Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average and maximum response times are for the Child Maintenance Service providing parents with full statements and breakdowns of maintenance calculations and variations on request.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) remains committed to providing timely, transparent, and accurate information to parents.

Parents can access full statements at any time via the Child Maintenance Self Service portal, My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC), which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They do not need to request this from the CMS, as an online statement is always available.

When CMS recalculates maintenance due to a change in circumstances or a variation, we are legally required to notify both parents in writing. These letters, which include a detailed breakdown of the calculation, are also available online via MCMC.

Where a parent disputes their arrears balance, they can request a full account breakdown. This is a manual process. CMS does not systematically record the time taken to complete these requests, so the data requested is not available.

All calculation decisions can be challenged through the Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) process, which allows a parent to ask CMS to review a decision before appealing to His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service. During MR, CMS re-examines the decision and considers any new information provided. If the original decision is found to be incorrect, it will be revised.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has set performance targets for the Child Maintenance Service on (a) time to initial calculation, (b) time to enforcement following non payment, and (c) customer satisfaction.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) aims to complete 80 percent of initial maintenance calculations within six weeks The Department publishes quarterly statistics for the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) and the latest statistics are currently available to June 2025. Table 1 of the latest National tables includes information on the total number of applications received by CMS for each quarter and the percentage cleared within 6 weeks and 12 weeks, from quarter ending June 2024 to quarter ending June 2025

The main causes of delay in completing maintenance calculations include parent disputes, where we need to trace and verify the paying parent’s identity or location and when income investigation and verification is required

We continue to mitigate these factors through income verification from HMRC or benefits systems, quality assurance controls, and responsive resourcing to meet service-level targets.

The CMS is committed to making the most effective use of its strong enforcement powers, and we have made a number of improvements to its processes to drive case compliance and challenge non-compliant behaviours, but we do not currently have performance targets on the time to enforcement following non-payment.

We are dedicated to using enforcement powers fairly and in the best interests of children and separated families, but the specific actions taken following non-payment, and associated timescales will vary depending on the circumstances of a case.

CMS monitors customer experience and satisfaction as part of its regular operational rhythm, however, we do not currently have customer satisfaction performance targets for CMS, but work is ongoing to develop benchmarks against which we can measure performance.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time taken is for initial maintenance calculations; and what the main causes of delay in making those calculations are.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) aims to complete 80 percent of initial maintenance calculations within six weeks The Department publishes quarterly statistics for the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) and the latest statistics are currently available to June 2025. Table 1 of the latest National tables includes information on the total number of applications received by CMS for each quarter and the percentage cleared within 6 weeks and 12 weeks, from quarter ending June 2024 to quarter ending June 2025

The main causes of delay in completing maintenance calculations include parent disputes, where we need to trace and verify the paying parent’s identity or location and when income investigation and verification is required

We continue to mitigate these factors through income verification from HMRC or benefits systems, quality assurance controls, and responsive resourcing to meet service-level targets.

The CMS is committed to making the most effective use of its strong enforcement powers, and we have made a number of improvements to its processes to drive case compliance and challenge non-compliant behaviours, but we do not currently have performance targets on the time to enforcement following non-payment.

We are dedicated to using enforcement powers fairly and in the best interests of children and separated families, but the specific actions taken following non-payment, and associated timescales will vary depending on the circumstances of a case.

CMS monitors customer experience and satisfaction as part of its regular operational rhythm, however, we do not currently have customer satisfaction performance targets for CMS, but work is ongoing to develop benchmarks against which we can measure performance.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Maintenance Service cases in each of the last five years the Independent Case Examiner identified maladministration; and what common failings were identified.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Where the Independent Case Examiner identifies maladministration in cases it investigates, an upheld finding will be reached. Such findings are either upheld, whereby the complaint is fully accepted and evidence supports the complaint, or partially upheld whereby some, but not all, of the issues raised in the complaint have merit.

The data in the table below provides a combined total of upheld and partially upheld outcomes in the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) cases the Independent Case Examiner considered over the last five full reporting years.

Joanna Wallace, the Independent Case Examiner, provided written evidence to the House of Lords Public Services Committee Child Maintenance Inquiry 2025, in which she commented on emergent themes or common issues seen in CMS complaints.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Maintenance Service calculations were revised following (a) Mandatory Reconsideration and (b) appeal in each of the last five years; and what the total value of revised liabilities was in each year.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) is the process where a parent asks the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) to review a decision before appealing to His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service. It can be requested at any stage of a case or after an unsuccessful application. If CMS finds the original decision incorrect or receives new information, the decision may be revised.

