In June 2014 the government introduced charges for using the Child Maintenance Service. Designed as a deterrent for using the service, it is now feared that thousands of children are no longer getting essential maintenance as a result. Many charities have also warned that the charges increase pressure on relationships between parents and are especially problematic where there is a history of abuse or violence. https://gingerbread.org.uk/news/327/CMS-abuse-survivors-risk

To make an application for a maintenance assessment there is now a £20 charge. Then to use the Child Maintenance Collection Service, further charges are imposed with 20% added to the paying parent’s payment and 4% deducted from the receiving parent. This means on an assessment on £100, the paying parent pays £120 but the receiving parent only gets £96 with the government effectively taking a 20% tax.

In the year 2015-16 the government took £8.5 million in charges and this is set to rise as more cases transfer to the new charging scheme. This is money that should be going to providing essentials for the 3.1 million children in single parent families.

The Child Maintenance Service is under review at the end of the year and PCS is campaigning to end the charges. Sign the petition: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/scrap-child-maintenance-service-charges