Work and Pensions written question – answered at on 27 March 2006.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to ensure that the Child Support Agency (CSA) takes into account previous voluntary payments to former partners in excess of CSA awards when assessing future awards.
In cases assessed under the new scheme, child support liability is based on the non-resident parent's net weekly income and the number of children in their previous and current families.
When a child maintenance application is made there is often a gap between the date the responsibility for maintenance begins and the date the maintenance calculation is completed. Voluntary payments made during this period may be offset against any arrears which exist once maintenance has been calculated. If the total amount of the voluntary payments exceeds any arrears, the amount payable under a current maintenance calculation can be reduced to take account of those voluntary payments but the amount payable cannot be reduced to less than £5 per week.
These voluntary payments can include those made by non-resident parents for child maintenance, to provide for some of the basic needs of their children, or for household bills (such as mortgage repayments or for gas or electricity costs). They may have been made to the person with care or to the Child Support Agency.
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