By Elliot Wright, 11th January 2010
Thousands of children in the UK could be missing out on
maintenance payments because a third of separated parents do not
how to sort out payments from their former parents, claims a child
support group.
Around 36% of parents who have separated from their partner said
they did not know where to go for child maintenance advice,
according to support service Child Maintenance Options.
Just over a quarter of the parents questioned were not aware
that they could arrange child maintenance payments privately,
rather than having to go via the Child Support Agency (CSA) or the
courts.
36% of parents who have separated from
their partner said they did not know where to go for child
maintenance advice
Many parents polled were reluctant to use a third party, with
29% not wanting to involved lawyers and 31% not wanting to contact
the CSA.
Since October 2008 all parents, including those in receipt of
benefits, have been free to make their own maintenance arrangements
as an alternative to using the CSA or the courts.
Janet Paraskeva, chair of Child Maintenance Options, said: "Too
many children are missing out, partly because parents - during what
is already a very confusing time - are receiving conflicting
advice.
"Child Maintenance Options is here to provide the facts and
explain the different types of arrangements everyone can now
make.
"It's designed to help both parents, as well as family members
and friends of people going through separation."
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