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1731917

registered interest
date	07/10/2024
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring the Child Maintenance Service to calculate a paying parent's liability using their household income rather than their individual income.
tabling member constituency	Angus and Perthshire Glens
tabling member printed	Dave Doogan
uin	7539
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2024 answer text <p>The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) operates on the principle that both parents have financial responsibility for their child, including contributing to their food and clothing, as well as contributing towards the associated costs of running the home that the child lives in. The calculation represents an amount of money that is broadly commensurate with the amount that a paying parent would spend on the child if they were still living with them.</p><p> </p><p>The CMS will assess how much the paying parent should pay the receiving parent, which in most cases is based on a percentage of the paying parent's gross annual income, before tax and national insurance but after pension contributions. This can also include income from certain assets, savings and investment such as dividends or property income. Income from other members of the household is not considered as they have no financial responsibility for the qualifying child.</p><p> </p><p>The income of the receiving parent is not taken into consideration as they are already contributing as the child's primary caregiver and their income should not remove the responsibility of a paying parent to support their child.</p> answering member constituency Stretford and Urmston answering member printed Andrew Western grouped question UIN 7541 question first answered 10/10/2024 14:24:33 answering member 4979 label Biography information for Andrew Western
tabling member	4736 label Biography information for Dave Doogan

1731918

registered interest
date	07/10/2024
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment the Child Maintenance Service has made of the potential merits of reducing the threshold for unearned income for paying parents from £2,500 to £1,000 in line with HMRC’s annual tax-free allowance.
tabling member constituency	Angus and Perthshire Glens
tabling member printed	Dave Doogan
uin	7540
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2024 answer text <p>The threshold for unearned income was originally set at £2,500 to ensure that this represented a significant source of a paying parent’s total annual income. This ensures that minor changes in unearned income do not interfere with the efficiency of the system, increasing costs for the taxpayer.</p><p> </p><p>A review is currently ongoing to look at the child maintenance calculation to ensure it is fit for purpose. Unearned income, including the current threshold, falls within the scope of this review.</p> answering member constituency Stretford and Urmston answering member printed Andrew Western question first answered 15/10/2024 15:23:47 answering member 4979 label Biography information for Andrew Western
tabling member	4736 label Biography information for Dave Doogan

1730310

registered interest
date	04/10/2024
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to review the minimum reduction in the level of income that is required to trigger a review of a parent's child maintenance payments.
tabling member constituency	Gosport
tabling member printed	Dame Caroline Dinenage
uin	6048
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2024 answer text <p>When a parent’s income has changed by at least 25%, their calculation can be updated. The 25% income change tolerance was set to offer a stable maintenance liability, to provide greater certainty to both parents, whilst also remaining fair in dealing with unexpected and major changes in circumstances; and, to set the threshold at a level which supports operational efficiency.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Department is conducting a review of the child maintenance calculation, and the 25% income change tolerance falls within the scope of this review.</p> answering member constituency Stretford and Urmston answering member printed Andrew Western question first answered 14/10/2024 15:44:36 answering member 4979 label Biography information for Andrew Western
tabling member	4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage

1730420

registered interest
date	04/10/2024
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that the Child Maintenance Service enforces parent (a) compliance and (b) payment.
tabling member constituency	Tatton
tabling member printed	Esther McVey
uin	6193
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2024 answer text <p>Where a paying parent fails to pay on time or in full, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) aims to take immediate action to recover the debt and re-establish compliance. If this is unsuccessful and the paying parent is employed, the CMS will use a Deductions from Earnings Order (DEO) to take payment directly from their wages.</p><p> </p><p>The CMS also has a range of strong enforcement powers that can be used against those who consistently refuse to meet their obligations to provide financial support to their children.</p><p> </p><p>The Department plans to enhance effectiveness in collecting arrears payments by delivering changes via regulations to streamline the enforcement process. This will remove the requirement to obtain a court issued liability order, and instead allow the Secretary of State to issue an administrative liability order. Introducing this simpler administrative process will enable the CMS to take faster action against those paying parents who actively avoid their responsibilities.</p> answering member constituency Stretford and Urmston answering member printed Andrew Western question first answered 14/10/2024 15:47:30 answering member 4979 label Biography information for Andrew Western
tabling member	4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey

