15,000 Families still waiting for child support

4.16.27pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 30th Jan 2008

Serious failings by the Child Support Agency, exposed by figures released today, are costing more than 500 families in Stockport vital maintenance payments every month. Now local MP, Andrew Stunell, is calling for the Government to 'put a bomb' under the organisation, and get payments flowing again.

Commenting on the figures, Hazel Grove MP, Andrew Stunell said:

"It is a disgrace that nearly 15,000 families in the North West, and over 500 in Stockport, are being forced to live without money that is rightfully theirs. These figures are deeply worrying.

"These figures show that the CSA has failed thousands of local single parent families, many of whom are left to struggle every day to make ends meet.

"I have had sack-fulls of cases where the CSA's administrative blunders have led to long waits and wrong calculations. Even when money is being paid regularly by an absent parent they often don't seem able to pass it on without more foul-ups."

"The CSA is not fit for purpose, and urgently needs to be replaced. But in the meantime, I want to see Ministers in Whitehall put a bomb under them, and get the money flowing again."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. CSA Quarterly Stats are available at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/csa.asp