Consultation on child maintenance to enable CMS ‘help to increase the number of children being kept out of poverty’

The Government has today extended a consultation on the Child Maintenance Service to ensure there is suitable time for feedback from external organisations. 

The consultation, launched in May of this year, is said to be a ‘chance to discuss ways the CMS can help to increase the number of children being kept out of poverty’.

DWP Lords Minister, Baroness Maeve Sherlock said:  

‘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’s proposals, launched under the previous government, include:  Stopping the Direct Pay service and deal with all cases via Collect and Pay with CMS collecting and transferring all payments. This would allow the CMS to tackle non-compliance faster and, when necessary, take enforcement action more quickly.  Exploring the best way to support family-based arrangements with an enhanced calculation tool, along with signposting to conflict resolution support.  And asking how the CMS can better support victims of domestic or economic abuse, building on recommendations from Dr Samantha Callan’s 2023 Independent Review of the Child Maintenance Service.

The extension will now close on 30 September 2024.

It comes as the government launched the Child Poverty Taskforce, chaired by the Work and Pensions and Education Secretaries, part of the ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty and give children the best start in life.

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