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 improve communication between the Child Maintenance Service and service users to reduce the number of disputes progressing to appeal; and what assessment they have made of the impact of delays in resolving child maintenance disputes on the financial stability of separated families.

The Department has made no specific assessment of the cost to the public purse of Child Maintenance Service (CMS) cases progressing to tribunal where decisions are subsequently revised. However, it does keep CMS processes under review to support accurate decision making and the effective resolution of disputes, including reviewing tribunal decisions. Individuals who disagree with a CMS decision, may seek a Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) to review the decision made. This information is available in ‘Table 9: Mandatory Reconsiderations, Great Britain, April 2015 to June 2026’ of the latest CMS tables.

At the conclusion of this process parents are notified of whether a decision will be revised or not and the reasoning for this decision. Subsequently, if they are still dissatisfied with the decision, and they appeal to HMCTS, the Department has 42 days to prepare their appeal response or lapse the appeal as necessary. The Department cannot restrict the rights of either parent, irrespective of the potential outcome. At either the MR or appeal stage all parents who are impacted by a decision have the right to raise a dispute and the opportunity to present new evidence (whether the dispute was raised by them or another party). This can present situations where, for instance, a Paying Parent disputes a decision at the MR stage which is revised and subsequently the Receiving Parent appeals that decision.

The Department has not undertaken a specific assessment of the impact that delays in resolving child maintenance disputes have on the financial stability of separated families. However, where customers raise concerns about financial hardship or vulnerability, the CMS will provide appropriate support based on the circumstances of the case. This may include signposting parents to external organisations and charitable bodies that can offer independent financial guidance, debt advice, or other support services where child maintenance payments are not being received or are unaffordable. The support provided will depend on the individual circumstances of the customer and the nature of the concerns raised.