DWP surveys child maintenance arrangements made after speaking to Child Maintenance Options

Figures released by the Department of Work and Pensions estimate that out of the 41,800 parents that had contact with Child Maintenance Options between May and July 2018, 80% had a child maintenance arrangement in December 2018.

This is equates to 33,600 Child Maintenance Service, court and family-based arrangements.

Almost a quarter (22%) of parents who had contacted Child Maintenance Options between May and July 2018 had a family-based arrangement. 15% set up or changed their family-based arrangement after contacting Options, while 7% already had a family-based arrangement in place or could not remember if they set up or changed their arrangement after speaking to Options.

Not all parents with family-based arrangements will contact Child Maintenance Options so the true number of parents with family-based arrangements in society will be higher.

57% of parents who had contacted Child Maintenance Options between May and July 2018 had an arrangement with the Child Maintenance Service.

54% set up or changed their Child Maintenance Service Arrangement after contacting Options, while

3% already had a Child Maintenance Service arrangement in place or could not remember if they set up or changed their arrangement after speaking with Options.

See the full results here.