As a parent who dutifully meets their child maintenance obligations, I am confronted daily with an unjust system. My story is far from singular, as many other parents face the same struggles. Our payments are based solely on gross income, with no consideration given to after-tax pension and national insurance contributions, or to our essential outgoings like rent. The financial strain this places on paying parents is immense and unsustainable.

There is a crucial need to revise and improve the current child maintenance assessment system. It should be a system that is fair and factors in the real-life financial circumstances of parents. it is vital that the calculation of these payments accurately reflects a parent's ability to pay, taking into account necessary expenditures and after-tax income.

Changes are needed to ensure that every parent can meet their obligations without facing financial hardship. The government should reassess child maintenance payments based on after-tax pension and national insurance contributions as well as an individual’s outgoings and expenditures.

I am calling on our policymakers to champion this change for the benefit of paying parents across the country. The system should be encouraging responsible parenting and financial stability for all involved parties, not pushing families into precarity. Your signature can help bring about this vital change. Please, sign this petition today.