Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department takes to calculate the amount of child maintenance payments owed in the UK by a person who is already paying child support for a different child overseas.

The calculation of child maintenance liability by the Child Maintenance Service can include an allowance for maintenance payments made in respect of a child in another country. In order to be taken into account these payments must be made under either a court order or under the powers of that country’s child maintenance service. A Paying Parent will be asked about this at the point their case is set up or can report such an arrangement at a later date, they will be expected to provide documentary evidence such as a copy of the court or payment notice.