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Overview

This bill aims to improve the child support system in cases involving domestic abuse. It allows the Secretary of State to arrange for the collection of child maintenance payments if there's evidence of domestic abuse, upon application from either the parent with care or the non-resident parent.

Description

The Child Support Collection (Domestic Abuse) Bill amends the Child Support Act 1991. Key changes include:

• New Power for the Secretary of State: The Secretary of State can now arrange for child support maintenance collection if either the parent with care or the non-resident parent provides evidence of domestic abuse. This applies to both England & Wales and Scotland.
• Definition of "Relevant Domestic Abuse": The bill defines "relevant domestic abuse" to include abuse by the non-resident parent towards the parent with care or any child in their household, and vice-versa.
• Application Process: Either parent, or in Scotland, the child, can apply to the Secretary of State for this assistance.
• Prescribed Evidence: The Secretary of State will use "prescribed kind" of evidence to determine if domestic abuse is present. The specifics of the required evidence will be defined in future regulations.
• Consequential Amendments: The bill makes minor changes to other sections of the Child Support Act 1991 to ensure consistency and effectiveness.
• Act Definition of Domestic Abuse: The Act incorporates the definition of domestic abuse from the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly specify additional government spending. However, it may lead to increased administrative costs associated with processing applications, verifying evidence of abuse, and potentially enforcing collections.

Groups Affected

This bill primarily affects:

• Parents involved in child support arrangements: Particularly those experiencing domestic abuse, this bill provides a mechanism for help with child maintenance payments.
• Children: The bill aims to improve financial support for children in situations of domestic abuse.
• The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP): The DWP will be responsible for administering the new provisions and will likely see an increase in workload.