I am a single parent, and like many others in my situation, I struggle to provide for all the needs of my child. My son's father has chosen not to contribute towards meeting our son's needs. This is a reality faced by many parents across the country who are left with the sole responsibility of providing for their children.

The current child maintenance system does not adequately cover all actual children's needs. It often leaves single parents shouldering an unfair burden while some non-custodial parents evade their responsibilities.

According to Gingerbread, a charity supporting single parent families in the UK, one in three single parents do not receive any child maintenance payments from former partners (Gingerbread Report 2018). This lack of financial support can have significant impacts on children’s lives and opportunities.

We are calling for a reform of Child Maintenance payments that ensures they cover all actual children’s needs - from basic necessities such as food and clothing, through education costs, medical expenses and more. The wellbeing of our children should be paramount and it is crucial that both parents contribute fairly towards this.

Please sign this petition if you believe in fairer Child Maintenance payments that truly reflect the cost of raising a child. Together we can push for change that will benefit countless families across our nation.

What we want to achieve:

1) Equal contribution from both parents which will include house bills, food, clothing, education, bus fares, school trips. This will be based on invoices provided by Resident Parent.

2) Equal contribution regarding child care during school time off. Resident Parent is currently expected to cover all school holidays care, school breaks care. If Non Resident Parent chooses not to look after child would be expected to pay for child care. This will allow the Resident Parent to work.