Children: Maintenance
The question
What steps he is taking to improve the effectiveness of the Child Maintenance Service.
Answered by Andrew Western
Child Maintenance payments keep around 120,000 children out of poverty each year.
The Government intends to replace Direct Pay with a more effective Collect and Pay model, as soon as parliamentary time allows, tackling non‑compliance and ensuring maintenance reaches children. Fees for compliant parents will be reduced, while stronger enforcement will target non‑payers. The Government is also reviewing the outdated calculation formula to ensure fairness and better outcomes for children.
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