Changes to Child Maintenance and Benefits

From 12 April 2010, payments of child maintenance are fully disregarded as income for the purposes of calculating a person's entitlement to receive income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance and income-related employment and support allowance (ESA). They were previously only partly disregarded.

This could mean that those who were not previously entitled to one of these benefits, as a result of income received in the form of child maintenance, could now become entitled. The parent with care responsibilities will be able to keep all received child maintenance payments without it affecting any income-related benefits.

The move, which the government has implemented with a view to meeting its targets on the reduction of child poverty, is welcomed by Citizens Advice.

If you think that this change could affect you, contact your local bureau for a full benefits check. As with all CAB services advice and assistance given is free of charge, confidential and completely impartial.