1730751

registered interest
date	04/10/2024
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to improve the success of enforcement measures taken by the Child Maintenance Service on non-paying parents.
tabling member constituency	Angus and Perthshire Glens
tabling member printed	Dave Doogan
uin	6470
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/10/2024 answer text <p>Where parents frequently change employment, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) can use alternative powers such as deducting child maintenance directly from their bank account. The CMS has a range of strong enforcement options that are designed to get money flowing quickly, prevent the build-up of arrears and ensure children get the financial support they deserve. Upon changing employer, the child maintenance liability will remain unaffected unless there is also a change to income which is greater than 25%.</p><p> </p><p>The Child Support (Enforcement) Act 2023 delivered primary legislation to accelerate the enforcement process. The changes seek to introduce a simpler administrative process to obtain a liability order against those paying parents who actively avoid their responsibilities, enabling the CMS to take faster enforcement action. We will monitor the effectiveness of this.</p><p></p><p>The CMS has a relatively low percentage of unpaid maintenance. Only 8% of the total maintenance due to be paid since the start of the CMS remains to be collected through the collect &amp; pay service. This was as high as 17% in March 2015.</p> answering member constituency Stretford and Urmston answering member printed Andrew Western grouped question UIN 6471 question first answered 09/10/2024 15:30:05 answering member 4979 label Biography information for Andrew Western
tabling member	4736 label Biography information for Dave Doogan

1730752

registered interest
date	04/10/2024
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that parents are not able to avoid (a) Child Maintenance liability and (b) Deduction of Earning Orders by changing employment.
tabling member constituency	Angus and Perthshire Glens
tabling member printed	Dave Doogan
uin	6471
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/10/2024 answer text <p>Where parents frequently change employment, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) can use alternative powers such as deducting child maintenance directly from their bank account. The CMS has a range of strong enforcement options that are designed to get money flowing quickly, prevent the build-up of arrears and ensure children get the financial support they deserve. Upon changing employer, the child maintenance liability will remain unaffected unless there is also a change to income which is greater than 25%.</p><p> </p><p>The Child Support (Enforcement) Act 2023 delivered primary legislation to accelerate the enforcement process. The changes seek to introduce a simpler administrative process to obtain a liability order against those paying parents who actively avoid their responsibilities, enabling the CMS to take faster enforcement action. We will monitor the effectiveness of this.</p><p></p><p>The CMS has a relatively low percentage of unpaid maintenance. Only 8% of the total maintenance due to be paid since the start of the CMS remains to be collected through the collect &amp; pay service. This was as high as 17% in March 2015.</p> answering member constituency Stretford and Urmston answering member printed Andrew Western grouped question UIN 6470 question first answered 09/10/2024 15:30:06 answering member 4979 label Biography information for Andrew Western
tabling member	4736 label Biography information for Dave Doogan

