Child Support Agency's performance improves

The Child Support Agency collected or arranged over £1.05 billion nationally in a 12-month period, according to the Government.

The latest performance figures show that 768,000 children are now benefiting from maintenance payments - an extra 65,000 compared to the previous year and an increase of 207,000 since March 2005, before the Agency's Operational Improvement Plan was launched.

Of the £1.05 billion benefiting children - an increase of £252m since March 05 - a total of £137.6m collected was arrears. Both figures represent the highest level of money ever collected or arranged in a 12-month period.

CSA Chief Executive and Commissioner of the new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, Stephen Geraghty, added: I am delighted that a record number of children across the UK are benefiting from over £1.05 billion of maintenance collected or arranged by the Agency. They show our historic achievements earlier this year are evidence of a sustained and consistent improvement that is increasingly delivering results. Our work continues to create stable foundations for the future of child maintenance as the Commission is established later this year."