Children: Maintenance
Lords · Question HL1724 · Tabled 7 Jul 2026 · Department for Work and Pensions · Official record
Answered 15 Jul 2026
Question
Asked by Baroness Debbonaire
To ask His Majesty's Government why the £156,000 cap on annual income earned by the absent parent eligible for assessment by the Child Maintenance Service has not been uprated since December 2012; and what assessment they have made of the resulting impact
Answer
Answered by Baroness Sherlock, 15 Jul 2026
The £156,000 annual gross income limit reflects the £3,000 gross weekly income threshold introduced with the 2012 child maintenance scheme. The scheme was designed to provide a standard formula for assessing child maintenance in most cases. Where a paying...