Children: Maintenance

(asked on 23rd April 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what investigatory powers are available to officials in her Department to calculate the (a) income of a parent due to pay child maintenance, (b) amount a parent is able to pay; and what criteria her Department uses to authorise those powers.


Answered by
Will Quince Portrait
Will Quince
This question was answered on 29th April 2019

When the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) makes a calculation it is based initially on income information received directly from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Having access to HMRC income information allows the Child Maintenance Service to capture a much wider range of income types received by paying parents. In addition to a parent’s gross annual income, we can capture income derived from property, savings and investments (including dividends) and other miscellaneous income. This is unearned income can be included in the calculation if a request is made to vary the calculation. In December 2018 we introduced new powers which also enable us to target complex earners via a calculation of notional income based on their assets.

Cases involving complex income or suspected fraudulent behaviour can be looked into by the Financial Investigation Unit (FIU). This specialist team can request information from a range of financial institutions to check the accuracy of information the Child Maintenance Service is given. The financial institutions are legally bound to supply the information. When an investigation finds evidence of criminality, the FIU will seek to prosecute or forward to HMRC for fraud action.

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