Child Maintenance Service 2026-04-27 (2)
2026-04-27
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
A constituent's case where a successful tri [3D [K tribunal appeal led to arrears being awarded but no maintenance payment due [3D [K due to significant redundancy and asset holdings highlights the issue.
My constituent successfully appealed at tribunal, [9D [K tribunal, with both the judge and Child Maintenance Service agreeing that d [1D [K declared income did not reflect true earnings. Despite receiving substantia [10D [K substantial redundancy payments and holding significant assets including pr [2D [K property and pensions, no maintenance is being paid. This exposes a gap in [K how redundancy payments are treated by CMS. Will the Minister urgently revi [4D [K review this?
Part of the challenge is that legislation requires [K using earnings information provided by HMRC, and since redundancy payments [K up to £80,000 are tax-exempt, they do not show up. I will share concerns ra [2D [K raised with Baroness Sherlock.
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Assessment & feedback
Urgent review requested but only stated as sharin [6D [K sharing concerns without committing to a timeline or action
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Redundancy payments are not considered in s [1D [K standard maintenance calculation, raising concerns about families' support. [8D [K support.
If his Department will review the adequacy of the [3D [K the treatment of redundancy payments by the Child Maintenance Service. Redu [4D [K Redundancy payments are not taken into account and only capital may be cons [4D [K considered through an asset variation if at least £31,250 is held in a bank [4D [K bank or savings account. The service considers redundancy payment when look [4D [K looking at arrears.
Redundancy payments up to £80,000 are tax-exempt an [2D [K and do not show in earnings information provided by HMRC. The service may c [1D [K consider redundancy payment when looking at arrears.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific review requested but only explained curr [4D [K current treatment without commitment to review
Response accuracy