Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce delays and improve contact accessibility for Child Maintenance Service users in West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to providing a modern, efficient, and accessible service for all customers.
Through the Service Modernisation Programme, CMS is expanding digital channels and self-service options, including online tools like Get Help Arranging Child Maintenance and My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC), available 24/7. It has improved communications via SMS, email, and clearer letters, and introduced online messaging for certain processes, with plans to extend this further. By promoting self-service, CMS frees resources for customers who prefer phone support. Recent call routing improvements ensure faster access to case-owning teams.
All changes undergo equality assessments to guarantee fair access to the service for all customers regardless of location.
The Government is reviewing the child maintenance calculation to ensure it reflects current and future trends. Any proposed reforms will undergo public consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.
CMS remains committed to delivering a reliable, fair, and responsive service for every parent.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Child Maintenance Service in ensuring timely case handling and communication with parents.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to providing a modern, efficient, and accessible service for all customers.
Through the Service Modernisation Programme, CMS is expanding digital channels and self-service options, including online tools like Get Help Arranging Child Maintenance and My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC), available 24/7. It has improved communications via SMS, email, and clearer letters, and introduced online messaging for certain processes, with plans to extend this further. By promoting self-service, CMS frees resources for customers who prefer phone support. Recent call routing improvements ensure faster access to case-owning teams.
All changes undergo equality assessments to guarantee fair access to the service for all customers regardless of location.
The Government is reviewing the child maintenance calculation to ensure it reflects current and future trends. Any proposed reforms will undergo public consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.
CMS remains committed to delivering a reliable, fair, and responsive service for every parent.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of Child Maintenance Service support for separated parents in rural constituencies.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to providing a modern, efficient, and accessible service for all customers.
Through the Service Modernisation Programme, CMS is expanding digital channels and self-service options, including online tools like Get Help Arranging Child Maintenance and My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC), available 24/7. It has improved communications via SMS, email, and clearer letters, and introduced online messaging for certain processes, with plans to extend this further. By promoting self-service, CMS frees resources for customers who prefer phone support. Recent call routing improvements ensure faster access to case-owning teams.
All changes undergo equality assessments to guarantee fair access to the service for all customers regardless of location.
The Government is reviewing the child maintenance calculation to ensure it reflects current and future trends. Any proposed reforms will undergo public consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.
CMS remains committed to delivering a reliable, fair, and responsive service for every parent.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help improve the accuracy of Child Maintenance Service calculations.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to providing a modern, efficient, and accessible service for all customers.
Through the Service Modernisation Programme, CMS is expanding digital channels and self-service options, including online tools like Get Help Arranging Child Maintenance and My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC), available 24/7. It has improved communications via SMS, email, and clearer letters, and introduced online messaging for certain processes, with plans to extend this further. By promoting self-service, CMS frees resources for customers who prefer phone support. Recent call routing improvements ensure faster access to case-owning teams.
All changes undergo equality assessments to guarantee fair access to the service for all customers regardless of location.
The Government is reviewing the child maintenance calculation to ensure it reflects current and future trends. Any proposed reforms will undergo public consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.
CMS remains committed to delivering a reliable, fair, and responsive service for every parent.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will remove the two-child benefit cap in the Autumn Budget.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is committed to tackling child poverty. The Child Poverty Taskforce is developing an ambitious Child Poverty Strategy which we will publish in the autumn.
Commitments made at the 2025 spending review, and since then, are the latest steps in our Plan for Change to put extra pounds in people’s pockets – a downpayment on our Child Poverty Strategy, building on expansion of free breakfast clubs, the national minimum wage boost and the cap on Universal Credit deductions through the Fair Repayment Rate.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of removing the two-child benefit cap on child poverty in West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Taskforce recognises the importance of place, including differences between urban and rural locations, as a driver of child poverty. Children and families in rural areas have played an important role in the development of the Child Poverty Strategy, including through their participation in our research with parents and carers, and with children – which included an emphasis of the importance and role of place in shaping their experiences. Strengthening local support is also one of the pillars through which we are developing the Strategy.
No assessment has been made of the impact of removing the Two Child Limit policy in West Dorset or on families in rural areas. However, statistics on the number of households and children in receipt of Universal Credit affected by the Two Child Limit policy are available by local authority and parliamentary constituency on the GOV.UK website, the latest being for April 2025: Universal Credit claimants statistics on the two child limit policy, April 2025 - GOV.UK.
