Gingerbread charity claims more than £36m owed by absent parents (From York Press)

Gingerbread charity claims more than £36m owed by absent parents

9:22am Monday 26th July 2010 in News

MORE than £36 million is owed in child maintenance arrears across North Yorkshire, according to a charity’s analysis.

Gingerbread, an organisation which supports single parents, has obtained a constituency-by-constituency breakdown of how much money has not been paid by absent parents to the Child Support Agency (CSA).

Its findings, obtained through answers to Parliamentary questions, show missed maintenance payments total £6.738 million in York, £5.058 million in Selby, £4.046 million in Ryedale and £3.633 million in the Vale of York.

There are also outstanding arrears worth £4.591 million in Harrogate and Knaresborough, £7.656 million in Scarborough and Whitby and £4.609 million in Richmond.

Gingerbread has claimed almost a quarter of children across the UK are not getting the money they are owed by absent parents.

Policy advisor Janet Allbeson said: “Many separated parents in the region are struggling to pay for things like school shoes and trips for their children because of the money owed for maintenance.

“This may be old money, but it’s still money which could make a big difference to a child’s life.”

The CSA’s role is gradually being wound down and it will ultimately be replaced by the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, which will bring in a new system to tackle outstanding payments.