Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what procedures the Child Maintenance Service follows when a paying parent disputes an income figure used in calculating their child maintenance liability; and what steps are taken to verify the accuracy of that figure before a calculation is issued.

The majority of calculations are based on income figures sourced directly from HMRC records. Either parent has the right to dispute that decision under a Mandatory Reconsideration. When a dispute is raised, both parties will be invited to submit any other evidence they believe is pertinent to that decision.

Following the Mandatory Reconsideration, if either party remains dissatisfied with the decision, they may appeal to an independent tribunal. Both parties are given the opportunity to make representations and submit relevant evidence for the tribunal to consider.