Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to expand the PAYE reporting in real time to Child Support Agency claims.

Since 25 November 2013, all new applications for child maintenance are made to the 2012 Scheme, which is run by the Child Maintenance Service. The Child Support Agency (CSA), which administers the 1993 and 2003 Schemes, is now closed to new applications and there are plans in place to gradually end liabilities on these schemes over a three year period starting this summer.

Unlike 1993 and 2003 Scheme cases, 2012 Scheme maintenance calculations are based on historic data supplied by interfaces with HMRC and Jobcentre Plus IT systems. In the vast majority of applications these interfaces return information to allow a calculation to be made. This is reviewed on an annual basis or where there are in-year changes of at least a 25 per cent change in the level of income. This simplified approach provides parents with greater certainty over the level of maintenance payable. In instances where HMRC information is not available our process involves gathering current income information from the paying parent or employer. It is for these 2012 Scheme cases that we are currently exploring opportunities to access and use real time earnings information.