The Government has announced plans to remove the exemption from child maintenance liability that exists for some part-time public servants.

Part-time fire-fighters, service personnel, local councillors, auxiliary coastguards and lifeboat crew members amongst others, currently escape having to pay child maintenance on their earnings from their work. Regulations currently out for consultation would remove these special exemptions.

Work and Pensions Minister Maria Miller paid tribute to the vital work performed by the exempted groups, but went on to say:

“No matter how praiseworthy the efforts of those in these part-time professions, they are in many cases also parents and their children should be foremost in our minds.”

The Government’s reforms to the child maintenance system are designed to encourage and support parents to make collaborative family-based arrangements wherever possible.

For those unable to make their own arrangements there will be a new, more efficient and effective statutory maintenance service with a brand new computer system. New rules and information sourced from HMRC will allow the groups currently exempted to be made liable to pay maintenance on their part-time earnings.

Research shows that around half of CSA parents with care and a majority of non-resident parents felt that they would make a family-based arrangement if they had the right support.