What unmarried parents can learn from the Kyle Walker vs Lauryn Goodman case

It has been hard to avoid the publicity surrounding the child maintenance case of Premier League footballer and the influencer Lauryn Goodman. For the record, Kyle is married to Annie Walker, and they have four children.

However, an affair with the influencer Lauryn Goodman has resulted in the couple sharing two children. The couple have never been married and have never lived together, so there were no financial assets to be divided, and Ms Goodman was not entitled to any financial relief.

In fact, for unmarried parents, the only financial obligation of the non-resident parent is child maintenance payments. In this instance, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) handles cases where the non-resident parent earns less than £156,000. In this case, where Mr Walker’s annual income is estimated to be between £7-10m a year, the court has the power to ‘top up’ the level of child maintenance.

Although Ms Goodman has given countless media interviews stating her children should enjoy the same living standards as their half-siblings, as an unmarried mother, the only legislation available to her is Schedule 1 of The Children Act 1989. This addresses financial provision for the children only. Having never been married to Mr Walker, Ms Goodman cannot expect to receive the same sort of financial settlement that would be the case if they were divorcing.

How you can protect yourselves as unmarried parents

For unmarried parents, we would strongly recommend that you put a formal agreement in place which outlines the financial responsibilities of you both, if the relationship breaks down. A family lawyer will be able to help you with this.

By taking a pro-active approach before any potential future disputes could erupt, you will be protecting both your children and each other from added financial stress and hostility.

If you are struggling with the impact of divorce and separation, we offer a no obligation initial consultation for a fixed fee of £100 (incl. VAT), for up to one hour. At this meeting, we can advise you on all the issues relating to your personal circumstances, allowing you to make informed decisions moving forward.

To book an appointment please call 01444 472700, email us at [email protected] or complete the form below.