
The number of minor or dependent children from the marriage.
The percentage of the income difference used to calculate base maintenance (typically 20-30%).
Your Maintenance Estimate
Spousal support and financial breakdown
Enter your financial details above and click Calculate Estimate to reveal your spousal maintenance projection.
Types of Maintenance Orders
Quickly reference the standard types of spousal maintenance orders available in the UK family courts and what they mean for your financial settlement.
| Order Type | Duration | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Joint Lives Order | Indefinite | Lasts until the death of either party or the recipient’s remarriage. |
| Term Order (Fixed Term) | Set Period | Lasts for a specific number of years (e.g., 5 years) to allow retraining. |
| Nominal Order | Indefinite | A token payment (e.g., £1/year) keeping the right to claim open. |
| Clean Break Order | Immediate | No ongoing maintenance; finances are severed immediately and permanently. |
Spousal Maintenance FAQ
Everything you need to know about calculating spousal maintenance, understanding UK family law, and navigating divorce financial settlements.
Spousal maintenance is regular financial support paid by one former spouse to the other after a divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership. It is designed to help the lower-earning spouse meet their living expenses and maintain a reasonable standard of living.
Unlike child maintenance, there is no strict mathematical formula for spousal maintenance in the UK. Family courts assess the ‘Section 25 factors’ under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, which include the financial needs, resources, standard of living, age of the parties, and the duration of the marriage.
While courts do not use a strict formula, many family lawyers use a ‘rule of thumb’ to estimate maintenance, often calculating a percentage (typically 20% to 30%) of the difference between the two spouses’ net incomes, adjusted for childcare responsibilities and other factors.
It depends on the court order. A ‘Joint Lives Order’ lasts indefinitely (usually until the recipient remarries or either party dies). A ‘Term Order’ lasts for a fixed number of years, often to allow the recipient to retrain or become financially independent.
Yes, if there is a significant change in circumstances for either party, such as a job loss, a significant pay rise, retirement, or the recipient remarrying. Either party can apply to the court to vary (increase, decrease, or stop) the payments.
Yes, under UK law, spousal maintenance automatically terminates if the recipient remarries or enters into a new civil partnership. However, it does not automatically stop if they simply cohabit with a new partner, though the payer can apply to the court to have it reduced or stopped based on the new living arrangements.