§ Ms Oona KingTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if voluntary payments made by non-custodial parents directly towards their children's maintenance are deducted by the CSA from the calculation of maintenance that it requests from the non-custodial parent. [135827]
§ Angela EagleMany non-resident parents want to, and do, provide financial support for their children while their maintenance liability is being calculated by the Child Support Agency. Voluntary payments of child maintenance paid before liability has been calculated can be offset against that liability. However, voluntary payments are not currently provided for in legislation and the Child Support Agency follows guidelines to determine which payments should be set-off against arrears of maintenance.
The Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000 gives statutory recognition to voluntary payments made before maintenance has been assessed. In the new child support scheme, payments in cash, either direct to the parent with care or via the Agency, and payments by the non-resident parent of household bills for mortgage repayments, gas/electricity or water bills can be offset as voluntary payments.
Once maintenance liability has been calculated, there is no provision for voluntary payments to be taken into account and maintenance liability can only be discharged if payments are made to a specified person, usually the parent with care, directly, or through the CSA. The 99W amount of debt which arises through non-payment of child maintenance will not be offset by any amounts the non-resident parent has paid to the child, such as for pocket money or presents.
§ Ms Oona KingTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the new child support scheme indicates the categories of expenditure covered by the CSA maintenance payment. [135852]
§ Angela EagleMaintenance calculations under the new child support scheme are intended to provide a reasonable level of support for children while leaving non-resident parents with sufficient income to meet their other responsibilities.
The new rates do not reflect an assessment of levels of expenditure in specified categories and it will be for the parent with care to decide how best to spend the money in the interests of her children.