Update: maintenance changes in 2008

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Update: changes in 2008

From 14 July 2008

When you claim Income Support or income based Jobseeker's Allowance, you are no longer treated as also applying to the Child Support Agency to calculate and collect child maintenance. Instead, you are free to choose whether or not to use the Child Support Agency to calculate and collect child maintenance, and you should be given information about the different options for setting up arrangements for child maintenance.
From 14 July 2008, anyone whose benefit was reduced because they did not cooperate with the Child Support Agency will have their benefit increased to the full amount.

From 27 October 2008

All lone parents who were using the Child Support Agency, and who are receiving Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, will no longer have to use the Child Support Agency to deal with their child maintenance if they don't want to.
The amount of maintenance that is ignored when calculating Income Support or income based Jobseeker's Allowance goes up, from up to £10 to up to £20 a week. This is called the ‘child maintenance premium'.
All lone parents who receive child maintenance and claim Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance will receive the child maintenance premium (see above). If you have an ‘old rules' child maintenance assessment (because you applied before 3 March 2003 and your case has not been brought into the current scheme), this means you will lose the child maintenance bonus you have been building up, unless you start working 16 or more a hours a week, or come off benefit because your earnings increase, before 27 October 2008. You must claim the bonus within 28 days of coming off benefit. Call the Lone Parent Helpline for advice about this.
Payments of child maintenance will be completely ignored when calculating the amount of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit you are entitled to. If you receive child maintenance and are not on Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, check if you are now entitled to more of these benefits or if you will now become entitled to them. Contact the benefits section at your local council.

For more information about child maintenance and benefits call the Lone Parent Helpline.

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