Child maintenance – do you still have to pay and what happens if you’re self-employed or have been furloughed
PARENTS who pay child maintenance need to continue making payments as normal during lockdown or let the service know if they're struggling.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which manages the Child Maintenance Service, says it can review payments and temporarily lower them if need be.
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Here's what you need to know.
What are child maintenance payments?
Child maintenance payments are made where parents have split up and the parent who no longer lives with the child makes financial contributions towards their child or children.
You can either arrange this yourself, use the government's Child Maintenance Service, or set-up a court order.
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But single parent charity, Gingerbread, says it's aware of payments being reduced or stopped without the other parent being told in advance.
It is now calling on the government to meet any shortfall in payments.
Joe Richardson, research and policy officer at Gingerbread said: “Without these payments, single parent families will be hit with a triple penalty.
"Having already faced the threat of seeing their income slashed and as well as having to come up with the extra costs associated with looking after children not attending school, they are also losing out on money they rely on to put food on the table."
Do I need to keep paying?
Where you use the Child Maintenance Service, you need to continue paying as normal.
The only exception is where you have experienced a drop in income or lost your job.
In this scenario, contact the service to let it know.
Fail to make payments and the Child Maintenance Service can take measures including deducting cash directly from your earnings or serving you a £300 liability order demanding the money.
You can contact the Child Maintenance Service in England, Scotland and Wales using the number on letters. Contact details are different in .
But DWP is urging people to use its in the first instance if possible.
A DWP spokesperson said: “Parents should pay their child maintenance as normal, however if they experience a change in income we can review their case and check if the amount paid should change.
“It’s always been the case that if a person’s income changes then their Child Maintenance payments will be calculated to reflect that.
“Anyone found to be abusing the system at this difficult time will find themselves subject to the full extent of our enforcement powers – including prosecution through the courts.”
If you have a private arrangement in place you don't have to report changes in circumstances, according to Citizens Advice.
But if you can't afford to meet the same level of payments you should let the other parent know.
The charity says you can use the government's to work out how much the new amount would be as if the Child Maintenance Service had arranged child maintenance for you.
For those with a court order in place, you'll need to check the terms of this - be aware that a court can force you to pay up.
More on coronavirus
If you're struggling because of coronavirus, check out the help being offered on bills, rent and mortgages.
Those who are unable to work may be able to claim 80 per cent of their wages, up to £2,500 a month, under the government's furlough scheme.
It's also worth checking if you can claim for Universal Credit.