Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether there are plans to reduce the amount of debt that a child maintenance paying parent owes before an application for a Liability Order can be made.

The minimum amount for which a liability order will usually be sought is £500. This is intended to ensure that our use of this power is proportionate to the cost of applying for a liability order. This threshold is discretionary, and we may apply for liability orders for lower amounts depending on the specific circumstances of a case.