1728305

registered interest
date	09/09/2024
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims were processed by the Child Maintenance Agency in each of the last five years; and how many appeals were (a) lodged, (b) fully processed, (c) upheld and (d) rejected.
tabling member constituency	West Suffolk
tabling member printed	Nick Timothy
uin	4873
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2024 answer text <p>A principle of child maintenance is to increase levels of cooperation between separated parents and encourage parents to meet their responsibilities to provide their children with financial support.</p><p>Where a family-based child maintenance arrangement is not suitable the Child Maintenance Service offers a statutory scheme for those parents who need it.</p><p>When a parent joins the statutory scheme Child Maintenance Service will do everything within its powers to ensure parents comply and meet their obligations to children.</p><p>In the 12 months up to March 2024 there were 131,300 claims to the child maintenance statutory scheme (rounded to the nearest 100) and the child maintenance service arranged £1.4 billion child maintenance through the statutory scheme, an increase from £1.2 billion during the previous 12 months.</p><p>CMS are wholly committed to delivering the best possible service to all customers within our growing caseload. When a Parent or their representative disagrees with a decision about a child maintenance calculation, they have the right to appeal. Before they do this, they must first ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration.</p><p>If the Child Maintenance Service decides not to change its decision the parent can follow the formal appeal process, handled by HM Courts &amp; Tribunals Service (HMCTS) where an independent tribunal will look at the Child Maintenance Service’s decision.</p><p>The Department publishes quarterly statistics for the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-on-the-2012-statutory-child-maintenance-scheme" target="_blank">Child Maintenance Service</a> (CMS) and the latest statistics are available up to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-statistics-data-to-march-2024" target="_blank">March 2024</a>.</p><p>Table 3 from the latest <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/667c0c98aec8650b10090070/national-tables-child-maintenance-service-to-march-2024.ods" target="_blank">National tables</a> contains the number of arrangements joining the Child Maintenance Service each quarter from January 2015 to March 2024. Table 11 contains information on the number of appeals made by parents to His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service to review a decision made by the Child Maintenance Service each quarter from April 2015 to March 2024.</p><p> </p><p>Excerpts for the last five years for both tables are shown below.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 3: Intake, Great Britain, April 2019 to March 2024</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Quarter of Application</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Intake<br> </strong>[note 1]</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr to Jun 2019</p></td><td><p>22,300</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul to Sep 2019</p></td><td><p>22,100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct to Dec 2019</p></td><td><p>17,200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan to Mar 2020</p></td><td><p>20,300</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr to Jun 2020 [note 2]</p></td><td><p>13,100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul to Sep 2020</p></td><td><p>21,800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct to Dec 2020</p></td><td><p>17,600</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan to Mar 2021</p></td><td><p>18,400</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr to Jun 2021</p></td><td><p>19,700</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul to Sep 2021</p></td><td><p>21,300</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct to Dec 2021</p></td><td><p>19,500</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan to Mar 2022</p></td><td><p>26,900</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr to Jun 2022</p></td><td><p>32,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul to Sep 2022</p></td><td><p>33,600</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct to Dec 2022</p></td><td><p>27,200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan to Mar 2023</p></td><td><p>32,400</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr to Jun 2023</p></td><td><p>32,400</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul to Sep 2023</p></td><td><p>34,700</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct to Dec 2023</p></td><td><p>28,600</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan to Mar 2024</p></td><td><p>35,600</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Source: Child Maintenance Service Management Information</p><p>Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Note Number</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Note Text</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>note 1</p></td><td><p>Intake includes new arrangements as well as arrangements where the parent has closed an existing arrangement and then decided to re-open it at a later date.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>note 2</p></td><td><p>During the quarter ending June 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak may have reduced the demand for new Child Service Maintenance arrangements.