Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average wait time is to receive a response to a Child Maintenance application.

Between 75 and 80% of child maintenance applications are cleared within 6 weeks and a written response is issued by letter to both customers with details of the application. This is based on the last 4 quarters performance with the average at 77%.

An application for child maintenance will be recorded as having been made on the day it is received by the Child Maintenance Service:

1. for written applications this will mean the date shown on the office date stamp

2. for telephone applications this will mean the date that the telephone conversation takes place

3. for online applications this will mean the date the client pressed the “send application” button

Applications are considered 'cleared' when one of the following occurs:

a) the amount of child maintenance to be paid has been calculated and an arrangement to pay maintenance between the two parents has been agreed.

b) the amount of child maintenance to be paid has been calculated as zero; or

c) the child maintenance application has been closed.

The length of time to complete an application is most impacted by the service’s ability to trace and confirm the identity of the non-resident parent from the information provided within the application.