The CMS is committed to ensuring decisions are timely, accurate, fair, and based on all relevant information provided by parents.

The Department publishes quarterly statistics for the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) and the latest statistics are currently available to June 2025.

Table 9 of the latest National tables includes information on the total number of mandatory reconsideration requests received by the CMS and the outcomes occurring each quarter, and the number and percentage cleared within 28 days of receipt, from quarter ending June 2015 to quarter ending June 2025.

Table 10 of the latest National tables includes information on the total number of appeals made by parents to His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service to review a decision made by the CMS each quarter, from quarter ending June 2015 to quarter ending June 2025.

The information requested on the average time it takes the Child Maintenance Service to review these requests and, total value of revised liabilities, is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) mandatory reconsiderations and (b) appeals have been requested in each of the last five years; and what is the average time it takes the Child Maintenance Service to review these requests.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) is the process where a parent asks the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) to review a decision before appealing to His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service. It can be requested at any stage of a case or after an unsuccessful application. If CMS finds the original decision incorrect or receives new information, the decision may be revised.

The CMS is committed to ensuring decisions are timely, accurate, fair, and based on all relevant information provided by parents.

The Department publishes quarterly statistics for the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) and the latest statistics are currently available to June 2025.

Table 9 of the latest National tables includes information on the total number of mandatory reconsideration requests received by the CMS and the outcomes occurring each quarter, and the number and percentage cleared within 28 days of receipt, from quarter ending June 2015 to quarter ending June 2025.

Table 10 of the latest National tables includes information on the total number of appeals made by parents to His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service to review a decision made by the CMS each quarter, from quarter ending June 2015 to quarter ending June 2025.

The information requested on the average time it takes the Child Maintenance Service to review these requests and, total value of revised liabilities, is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints about the Child Maintenance Service were received in each of the last five years, and how many were (a) upheld, (b) partly upheld and (c) not upheld.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department regularly publishes Child Maintenance Service official statistics. The complaints received for quarter ending June 2015 to quarter ending June 2025 are available in Table 11 of the accompanying National tables.

A new publication containing data on DWP complaints received and their outcomes, including those within the Child Maintenance Service, is due to be published on 16 December 2025. Data within this publication will cover the period quarter ending September 2020 to quarter ending September 2025.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department gives to the Child Maintenance Service to verify income for self-employed parents and those operating via company structures; and what mechanisms are in place to improve accuracy.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

For self-employed paying parents, the gross income used in a maintenance calculation is provided by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in the first instance. HMRC will provide details of the gross taxable profit of the paying parent's business, for the most recent complete tax year

People who are self-employed are required to keep accurate records of their business income and expenses for tax purposes. HMRC can charge penalties for inaccurate reporting where it results in tax being unpaid.

Where a paying parent is the Director of their limited liability company, they are legally an employee of that company and are treated the same as any other employee for child maintenance purposes.

If the receiving parent believes that the paying parent has additional income as a result of their employment status, for example, dividends they can apply for a variation to include this income in the maintenance calculation.

Cases involving complex income can be investigated by the Financial Investigation Unit (FIU). This is a specialist team which can request information from financial institutions to check the accuracy of information the CMS is given. The FIU uses its extensive investigative powers to ensure that families receive child maintenance appropriately and in accordance with the paying parent’s whole income.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Department plans to publish a child maintenance arrears reduction strategy for the next five years.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

This Government is committed to maximising the effectiveness of the Child Maintenance Service (CMS), which plays a vital role in ensuring that children receive the financial support to which they are entitled. Only 7 per cent of the total maintenance due since the CMS commenced operations in 2012 remains outstanding through the Collect and Pay service.

Significant reforms to the CMS have already been announced setting out our intention to move to a single service where all payments will be collected and transferred on behalf of parents. This reform will enable the CMS to address non-compliance more swiftly and provide enhanced support to victims and survivors of domestic abuse.

The CMS have a strong range of enforcement powers and continually review how these can be strengthened to improve the CMS’s ability to deploy enforcement measures more widely and select the most appropriate action in each case.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what actions have been taken in response to recommendations made by the Independent Case Examiner in relation to Child Maintenance Service complaints in each of the last five years.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) have implemented measures in line with the Independent Case Examiner's recommendations in each of the last five years.

Actions include strengthening enforcement processes, improving complaint handling procedures, enhancing staff training, updating guidance, and reviewing policies to ensure fairer outcomes for parents and children. These actions demonstrate CMS commitment to learning from ICE recommendations and improving the experience of CMS customers.

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