A quarter of kids live in single parent families

And what’s the percentage of NRPs with arrears?

What’s the percentage for living with both parents?

I imagine a decent number of the 3/4 of children who aren’t in single parent households are in stepparent situations.

I remember when CMS was first introduced, it was supposed to be so much easier to claim from an ex, but it really doesn’t cover everything and could be so, so, much better, it needs to cover those who are self employed, don’t work, cannot work, retired, have new partners and become stay at home parents to new DC, all ways to not pay CMS.

I agree, making men pay would lift so many kids out of poverty. They should be named and shamed. Have passports and driving licences suspended.

It's interesting that HMRC can track you down for the last £1.00 you owe but CMS can't find and make these men pay.

Why do the government never talk of this when talking about child poverty?

I find it crazy that a "step" fathers income is taken into account while assessing the benefits a mother should get for her children, but not the actual fathers. (Step father including non married partners). So unrelated men are expected to have a bigger responsibility than the fathers.

Child support used to be deducted from benefits. They stopped that as many dads didn't pay, and those who did used withholding payments as a weapon against mother, leaving mother and child in abject poverty. It's cheaper to not calculate child support, and fairer for the families to know that they will at least get their benefits.

I agree it ought to be much easier for resident parents to get non-resident parents to pay, and I know it is gendered.

However, I am one of your statistics, as is my female ex-partner, and I'm pregnant with a baby I conceived on my own, so in two different ways I am a single mum without there being a man responsible for it. Although these things are still not that common, they do happen, and I think it is a good thing that they can. I also think (again: my experience): thank god there are more women who can get away from abusive, cruel partners. Part of the reason so many women stayed is because they couldn't get away.

We absolutely need a fairer system where it's not easy for someone to produce a child then decide 'nah, I don't fancy paying for that child'. But it's very important it doesn't come at the cost of women's and children's safety and basic happiness, and that is a realistic concern.

I think it would make a massive difference. I don't get how the CSA are incapable of finding these men who don't pay what they are supposed to. I bet that if the CSA paid the child support to the resident parent and then chased the non resident support for the money, they would find a way of making them pay.

Yanbu, it is insane that so many parents, let’s face it - fathers-, are allowed to just waltz off in to the sunset responsibility free.
Don’t the Americans have a system where you can’t have a passport if you don’t pay your child maintenance? That would be a start.

Yes but unfortunately CMS needs an over haul. They do very little. Yearly bank statements should have to be uploaded but it won't happen.