Hundreds of Glasgow parents behind on child maintenance payments

Hundreds of parents in Glasgow are behind on child maintenance payments, according to figures from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).
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In total, 710 parents using the Collect and Pay service were in arrears to the Child Maintenance Service at the end of March 2022.

That is more than half of parents using the service (53.1%).

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Parents using the Direct Pay service - meaning the parents sort the money themselves - are not included in these figures.

Parents are behind on child maintenance payments.Parents are behind on child maintenance payments.
Parents are behind on child maintenance payments.

Another 480 parents living in Glasgow pay nothing towards child maintenance - around 35.9% of the total.

Throughout Glasgow, 1092 children are affected by parents being behind on payments.

Victoria Benson, CE of Gingerbread, the charity that supports single parent families said: "Research shows that 60% of single parent families living in poverty and not receiving child maintenance would be able to escape the poverty trap if they were paid the money they're owed.

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“Parents have a legal and moral duty to contribute to their child's upbringing whether they live with them or not and where this money isn’t paid willingly the CMS needs to step in. Child maintenance simply cannot be seen as optional. The CMS needs to use its powers to stamp out persistent non-payment and ensure that no child experiences hardship or poverty because their non-resident parent won’t support them financially.

"It's about time this government and the DWP took the issue of unpaid maintenance seriously. It's shameful that so many children are forced to live in poverty as a result of a lax Child Maintenance Service and a disinterested government department.”

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