Mims Davies MP shows support for Reform of Child Maintenance Service
Mims Davies MP has shown their support for Gingerbread, the charity for single parent families, and its call for reform of the child maintenance service (CMS). We need to #FixtheCMS to ensure all children of separated parents get the financial support they are entitled to.
Mims attended Gingerbread’s Fix the CMS event, at the House of Lords to learn more about the charity’s recent report, which highlighted the need for our Government to reform the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) in order to tackle the record high level of child poverty in the UK.
30% of UK children live in poverty with those in single parent households almost twice as likely as children in couple parent households to be impacted. Evidence shows that where it’s received, child maintenance cuts the child poverty rate by 25%.
Gingerbread’s report shows that the majority of single parents whose children are not getting the maintenance they are entitled to are struggling to pay for food or going without meals, struggling to pay essential bills, or living with debt.
Nearly half (49%) of separated parents said not receiving child maintenance has meant that they have been unable to afford clothes, shoes, or school uniform for their children.
At the Fix the CMS event, Mims Davies MP heard from a single parent and her daughter about their direct experiences of using the CMS as well as the recommendations for Government about what needs to change.
Also speaking at the event were Work and Pensions Minister Sir Stephen Timms, Labour MP Rupa Huq MP in her capacity as chair of the APPG for Single Parent Families, Sarah Lambert, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Gingerbread and Sarah Pinch, Chair of Gingerbread’s Board of Trustees. There was also an opportunity at the event to speak to others with direct experience of using the CMS.
Mims Davies MP said:
I was pleased to attend the event for Reform of Child Maintenance Service in the House of Lords.
It was inspiring to hear from single parents and their children in particular on their experiences with the CMS and how we as MPs can help to improve the system.
Thank you to the team for organising this meeting and allowing us the opportunity to find out more information and hear first class experiences.
Sarah Lambert, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Gingerbread said:
We were delighted to welcome Mims Davies MP at our Fix the CMS Parliamentary event to hear directly from people who use the CMS and to find out why it isn’t working.
It is vital for parliamentarians and Government to listen to the real experiences of people using the service and take on board the recommendations they have made for how to make it work.
We know we need to see the CMS reformed so that it works for the parents who use it and the children it is designed to support.
