Now life for non-resident parents is, potentially, about to get worse. In recent years, the level of a non-resident parent’s income being payable for maintenance was calculated on the following basis: 15 per cent for one child, 20 for two children and 25 for three or more children. Now, under a phased introduction, the proportions will change to 12, 16 and 19 per cent for someone earning less than £800 a week and 9, 12 and 16 per cent if the salary or wage is above that. These will be calculated on gross and not net income so, every wage- or salary-earning non-resident parent will have to pay more.