PCS Private / Voluntary Agreement v1.2

This document explains the basis on which two parents choose to use PCS. It does not itself create an active payment arrangement simply because an account is registered.

Service operator: Right First Time UK Ltd · Company No. 17493370.

What both parents are agreeing to

Each parent participates voluntarily and uses their own PCS account. A contribution arrangement begins only after both parents independently accept the same recorded proposal.

The accepted proposal should identify the amount, payment frequency and start date. PCS does not create retrospective liability before that agreed start date.

PCS cost

The cost to use PCS is £10 per parent, per year. That service cost is paid for access to PCS and is completely separate from any child contribution paid from one parent to the other.

Child-focused purpose

The purpose of the arrangement is to contribute towards the child’s ordinary needs and to make the parents’ agreed responsibilities clearer. Parents should consider food, clothing, ordinary housing-related costs, school, transport, activities, health, additional needs and direct spending already met by either parent. Routine paid childcare is not built into the PCS basic contribution guide.

Affordability, direct costs and temporary hardship

Parents should consider the child’s needs alongside what each parent already provides directly. School costs, medical costs, essential equipment, activities, travel and additional-needs costs may be relevant to the discussion.

If a major temporary change such as job loss, serious illness, bereavement, homelessness or a family emergency makes the arrangement difficult to follow, either parent can propose a temporary change and a review date. A change should not be treated as agreed until both parents accept it through the PCS workflow.

Childcare: as the normal PCS voluntary approach, each parent meets childcare they arrange or need during their own care time. If both parents expressly agree to share a specific childcare arrangement or cost, that separate agreement should be recorded in PCS. This does not override any court, CMS or legally binding arrangement.

Changes

If circumstances materially change, either parent can discuss a new proposal. The existing record should remain visible so there is a clear history of what was previously agreed and when a later agreement took effect.

Communication and safety

Parents may use the PCS Parent Communication area for relevant child-related information and arrangements. Messages and permitted attachments are recorded with date/time information and kept in chronological order. Both parents should keep communication factual, respectful and focused on practical matters concerning the child.

Direct PCS messaging is not compulsory where communication is unsafe. Either parent may activate a case-level safety pause. While any safety pause is active, neither parent can send new direct PCS messages in that family case, although existing records remain available. A safety pause is not a finding by PCS that domestic abuse occurred.

Domestic abuse, threats, harassment or urgent safeguarding concerns should be taken to the appropriate police, safeguarding, legal or specialist service rather than argued through PCS.

Payments and records

PCS may maintain a payment ledger showing due and recorded payment statuses. The current development plan is for parent-to-parent bank payments, with PCS keeping the agreed amount, due date, PCS reference and record of what each parent has marked or confirmed. PCS must not describe a payment as independently bank-verified unless that verification actually exists.

The £10 annual PCS service cost paid to RFTUK is separate from child contributions between parents.

Legal position

PCS is a voluntary service operated by Right First Time UK Ltd, not CMS or a court. A private PCS arrangement is not automatically a statutory maintenance assessment or court order. Either parent can consider mediation, independent legal advice or CMS where eligible.