§ Earl Russellasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many of those parents with care in receipt of income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance are calculated as being due to child support payments of £5 or less, £10 or less, £15 or less and above £15; and what those figures are expected to be under the system to be established under the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Bill. [HL1683]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security (Baroness Hollis of Heigham)The information is in the table.
Number of parents with care who have maintenance assessments within the bands requested Banded maintenance (£ per week) Current scheme maintenance New scheme maintenance £0.01 to £5.00 25,000 20,000 £0.01 to £10.00 50,000 30,000 £0.01 to £15.00 60,000 45,000 £15.01 and above 130,000 145,000 Total 190,000 190,000 Under the current child support scheme, children living in families on income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance do not see the benefit of any maintenance paid. But under the new scheme, with the introduction of the child maintenance premium, children for whom maintenance is paid stand to gain up to £10 per week.
Notes.
1 Based on a new scheme start in April 2002.
2 Figures are rounded to nearest 5,000.
3 Includes only those parents with care where the non-resident parent is in paid employment.
4 Includes cases where the minimum liability (currently £5.20 and from 10 April £5.30) was less than £5 when they were assessed and where the liability has not subsequently been uprated. Flat rate liability under the new scheme will be £5.
5 Figures in the first three bands are cumulative.