'A child's life can be made easier by money arriving when it should'

Parents want what’s best for their child. Whether it is in their schoolwork, at football, or performing in the school play, we know parents want to see their children thrive.

That simple principle is at the heart of the Child Maintenance Service, which helps ensure children continue to receive vital financial support from both parents when family life changes.

Yesterday’s figures show the scale and importance of that support. Child maintenance payments keep around 120,000 children out of relative poverty, while 1.1 million children are currently supported through Child Maintenance Service arrangements.

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Behind every statistic is a child whose life can be made that little bit easier by money arriving when it should.

Whether it is a new pair of school shoes, swimming lessons, or the chance to go on a school trip, these everyday things matter. When parents separate, their children should not lose out.

That is what the Child Maintenance Service is there to help prevent. We know most parents willingly support their children, but for those who refuse to meet their responsibilities, we will act.

The Child Maintenance Service has enforcement powers to recover money owed to children, and as a last resort where this has failed, can pursue stronger sanctions like disqualifying parents from holding a driving licence or passport.

CMS provides financial support to so many parents and children each year. However, where we fall short of the standards our customers rightly expect, we are committed to listening, learning and making improvements.

As the minister responsible for the Child Maintenance Service, I want parents to have confidence not only that the service will act when payments are missed, but that it listens when things are not working as they should.

That is why we are making practical improvements now, alongside our longer-term plans for reform. We are using feedback from parents, and the experience of frontline staff to identify where the service can work better and make changes that have a real impact.

Parents have told us they want clearer information about their payments and greater visibility of what is happening with their case. We are improving case summaries that parents can access and expanding the information available online so parents can get the information they need more quickly, without having to wait for correspondence. 

These changes may sound simple, but together they will make a real difference to families navigating what can already be a difficult time.

Child maintenance is not about systems or statistics. It is about children, their security and their future. And we will keep working to ensure they get the support they deserve.

Baroness Maeve Sherlock is a minister in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

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