Father ordered to increase alimony to Dh7,500 monthly for six children

Abu Dhabi: The Federal Supreme Court has upheld a previous ruling ordering a father to increase alimony payments to his ex-wife, the custodian of their six children, rejecting his appeal against a judgment that raised the monthly support from Dh6,000 to Dh7,500 and included housing and domestic help allowances.

The court affirmed that determining alimony falls within the discretion of the trial court, which must assess both the payer’s means and the dependents’ needs “without unfairness or excess”, Emarat Al Youm reported.

According to court records, the mother had earlier secured rulings granting her custody and ordering her ex-husband to pay for housing, utilities and basic expenses. She later filed for an increase, arguing that living costs had risen, the children had grown older, and one daughter had been born after the original order.

The lower court ruled in the mother's favour, increasing the monthly allowance and housing rent to Dh40,000 per year, in addition to Dh3,000 for Eid clothing and Dh1,000 monthly for a domestic worker. But, the father appealed, claiming the payments were excessive given his financial obligations.

The Federal Supreme Court, however, rejected the challenge, noting that no error had been found in the lower court’s reasoning. It further ruled that previous judgments did not cover the domestic worker or Eid expenses, making the appeal invalid.

Quoting the Personal Status Law, the court said alimony may be increased or reduced depending on circumstances, and that judges must consider both the payer’s capacity and the dependents’ condition, as well as the prevailing economic situation.