Child maintenance payments are crucial for the well-being of children whose parents have separated or divorced. However, the current system is often unfair to custodial parents and their children, leading to financial hardship and emotional stress. It's time to make a change.

We currently receive £3.36 a week for support in raising our child. Often this is not paid. £3.36 does not cover basic necessities for a child nor even go towards contributing fairly. 

According to a report by Gingerbread, a charity supporting single-parent families, one in five single parents receive no child maintenance at all. Even when payments are made, they often fall short of what is needed to cover basic expenses such as food, clothing and housing.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS), which was set up by the government to replace the previous Child Support Agency (CSA), has been criticized for its inefficiency and lack of enforcement powers. Many non-resident parents fail to pay what they owe without facing any consequences.

This situation is unacceptable. Children should not suffer because of their parents' separation or divorce. Custodial parents need reliable support from non-resident parents in order to provide for their children's needs.

We call on the government to:

1) Ensure that child maintenance payments are fair and sufficient, taking into account both parties' income and expenses. This is currently outdated and it is very easy to not have to pay if self employed.
2) Strengthen enforcement measures against non-resident parents who fail to pay what they owe. 
3) Provide better support for custodial parents who struggle financially due to lack of child maintenance payments.

It's time for a fairer system that puts children first. Let's make it happen!