Public Affairs

This Thursday 7th May BBC Radio 4's consumer affairs programme "You and Yours" will cover Child Maintenance. 

Many separated parents not living with their children have lost their jobs or are getting paid less and are not able to afford what they previously paid towards their care. Coronavirus outbreak has led to an unprecedented rise in numbers of people claiming Universal Credit. It's good to see that the message about unaffordable Child Maintenance assessments is getting some attention from the media.

A couple of weeks ago BBC News quoted us in their article saying:

“The government must urgently act on the recommendations of its own investigative body and ensure that under Universal Credit neither parent is pushed below the poverty line" adding "the government needed to ensure Universal Credit assessments took into account statutory child maintenance payments."

This week You & Yours is also covering the issue. We don't know what line they will take and we hope that their presentation of the issue is balanced. They welcome your comments and questions for the team. Feel free to send them an email before and during the show at youandyours@bbc.co.uk and state if you wish to remain anonymous as your message may be read out on air or published electronically.

This is another opportunity to raise awareness of the current issues concerning Child Maintenance and make your concerns be heard among policy-makers.

Check out our latest guidance on Universal Credit and Child Maintenance and if you have a Covid-19 related story that you'd be willing for us to use in anonymous case studies, please send them to admin@fnf.org.uk with 'Covid-19' in the subject heading.

UPDATE - 06.05.2020 - We have been informed that CMS will not now be on the program on 7th May 2020 and may be restored to the following Thursday. The show requires more case studies, so please keep them coming.