Britney Spears ordered by court to pay her father $10,000 just to look after her

For Britney Spears, fatherly love doesn't come cheap.

The troubled pop star has been ordered to pay her father $10,000 (£5,000) for looking after her, court papers reveal.

The private chef gave up his job to help his daughter pull her life back together after a series of high-profile meltdowns led to her losing custody of her two sons.

Dutiful daughter: Britney Spears, heading out for a low-key dinner in Beverly Hills last night, has been ordered to pay her father $10,000

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Employee of the month: an LA court has approved of Britney's father's application for compensation for looking after her during one month

An LA court has approved his application for compensation of $2,500 a week for loss of earnings during a month-long period earlier this year.

It dates back to the start of February, when Jamie was made a conservator of Britney's estate.

The court papers say: "As a result of the responsibilities Mr Spears has assumed as Temporary Conservator of the Person and Temporary Co-Conservator of the Estate, he has been unable to continue his prior employment and thus no longer has the source of income he previously had in order to pay his expenses and bills."

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Family affair: Jamie Spears (right) accompanied his daughter on her visit to Costa Rica last week

Admittedly Britney's life has turned around since Jamie's intervention.

Her progress has impressed the judge in her child custody battle and she was recently granted more time with her sons Sean Preston and Jayden James.

She has also made two guest appearances in the US television series How I Met Your Mother which received positive reviews and drew record viewers.

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Homecoming: tanned Britney leaves a cab after returning home to LA from her break

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Court order: an LA court has approved Jamie Spears' application for compensation for looking after his daughter