</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong>Table 11: Appeals, Great Britain, April 2019 to March 2024</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td rowspan="3"><p><strong>Quarter</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Appeals Received</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>CMS </strong> <strong> Outcome: Withdrawn</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>CMS </strong> <strong> Outcome:</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Tribunal Service Outcome:</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Tribunal Service Outcome:</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total Clearances</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>[note 1]</p></td><td><p>[note 2]</p></td><td><p><strong> Revised</strong> [note 3]</p></td><td><p><strong> Upheld </strong> [note 4]</p></td><td><p><strong>Dismissed</strong> [note 5]</p></td><td><p>[note 6]</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr to Jun 2019</p></td><td><p>965</p></td><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>240</p></td><td><p>235</p></td><td><p>350</p></td><td><p>845</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul to Sep 2019</p></td><td><p>965</p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>165</p></td><td><p>225</p></td><td><p>385</p></td><td><p>795</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct to Dec 2019</p></td><td><p>1,000</p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>185</p></td><td><p>225</p></td><td><p>375</p></td><td><p>805</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan to Mar 2020</p></td><td><p>1,105</p></td><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>195</p></td><td><p>225</p></td><td><p>385</p></td><td><p>820</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr to Jun 2020</p></td><td><p>465</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>85</p></td><td><p>90</p></td><td><p>140</p></td><td><p>325</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul to Sep 2020</p></td><td><p>1,030</p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>125</p></td><td><p>120</p></td><td><p>210</p></td><td><p>470</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct to Dec 2020</p></td><td><p>1,040</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>205</p></td><td><p>220</p></td><td><p>365</p></td><td><p>805</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan to Mar 2021</p></td><td><p>980</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>175</p></td><td><p>240</p></td><td><p>445</p></td><td><p>865</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr to Jun 2021</p></td><td><p>1,045</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>145</p></td><td><p>400</p></td><td><p>880</p></td><td><p>1,430</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul to Sep 2021</p></td><td><p>1,120</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>155</p></td><td><p>315</p></td><td><p>365</p></td><td><p>850</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct to Dec 2021</p></td><td><p>1,350</p></td><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>195</p></td><td><p>265</p></td><td><p>350</p></td><td><p>830</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan to Mar 2022</p></td><td><p>735</p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>255</p></td><td><p>330</p></td><td><p>455</p></td><td><p>1,060</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr to Jun 2022</p></td><td><p>965</p></td><td><p>25</p></td><td><p>260</p></td><td><p>280</p></td><td><p>420</p></td><td><p>985</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul to Sep 2022</p></td><td><p>895</p></td><td><p>35</p></td><td><p>250</p></td><td><p>360</p></td><td><p>490</p></td><td><p>1,135</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct to Dec 2022</p></td><td><p>865</p></td><td><p>35</p></td><td><p>240</p></td><td><p>380</p></td><td><p>505</p></td><td><p>1,160</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan to Mar 2023</p></td><td><p>1,110</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>100</p></td><td><p>295</p></td><td><p>345</p></td><td><p>745</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr to Jun 2023</p></td><td><p>1,325</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>200</p></td><td><p>215</p></td><td><p>415</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul to Sep 2023</p></td><td><p>1,085</p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>220</p></td><td><p>200</p></td><td><p>180</p></td><td><p>620</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct to Dec 2023</p></td><td><p>1,155</p></td><td><p>25</p></td><td><p>200</p></td><td><p>290</p></td><td><p>290</p></td><td><p>805</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan to Mar 2024</p></td><td><p>1,030</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>225</p></td><td><p>310</p></td><td><p>220</p></td><td><p>770</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: Child Maintenance Service Management Information</p><p>Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Note number</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Note Text</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>note 1</p></td><td><p>Parents can appeal a decision by the Child Maintenance Service on payment amounts with the Tribunal Service which is impartial and independent of Government. Before they do this, they must ask the Child Maintenance Service to review and reconsider their decision (known as a Mandatory Reconsideration).</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>note 2</p></td><td><p>Where the parent decides that they no longer want to appeal the decision and withdraw the appeal.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>note 3</p></td><td><p>Where the Child Maintenance Service finds the original decision to be incorrect, or the parent has supplied more information which changes the decision.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>note 4</p></td><td><p>Where His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service overturns the decision made by the Child Maintenance Service and supports the parent's appeal. This includes appeals where the appellant provides additional evidence to the court.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>note 5</p></td><td><p>Where the courts dismiss the appeal made by the parent and support the decision made by the Child Maintenance Service.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>note 6</p></td><td><p>The sum of the Child Maintenance Service appeals withdrawn and revised in addition to the Tribunal Service appeals dismissed and upheld.</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Stretford and Urmston answering member printed Andrew Western question first answered 17/09/2024 13:42:29 answering member 4979 label Biography information for Andrew Western
tabling member	5062

