Written Question·Department for Work and Pensions·UIN 116325

Children: Maintenance

Tabled: 26 February 2026
Answered: 4 March 2026

Question

Dr Al Pinkerton

Liberal DemocratSurrey Heath

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what mechanisms are available to review child maintenance assessments where a paying parent is suspected of diverting income through (a) cash-based and (b) self-employed business activity.

Answer

Andrew Western
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) focuses on maximising compliance and identifying hidden earnings through measures such as data sharing with His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Information about the paying parent's gross income is taken directly...

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