Child Maintenance

Public Services Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 11 Mar 2025 Closed: 8 Jun 2026 Parliament page
As of March 2024, there were estimated to be 3.8 million children living in separated families. A child maintenance arrangement is required for all children under the age of 16 living in separated families. However, only around 59% of families have any form of child maintenance agreement. Where parents cannot … Read more
2 Reports
5 Oral sessions
2 Letters
11 Events
Activity timeline 16 events
19 Mar
2026
Report published
27 Jan
2026
Correspondence
9 Jan
2026
Report published
14 Oct
2025
Report published
23 Jul
2025
Formal meeting (private meeting) · Room 4A, Palace of Westminster
16 Jul
2025
Formal meeting (private meeting) · Room 2A, Palace of Westminster
25 Jun
2025
Oral evidence
20 Jun
2025
Correspondence
11 Jun
2025
Formal meeting (private meeting) · Room 2A, Palace of Westminster
4 Jun
2025
Formal meeting (private meeting) · Room 1, Palace of Westminster
21 May
2025
Formal meeting (private meeting) · Room 2A, Palace of Westminster
14 May
2025
Formal meeting (private meeting) · Room 1-05, Millbank House
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
25 Jun 2025
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Baroness Sherlock OBE · Department of Work and Pensions Chris Smith · Department of Work and Pensions Duncan Gilchrist · Department for Work and Pensions Simon Hunter · Department for Work and Pensions
7 May 2025
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Oral Evidence
Michelle Counley · NACSA Naomi Wiseman · Family Law Bar Association
2 Apr 2025
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Oral Evidence
Abby Jitendra · Joseph Rowntree Foundation Dr Laura Robertson · Poverty Alliance
26 Mar 2025
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Oral Evidence
Dave Hawkey · Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) Sam Morfey · Both Parents Matter Sarah Lambert · Gingerbread, the charity for single parent families
19 Mar 2025
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Oral Evidence
Chris Smith · Department of Work and Pensions Duncan Gilchrist · Department for Work and Pensions Elaine Squires · Department for Work and Pensions Simon Hunter · Department for Work and Pensions
Correspondence 2 letters
27 Jan 2026 To committee Letter from Chair of Public Services Committee to Baroness Sherlock - Reply to Government's Response to Committee Report (27 January 2026)
Parliament page
20 Jun 2025 To committee Letter from Baroness Sherlock, Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions to Baroness Morris of Yardley, Chair, Public Services Committee on Child Maintenance Service (20 June 2025)
Parliament page