Wednesday 20 March 2013

The contribution of child maintenance payments to the income packages of lone mothers

an article by Christine Skinner and Gill Main (University of York, UK) published in Journal of Poverty and Social Justice Volume 21 Number 1 (February 2013)

Abstract

Using the UK Families and Children Study (FACS) (2008-09 wave), this paper assesses the contribution made by child maintenance to the income packages of lone mothers and whether it helps to lift them out of poverty.

Results show that, despite reforms implemented in October 2008 which allowed parents on means-tested benefits to keep up to £20 per week of child maintenance, the effect on poverty is disappointing.

The median amount of payments remains low and only a minority of lone mothers report receiving any money. This raises concerns about the UK Coalition government's latest proposals to introduce charges for using the statutory child maintenance scheme.

Full text (PDF 13pp) published by Gingerbread August 2011


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