John Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Robertson on 2014-06-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to publicise information on changes to child maintenance.

Steve Webb

Since the Child Maintenance Service launched in December 2012 we have been talking to clients (via caseworkers and through our Child Maintenance Options service) about the planned introduction of charging, and letters to Child Maintenance Service clients have made reference to the charges.

More widely we have engaged with stakeholders, partners, MP caseworkers and intermediaries to share information about the reforms to the child maintenance system.

Ahead of existing Child Support Agency cases closing, a regional media trial is currently running in the Manchester area. The media activity includes digital, radio and press advertising to let parents know that the Child Support Agency is changing and to reassure them that they don’t need to take any action until they receive a letter. We will evaluate the results of this media activity before confirming plans to run this campaign nationally later this year.