Money that you receive from spousal maintenance payments (as opposed to child maintenance payments) is subject to special rules under Pension Credit. If you or your partner are in receipt of spousal maintenance payments enter the full amount you get and the calculator will automatically work out adjustment to the Pension Credit calculation.

If you receive child maintenance payments you should enter these separately. If you are aged 60 or over you do not need to enter income from child maintenance payments at all, as this income is ignored in all means-tested benefits for over-60s. Since April 2010 child maintenance payments have also been ignored in all means-tested benefits for under-60s.

If you and your partner are under age 60 and do not have eligible children then spousal maintenance payments are not included in this category and should be entered under ‘other income’.

Note that for tax credits all kinds of maintenance received (whether for children or not) do not have to be declared.