Proposed reforms are being made for the Child Maintenance Service which deals with the way the living costs of a child who does not live with both of their parents are paid
Parents have been granted an extended period to voice their opinions on potential changes to Child Maintenance.
The initial consultation was launched by the previous government in May this year, with the aim of discussing how the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) can better prevent child poverty. The deadline for the consultation has now been extended to 30 September this year.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is encouraging more individuals and organisations to contribute their insights to the consultation. Measures proposed by the DWP under the previous government include discontinuing the Direct Pay service, enabling CMS to address non-compliance more swiftly, and facilitating quicker enforcement action when necessary, reports the MEN.
DWP Lords Minister, Baroness Maeve Sherlock stated: “This government is committed to tackling child poverty and ensuring children get the support they need to have the best start in life. Child maintenance is important to this goal.”
“The extension of the consultation into the Child Maintenance Service that we’ve announced today will ensure that we provide the best possible opportunity to hear the concerns and thoughts of expert groups and individuals.”
The DWP also highlighted that in the 12 months to March 2024, the CMS arranged over £1.4 billion child maintenance payments and was managing 722,000 payments for 658,000 paying parents and 986,000 children.
How parents can respond to the consultation
Members of the public have two main ways to participate in the consultation. They can fill out the the official online government form which includes 10 questions and additional sections for further explanation of their answers and views on the topic.
Alternatively, they can email the DWP directly at cm. [email protected].
For those who prefer not to respond online, they can write to the DWP Consultation Coordinator at the following address:.
DWP Consultation Coordinator, Second Floor.
Caxton House.
Tothill Street, London.
SW1H 9NA.
