Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of maintaining the level of Housing Benefit until 2026 on the affordability of housing for people on Housing Benefit.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Both Housing Benefit and the housing element of Universal Credit provide support for renters in the private and social rented sectors.
The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) determines the maximum housing support for households claiming either benefit can receive if they are privately renting.
Ahead of Autumn Budget 2024, DWP Ministers looked at a range of factors when considering the LHA rates for 2025/26. This included rental data, the impacts of LHA rates, rate increases in April 2024, and the wider fiscal context. The April 2024 one-year LHA increase cost an additional £1.2bn in 2024/25 and approximately £7bn over 5 years.
We have also invested £1bn in funding for both the Household Support Fund (HSF) and Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) (including Barnett impacts) for 2025/26 and the level of DHP funding has been maintained at current levels. DHPs are available from local authorities for those unable to meet a shortfall in their rent.
Any future decisions on LHA policy will be taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing and the challenging fiscal context.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the timescale for the cancellation of debts owed to the Child Maintenance Service.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
In 2012, powers were introduced which allowed the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) to write off historic Child Support Agency (CSA) and CMS debt in specific scenarios where it would be unfair or inappropriate to enforce liability. Examples of these scenarios include if the receiving parent tells us they no longer want us to collect the arrears, or the paying parent is deceased, and no further action can be taken to recover the arrears from the paying parent’s estate.
Further powers were then introduced in 2018, which allowed remaining CSA cases to be closed following the collection or write-off of historic arrears, as part of the closure of the scheme. This was a one-off exercise, applying only to CSA debt.
Writing off is not a quick or easy decision and involves exhausting other approaches to deal with the debt. Where receiving parents wanted the CMS to attempt to collect the CSA debt, the CMS made one last attempt to collect CSA arrears where this was cost effective and had a possibility of success. Both parents were able to make representations during the process and paying parents were given an opportunity to provide evidence to dispute the value of the outstanding debt. No payments of compensation are issued by the CMS where write off decisions are made.
The CMS’ priority is to collect money owed to children who will benefit today, thereby preventing the build-up of arrears on the CMS.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has plans for the compensation of children in Child Maintenance Service cases where the debt is cancelled.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
In 2012, powers were introduced which allowed the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) to write off historic Child Support Agency (CSA) and CMS debt in specific scenarios where it would be unfair or inappropriate to enforce liability. Examples of these scenarios include if the receiving parent tells us they no longer want us to collect the arrears, or the paying parent is deceased, and no further action can be taken to recover the arrears from the paying parent’s estate.
Further powers were then introduced in 2018, which allowed remaining CSA cases to be closed following the collection or write-off of historic arrears, as part of the closure of the scheme. This was a one-off exercise, applying only to CSA debt.
Writing off is not a quick or easy decision and involves exhausting other approaches to deal with the debt. Where receiving parents wanted the CMS to attempt to collect the CSA debt, the CMS made one last attempt to collect CSA arrears where this was cost effective and had a possibility of success. Both parents were able to make representations during the process and paying parents were given an opportunity to provide evidence to dispute the value of the outstanding debt. No payments of compensation are issued by the CMS where write off decisions are made.
The CMS’ priority is to collect money owed to children who will benefit today, thereby preventing the build-up of arrears on the CMS.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has plans for securing outstanding Child Maintenance Service payments when the party in arrears declares they have no fixed place of work.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to ensuring separated parents support their children financially, taking robust enforcement action against those who do not. Where parents fail to pay their child maintenance, the Service will not hesitate to use its enforcement powers, including deductions from earnings orders, removal of driving licences, disqualification from holding a passport, and committal to prison.
If a paying parent is in receipts of benefits, the CMS can set up a deduction from the benefit to collect ongoing maintenance, or arrears in the case of Collect and Pay. The CMS is able to deduct £8.40 a week towards ongoing maintenance or arrears from certain prescribed benefits. Deductions towards arrears and ongoing maintenance are not taken at the same time. Arrears deductions are taken only after ongoing liability has been satisfied.
Where parents frequently change employment, the CMS can use alternative powers such as deducting child maintenance directly from their bank account.