1727760

registered interest
date	05/09/2024
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many parents are (a) making child maintenance payments through the Child Maintenance Service and (b) in arrears on those payments.
tabling member constituency	Sleaford and North Hykeham
tabling member printed	Dr Caroline Johnson
uin	4401
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2024 answer text <p>The principle of the Child Maintenance Service is to increase levels of cooperation between separated parents and encourage parents to meet their responsibilities to provide financial support for their children through their own family-based arrangements where possible. Where a family-based child maintenance arrangement is not suitable we offer a statutory scheme to those parents who need it.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is dedicated to ensuring parents meet their obligations to children and the Child Maintenance Service will do everything within its powers to make sure parents comply. Where parents fail to pay their child maintenance, the Service will not hesitate to use its enforcement powers, including deductions from earnings orders, removal of driving licences, disqualification from holding a passport, and committal to prison. The Service is committed to using these powers fairly and in the best interests of children and separated families.</p><p> </p><p>The Department publishes quarterly statistics for the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-on-the-2012-statutory-child-maintenance-scheme" target="_blank">Child Maintenance Service</a> and the latest statistics are available up to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-statistics-data-to-march-2024" target="_blank">March 2024</a>. The number of Paying Parents using the Collect and Pay service are published on <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">Stat-Xplore</a> in the <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/openinfopage?id=CMS_PARENT" target="_blank">CMS Paying Parents</a> dataset.</p><p> </p><p>In the latest quarter ending on 31 March 2024, there were 188,945 parents due to pay through the Collect and Pay service. Information on the full arrears status of those parents is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Stretford and Urmston answering member printed Andrew Western question first answered 13/09/2024 12:52:16 answering member 4979 label Biography information for Andrew Western
tabling member	4592 label Biography information for Dr Caroline Johnson

1727118

registered interest
date	03/09/2024
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure the accuracy of the (a) systems and (b) IT used by the Child Maintenance Service.
tabling member constituency	Leicester South
tabling member printed	Shockat Adam
uin	4088
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2024 answer text <p>Regular updates ensure the Child Maintenance Service's systems comply with policy. Each change follows industry standards, including thorough testing before and after implementation. The core principles for calculating Child Maintenance have remained largely unchanged since 2012, with no current system defects affecting these calculations.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Work and Pensions rigorously monitors accuracy, with the National Audit Office setting a target of monetary value errors under 1%. This standard is consistently met.</p> answering member constituency Stretford and Urmston answering member printed Andrew Western question first answered 11/09/2024 15:46:11 answering member 4979 label Biography information for Andrew Western
tabling member	5120

1727121

registered interest
date	03/09/2024
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help ensure that the CMS child maintenance calculation adequately reflects the (a) living expenses and (b) income of both parties.
tabling member constituency	Leicester South
tabling member printed	Shockat Adam
uin	4089
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2024 answer text <p>The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) operates on the principle that both parents have financial responsibility for their child, including their food and clothing, as well as contributing towards the associated costs of running the home that the child lives in.</p><p>The calculation represents an amount of money that is broadly commensurate with the amount that a paying parent would spend on the child if they were still living with them, irrespective of the income or assets of the receiving parent.</p><p>The CMS will assess how much the paying parent should pay the receiving parent, which in most cases is based on a percentage of the paying parent's gross annual income. The income of the receiving parent is not taken into consideration as they are already contributing as the child's primary caregiver and their income should not remove the responsibility of a paying parent to support their child.</p><p>A review is ongoing to look again at the child maintenance calculation to ensure it is fit for purpose and fair for both parents in light of societal changes since it was last looked at.</p> answering member constituency Stretford and Urmston answering member printed Andrew Western question first answered 11/09/2024 11:38:37 answering member 4979 label Biography information for Andrew Western
tabling member	5120