Coram Children’s Legal Centre (CCLC), which specialises in law and policy affecting children and young people, has spoken out against the government's proposed reforms to the child maintenance system.
Under the current government’s welfare reform plans, proposals have been put forward to charge single parents to use the services of the Child Support Agency. This move has been proposed to encourage separated couples to mediate more between themselves to reach mutual agreements regarding maintenance payments without resorting to Government services.
The plan itself would mean that the single resident parent would be charged a £100 fee (£50 to those on benefits) to use the CSA to force their ex-partners to pay maintenance for their children. In addition, up to 12% will also be deducted from the money received, for the CSA’s administrative charges.
Ed Duff, Trainee Solicitor of Coram Children’s Legal Centre said: “Working closely with single parents and young children we understand how difficult such a divorce or separation is. These proposals, if implemented, will present a significant risk of depriving single parents, and crucially their children, of money which is badly needed and is owed to them.”