To allow enforcement action to be taken where appropriate, the CMS can issue legal notifications and documents to a client’s last known or notified address. The CMS utilises a wide range of information sources to determine, on the balance of probabilities, which is the correct last known or last notified address.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has plans for securing outstanding Child Maintenance Service payments when the party in arrears declares they have no fixed address.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to ensuring separated parents support their children financially, taking robust enforcement action against those who do not. Where parents fail to pay their child maintenance, the Service will not hesitate to use its enforcement powers, including deductions from earnings orders, removal of driving licences, disqualification from holding a passport, and committal to prison.
If a paying parent is in receipts of benefits, the CMS can set up a deduction from the benefit to collect ongoing maintenance, or arrears in the case of Collect and Pay. The CMS is able to deduct £8.40 a week towards ongoing maintenance or arrears from certain prescribed benefits. Deductions towards arrears and ongoing maintenance are not taken at the same time. Arrears deductions are taken only after ongoing liability has been satisfied.
Where parents frequently change employment, the CMS can use alternative powers such as deducting child maintenance directly from their bank account.
To allow enforcement action to be taken where appropriate, the CMS can issue legal notifications and documents to a client’s last known or notified address. The CMS utilises a wide range of information sources to determine, on the balance of probabilities, which is the correct last known or last notified address.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to increase the ability of the Child Maintenance Service to access bank accounts held in joint names for securing outstanding payments.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) has a range of strong enforcement powers that are designed to get money flowing quickly, prevent the build-up of arrears and ensure children get the financial support they deserve.
When a paying parent does not make maintenance payments on time or in full, the CMS will initially negotiate a payment that is feasible for the parent to pay. If this is unsuccessful, the CMS has powers to deduct maintenance from a wide range of bank accounts.
In 2018, regulations were passed which allow the CMS to make deductions from joint and unlimited partnership business accounts.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of Child Maintenance Service cases where bank accounts held in a joint name prohibited payment.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) has a range of strong enforcement powers that are designed to get money flowing quickly, prevent the build-up of arrears and ensure children get the financial support they deserve.
When a paying parent does not make maintenance payments on time or in full, the CMS will initially negotiate a payment that is feasible for the parent to pay. If this is unsuccessful, the CMS has powers to deduct maintenance from a wide range of bank accounts.
In 2018, regulations were passed which allow the CMS to make deductions from joint and unlimited partnership business accounts.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the Child Maintenance Service’s ability to secure outstanding loans.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) does not provide loans.
The CMS encourage paying parents to pay their maintenance on time and in full to avoid accrual of arrears. Where a paying parent fails to pay child maintenance on time or in full, the CMS aims to take immediate action to recover the debt and re-establish compliance, such as contacting the paying payment to agree a repayment plan.
Where parents fail to take responsibility for paying for their children, the CMS is committed to using its wide-ranging enforcement powers proportionally, and in the best interests of children and separated families.
The CMS already has a suite of strong enforcement powers at its disposal. These include, using Enforcement Agents (previously known as bailiffs) to take control of goods, forcing the sale of property, removal of driving licence or UK passport, deductions directly from earnings and bank accounts or even commitment to prison.
Where required, enforcement agents may visit the paying parent at their home, business premises or place of employment. In the year ending December 2024, the CMS collected £2.6m via enforcement agents (formerly known as bailiffs).
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to expand the ability of bailiffs to enter a place of work to secure outstanding Child Maintenance Service loans.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) does not provide loans.
The CMS encourage paying parents to pay their maintenance on time and in full to avoid accrual of arrears. Where a paying parent fails to pay child maintenance on time or in full, the CMS aims to take immediate action to recover the debt and re-establish compliance, such as contacting the paying payment to agree a repayment plan.
Where parents fail to take responsibility for paying for their children, the CMS is committed to using its wide-ranging enforcement powers proportionally, and in the best interests of children and separated families.
The CMS already has a suite of strong enforcement powers at its disposal. These include, using Enforcement Agents (previously known as bailiffs) to take control of goods, forcing the sale of property, removal of driving licence or UK passport, deductions directly from earnings and bank accounts or even commitment to prison.
Where required, enforcement agents may visit the paying parent at their home, business premises or place of employment. In the year ending December 2024, the CMS collected £2.6m via enforcement agents (formerly known as bailiffs).