This government is committed to tackling child poverty and the Child Poverty Taskforce is developing an ambitious Child Poverty Strategy which we will publish in the autumn. We are considering all available levers, including social security reforms, to give every child the best start in life. The causes of child poverty are wide-ranging and deep-rooted, and so it is right that the Taskforce carefully considers and assesses the available levers as it develops this Strategy.
In the meantime, we are pressing ahead with action.
As a significant downpayment ahead of strategy publication, we have already taken substantive action across major drivers of child poverty through the Spending Review 2025. This includes an expansion of Free School Meals that will lift 100,000 children out of poverty by the end of the parliament, establishing a long-term Crisis and Resilience Fund supported by £1bn a year including Barnett impact, investing in local family support services, and extending the £3 bus fare cap.
In August, we confirmed funding of £600m for the Holiday Activities and Food programme for the next three years, ensuring that children and young people can continue to benefit from enriching experiences and nutritious meals during the school holidays.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the two-child benefit cap on families in rural areas.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Taskforce recognises the importance of place, including differences between urban and rural locations, as a driver of child poverty. Children and families in rural areas have played an important role in the development of the Child Poverty Strategy, including through their participation in our research with parents and carers, and with children – which included an emphasis of the importance and role of place in shaping their experiences. Strengthening local support is also one of the pillars through which we are developing the Strategy.
No assessment has been made of the impact of removing the Two Child Limit policy in West Dorset or on families in rural areas. However, statistics on the number of households and children in receipt of Universal Credit affected by the Two Child Limit policy are available by local authority and parliamentary constituency on the GOV.UK website, the latest being for April 2025: Universal Credit claimants statistics on the two child limit policy, April 2025 - GOV.UK.
This government is committed to tackling child poverty and the Child Poverty Taskforce is developing an ambitious Child Poverty Strategy which we will publish in the autumn. We are considering all available levers, including social security reforms, to give every child the best start in life. The causes of child poverty are wide-ranging and deep-rooted, and so it is right that the Taskforce carefully considers and assesses the available levers as it develops this Strategy.
In the meantime, we are pressing ahead with action.
As a significant downpayment ahead of strategy publication, we have already taken substantive action across major drivers of child poverty through the Spending Review 2025. This includes an expansion of Free School Meals that will lift 100,000 children out of poverty by the end of the parliament, establishing a long-term Crisis and Resilience Fund supported by £1bn a year including Barnett impact, investing in local family support services, and extending the £3 bus fare cap.
In August, we confirmed funding of £600m for the Holiday Activities and Food programme for the next three years, ensuring that children and young people can continue to benefit from enriching experiences and nutritious meals during the school holidays.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce child poverty in West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In developing a Child Poverty Strategy, the Taskforce is considering all children across the United Kingdom. The UK Government is committed to tackling child poverty across the UK where progress is contingent on reserved, devolved, and local levers. The Child Poverty Strategy will be UK-wide, drawing on devolved and reserved levers and working closely with Devolved Governments, recognising the progress that has been made on their poverty strategies and policies, and in England, with mayors and other local leaders.
Local authorities are a key part of our approach to learning directly about the experience of poverty in different communities and solutions already underway. Both the Taskforce and officials in the Child Poverty Unit have engaged with local communities regularly throughout the development of the strategy. This includes through a ministerial taskforce meeting with local leaders from combined and local governments in England, who joined Ministers to discuss the experience of poverty in their local communities, and innovative solutions underway. The Child Poverty Unit also consulted local authorities across England through a virtual webinar in December 2024, allowing authorities to feed into the development of the strategy. and visits to Manchester, Ashton-Under-Lyme, Cheshire and Merseyside.
As a significant downpayment ahead of strategy publication, we have already taken substantive action across major drivers of child poverty including an expansion of Free School Meals and a £39 billion investment in social and affordable housing. At the 2025 Spending Review we also announced a new March 2025 £1 billion package to reform crisis support, including the first ever multi-year settlement to transform the Household Support Fund into a new Crisis and Resilience Fund. This longer-term funding approach enables local authorities to provide preventative support to communities as well as assist people when faced with a financial crisis.