I think that is precisely why they don't say exactly what it is to go towards. My situation is that ex pays 220 a month towards the children's expenses and has them no overnights.
Childcare alone costs me 1-1.2K per month, TC and Cb total £750 so by "matching" his input and adding the input from the tax payer, my children could be cared for during the day whilst we both work but not eat, be clothed, shoe'd, go on school trips, friend's parties, have bedding, hot baths, a warm home, access to computors, the chance to play an instrument, go on the odd camping trip, have haircuts, visit grandparents nor could they be transported to their father's home and back when I run the taxi service etc, etc, etc. I pay far more towards their upkeep than he does, but I earn more (his income is comparable to mine historically but half comes from non salary sources which he had told me he no longer got - and now we have
form E's it's apparent that was untrue but that's another story:blink: ).
My situation is very different to a nearly 50/50 shared care arrangement where two sets of "stuff" and adequate housing needs to be provided and two parents are equally bound by the limitations that providing that care imposes (as an adult on my own, I could go to bed early to save heat and lighting csts, eat beans on toast and look for extra/better work if I'm skint, as parents who do have substantial "care-time" we are limited in career opportunities by the times when we care for the children). I would be much better off financially if I were the NRP, but that reflects mine and ex's particular scenario.
So, the CSA can't make a hard and fast rule saying "this is what CSA covers/is a contribution towards" that works in all situations.
It also depends on the children, one who is a tennis star in the making and to reach their best potential could do with coaching and haulling round the tennis juniors circuit needs different things from one whose talents are well-supported in the school system, or one who has a burning interest in bugs or one who needs extra support because they find some things challenging, or have a phobia of school and need home-schooling.
It is however all you are legally required to pay. A number of NRPs (mine included) will fork out for the odd extra thing for their kids sake (e.g. I paid for football training sessions for eldest - £7 each saturday, his dad bought him proper football boots) and still others will pay over what the CSA states on a regular basis because for whatever reason they beleive that is the best thing for them to do in their circumstances.
Leaving yourself penniless and struggling doesn't benefit your kids or you, happy parents = happy children but by the same token, your ex has to be able to have some sort of life too, so if you can afford to, chipping in occassionally with the big ticket items at difficult times helps the whole system run smoother.
