VOTE: Scunthorpe named 31st worst in country for unpaid child maintenance
A SHAMEFUL list of Britain's unpaid child maintenance blackspots has revealed Scunthorpe as one of the worst areas for debt.
A league table ranking 238 constituency areas in order of the amount owed in child support showed Scunthorpe was 31st worst with a deficit of nearly £8.7 million.
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Scunthorpe has a deficit of nearly £8.7 million in child maintenance payments
North Lincolnshire's other constituencies fared slightly better, with Cleethorpes ranked 46th with an unpaid bill of £8,535,000 and Brigg and Goole 171st with £6,855,000.
Grimsby topped the dismal poll, released by single parent charity Gingerbread, with a massive £11,069,000 owed to single parents, while the area with the lowest arrears was Mid-Ulster, with £232,000.
A spokesman for the Child Support Agency (CSA) said the cash had accumulated over a period of 17 years.
He said: "While we share Gingerbread's view that responsibility for unpaid maintenance rests ultimately with non-resident parents, it should be noted CSA arrears have actually been falling recently.
"Regrettably, some parents go to great lengths to avoid their financial responsibility to their children, requiring costly and time-consuming enforcement action to be taken against them.
"But we do not give up on cases and nor do we write off accumulated arrears."
He added: "It's important to bear in mind the size of the constituency may be a factor on a town's high ranking and the arrears are a culmination of the CSA's 17 years of operation – nothing has been written off."
While the majority of the money is owed to parents caring for children, the figure also includes funds owed to the Government.
Gingerbread's chief executive Fiona Weir said help was available for lone parents struggling in North Lincolnshire.
She said: "Child maintenance is vital for children in separated families.
"We know from single parents that this is much-needed money which pays for items such as children's clothes, school meals, trips, activities and childcare.
"Ultimately, the responsibility for paying child maintenance rests with the non-resident parent, but the Child Support Agency has to do its job, too, in collecting debts and enforcing payment.
"We want to help single parents caring for children take action to ensure their arrears are paid."
The release of the league table coincided with a national landmark court ruling which forced a dad who owed more than £78,000 in child support to take his four- bedroom house off the market.
The case used new rules, known as freezing orders, preventing quick sales of assets in a bid to dodge CSA payments.
James Pirrie, chairman of the Child Maintenance Committee of Resolution, said: ''The sooner people realise payment of their child maintenance obligations is non-negotiable, the better.
"Everyone can then focus on making sure the calculation of how much has to be paid is accurate and appropriate."
Parents can phone Gingerbread's free Single Parent Helpline on 0808 802 0925 and get a Top Tips leaflet on how to pursue their child maintenance arrears.
10 Comments
by peter, scunny
Sunday, July 18 2010, 10:14PM
“i'm an absent parent and have been for 10 to12 years! where are the csa experts now? im not hard to find my kids dont know who i am and ive never seen them either.. i havent paid a single penny for their education the state payes for them as far as i know their mother was never too bright either but i dont think it has much to do with what you learn at a common state comprihensive. i pay tax and live a free & single life. my dad worked all hours and my mum always had two jobs they had to pay the state for my education whether i turnrd up at 9am or not at all or if i learned anything or not! i chose not to go to school unless i had any reason other than doing what im told by some university educated bully. its time to get rid of the csa they get paid to poke their nose in other peoples lives and cause as much havoc and distress as they please like they gave a damn!”
by pete, scunny
Sunday, July 18 2010, 9:48PM
“how many did they check? not every authority gives this info to any old hacks who want to sell papers and documentaries! so they just take a wild stab at the figures leaving out their own prized and loved areas!”
by anon, scunny
Friday, July 16 2010, 12:20PM
“as an absent parent I was more than willing to support my children but I drew the line when my ex was spending most of the time partying with my hard earned money which was meant to clothe and feed my children and not to mention one of my children spent more time with me! I totally agree with child support if it spent on the welfare of the child.”
by Caring Conservative, On holiday in Scunthorpe
Friday, July 16 2010, 9:25AM
“This money that is not being paid could go a long way to explaining why we have so many teens riding around on bikes that are too little for them and can only afford to buy hoodies. I think as a party we should sort this out.”
by On the Side Line, Scunthorpe
Friday, July 16 2010, 8:36AM
“The CSA are absolutely useless, they did nothing for me. My son is 19 now and I have not received a penny in maintenance, thankfully I have a well paid job but that is not the point, he had a responsbility but he turned his back, not only that but he never sent Christmas/birthday cards/presents. I don't agree with men/women being fleeced but anybody that has children should be ready to support them.”
by CSA EXPERT, Barnsley, CSA Headquarters
Thursday, July 15 2010, 11:49PM
“Oh dear, Pete from Scunny! maybe we should CAMPAIGN for you to go back to school! You may BENEFIT from lessons in how to spell! You`re certainly not inDEBTed of your education!!!! Could we PERSUADE you to get your facts right??!! Many "Parents with care" - that is the parent with whom the child lives are not single, and many are not on benefits, but work for a living to pay for these children! It is the "Absent Parents" that this story relates to who are the ones claiming state benefits that have these debts, "Absent Parents" who work will pay the correct amount to the CSA through "Attachment to Earnings Orders" and therefore not be in debt! Those "Absent Parents" on benefits can only pay back a maximum of £5 a week from their benefits, regardless of how many children they owe for!!!! or how much they owe!! As for the comment on adoption, have you any idea how much the process of removing children into care,fostering them while freeing orders are granted, paying social workers, judges etc costs the taxpayer?? I doubt it!!! Your comments are obviously very well thought out!!! NOT!!”
by Dave, Bottesford
Thursday, July 15 2010, 9:21PM
“Yes, why stereotype Fathers for god sake....”
by purpleorangebanana, Bottesford
Thursday, July 15 2010, 9:19PM
“The CSA are useless, their incompetence in completing assessments are part of the reason some people are in arrears, it takes them ages so therefore there is a backlog of payments.”
by The Ref, North Lincolnshire
Thursday, July 15 2010, 9:14PM
“Your vote question is out of order Scunthorpe Telegraph because it is sexist. The question should read:
"SHOULD THE CSA BE TOUGHER ON ABSENT PARENTS WHO DON'T SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN?"
There are women who are also absent parents as well, so if you are going to take this vote and publish it, fair play to all please.”
by pete, scunny
Thursday, July 15 2010, 6:44PM
“sounds like an advertising campaingne to support abortions! if the single parent is struggling to cope on benifits why not pesued them to give up the kids for adoption and write off the dedts. its only causing bad carma and crime.”