Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Maintenance definition

What does Maintenance mean? Maintenance describes financial support paid by one person to a current or former spouse or civil partner, or for the benefit of a child, during separation, divorce/dissolution and afterwards. It is a descriptive term used across family law, with statutory regimes and case law guiding its assessment and enforcement. England & Wales and Northern Ireland: spousal/civil partner maintenance is commonly termed periodical payments, including interim “maintenance pending suit”; child maintenance/child support is primarily via the Child Maintenance Service (with court jurisdiction in limited cases, including Schedule 1 Children Act 1989 and for a “child of the family”). Scotland: support during a...

Adequate Maintenance in UK Family Immigration: Appendix FM and Part 8—Specified Benefits, Evidence, Cash Savings and Calculations

Published by a LexisNexis Immigration expert

Practice notes

Where a sponsoring partner receives one or more specified benefits, partners and dependent children applying under Appendix FM are not required to meet a minimum income threshold for the five-year route to settlement; instead, the applicable financial assessment is the test of 'adequate Maintenance'.

The 'adequate maintenance' criterion also applies to the following categories:

parents applying under Appendix FM,
other family members applying under Appendix Adult Dependent Relative,
applications under Appendix Child Relative (Sponsors with Protection),
and children of settled parents applying under Part 8 of the Immigration Rules,

however, under Part 8 there are important differences regarding the treatment of third-party support and offers of employment.

It remains unlikely that partners or other family members will now apply under Part 8 of the Immigration Rules; nevertheless, advisers may still encounter someone who has, for whatever reason, remained on that route without obtaining settlement and who may therefore be able to benefit from the transitional provisions. For more information on the surviving sections of Part 8 see: Finding your way around Appendix FM...

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

Jo Renshaw

Turpin Miller

Jo has practised exclusively in Immigration law since qualification in 1993. She is qualified to practice in both Australia and the United Kingdom and has worked as an immigration solicitor for many years in both jurisdictions. She joined Turpin and Miller Solicitors in 2005, becoming a Partner in 2008. She has been head of the firm's large Immigration Team since 2007. She has worked as a Peer Reviewer in the Immigration category and is one of only a small number of Immigration practitioners accredited by the Law Society at Advanced Level. Jo's practice is broad based and covers all aspects of immigration and asylum law. She is a member of the firm's specialist Skilled Migration Team and has a particular interest in Points Based matters. Throughout her career she has also had a keen interest in Asylum work, heading the Refugee Advice Service at a...

Web page updated on 21/05/2026

Popular documents

Using the Judicial College Guidelines to assess general damages in personal injury claims

When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...

Tomlin orders in England and Wales: CPR guidance on drafting, confidentiality, approval, variation, enforcement, limitation, CCA issues, court-specific requirements, sample wording and precedents

This Practice Note This Practice Note reviews mechanisms used in settling litigation. A Tomlin order consists of a consent order paired with a schedule. It operates to stay proceedings on terms that have been agreed. The provisions contained in the schedule may remain confidential. This Practice Note describes the scope of confidentiality attaching to the schedule and sets out how it differs from a standard consent order. Sample wording for a Tomlin order is included, alongside links to precedents, as well as guidance on court approval. It also addresses varying, setting aside and enforcing a Tomlin order, including the considerations the court will take into account when handling applications for each. Further guidance is provided on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR; however, some courts and divisions impose very specific requirements for both drafting and approval, and for approaching the schedule and confidentiality issues. Accordingly, you must consider the particular rules and court guide provisions in the forum where your claim is proceeding when drawing up the Tomlin order...

Precedent: Deed of Surrender of Lease with Optional Premium, Settlement and Release, Landlord, Mortgagee and Guarantor Consents, Reimbursement and HM Land Registry Provisions (England and Wales)

Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...

Precedent Statutory Declaration: Standard Wording under the Statutory Declarations Act 1835

I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...