Context
Concerns about financial fairness when family courts decide on a 50:50 care split, leading to unequal financial outcomes due to decisions made by the Child Maintenance Service based on child benefit status.
Question
When family courts decide that care is to be split between parents 50:50, we might expect that fair financial arrangements follow. However, when courts make that ruling, and the Child Maintenance Service makes decisions based on which parent is the recipient of child benefit, one parent often finds they are significantly worse off than the other. Will Ministers have a word with their colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that the justice system and the CMS work more closely to achieve financial fairness for both parents in cases where courts rule for 50:50 care splits?
Answer from Sarah Sackman
In individual cases, how those financial settlements are made is a matter for the judiciary. There should be join-up between areas of Government, and I am happy to take away his direction that we should liaise with DWP colleagues to ensure child maintenance is addressed fairly.
Not addressed: Specific commitment to address financial fairness issues in 50:50 care splits
How: Will Take Away His Direction
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