Rt Hon Maria Miller MP
Minister for Disabled People
Department for Work and Pensions
Caxton House
Tothill Street
London
SW1H 9DA

25th March 2011

Dear Maria,

I am writing to you regarding the Government's plans to make single parents pay for using the new child maintenance scheme starting in 2012.

I understand that in its consultation document ‘Strengthening Families, promoting parental responsibility', the Government says it wants to charge single parents who need to use the child support service an upfront fee of £100 to access the service (£50 if the parent is on benefits) plus an ongoing collection fee on any money paid of between 7% and 12%. The Government's justification for these fees is that private agreements between parents work better for children. What the Government has failed to recognise is that this is only true if the private agreement is fair for both parents.

I share the deep concerns of many of my constituents that the Government has not taken into consideration the fact that many single parents are in desperate need of the child support service and should not be forced to pay for it. The Government has stated that this new proposal aims to benefit children by giving both parents the incentive to take responsibility. But this is only the case for single parents who earn sufficient income, and when both parents are willing to co-operate. Otherwise, this proposal makes children even more vulnerable, as many single parents will simply not be able to afford the fees put in place and may go without child maintenance as a result. Although this proposal is intended to encourage both parents to take responsibility and stay involved, the notion that all parents will be willing to take responsibility, and that all single parents will happily be able to afford the conditions put in place, is unrealistic.

I urge you to rethink these proposals and I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

Caroline Lucas, MP, Brighton Pavilion

Read the Minister's reply