Healys LLP on child maintenance

Catherine Taylor of Healys LLP on child maintenance

Child maintenance is a contentious issue for many parents who have separated from each other and reforms are underway to try and assist separated parents to make their own arrangements for maintenance.

“Under the new system, parents will have to pay to use the agency to carry out a maintenance calculation”

Under the new system, parents will have to pay to use the agency to carry out a maintenance calculation and both parents will be penalised if the maintenance then has to be collected via the agency.

This approach seems to fly in the face of public opinion as most of the general public believe that non-resident parents should pay maintenance for their children.

Statistics show that currently two thirds of single parents who do not work and instead receive state benefits do not in fact receive child maintenance and a quarter of those who do receive maintenance payments do not receive the full amount on a regular basis. Where maintenance is received the removal of the £ for £ state benefit reduction means that any maintenance received from the non-resident parent can make a real difference.

The Child Support Agency (or Child Maintenance Service as its successor will be known) remains the only option open for some parents and it seems unjust to be penalised for using the service particularly as currently around one third of all children do not live with both of their birth parents.

Child maintenance is a real issue for a large proportion of people and whilst the theory is that the new system will put decision making in the hands of parents realistically the truth is that instead, there is likely to be an increase in child poverty.

If you are a parent and have separated or are separating from your partner and wish to discuss any of the issues set out above, please feel free to telephone us on 01273 685888. Alternatively, you may choose to email us at either of the addresses below:
Catherine Taylor: catherine.taylor@healys.com
Kathryn Sawyer: kathryn.sawyer@healys.com