Axe for CSA welcomed, but child poverty impact must be maximised

The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has given a broad welcome to reforms of the beleaguered child support system announced by Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton today.

CPAG said it was pleased that lone parents would in future be able to keep “significantly” more of the maintenance money paid for their children. But the charity warned that the new system would have to be carefully monitored to ensure that more money was getting through.

Kate Green, Chief Executive of CPAG, said:

“The end of the CSA will be welcomed by millions of parents who have been failed by it over the last thirteen years. But they will also want to be reassured that the new system begins to get maintenance money through to them and their children as a matter of urgency.

“We’re particularly pleased with the promise that lone parents will be able to keep significantly more maintenance than they do now. We do not yet know how much will be disregarded, but it’s clear that the more money parents with care can keep the more children will be lifted out of poverty.

“Stronger enforcement in the new system is vital to ensure that non-resident parents do not evade responsibility to their children. Those making their own private arrangements will need access to independent high quality financial advice and the Government must carefully monitor how much money is getting through.

“Ultimately the test of these measures will be whether money gets through swiftly to children and helps to lift them out of poverty. We’re hopeful that the new system will work, but we’ll be closely assessing the impact on child poverty.”

For further information from CPAG please contact:
Alex Belardinelli
CPAG Press Officer
Tel. 020 7812 5216 or 07816 909302
abelardinelli@cpag.org.uk