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Written question asked by Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour) on Monday, 13 July 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 15 July 2026. It was answered by Lilian Greenwood (Labour) on Wednesday, 5 August 2026 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Children: Maintenance

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average investigation timescale is for referrals by the Child Maintenance Service to the Financial Investigation Unit.

Answer

Where a parent provides credible evidence that income has been misrepresented, the case may be referred to the Financial Investigations Unit (FIU). The FIU investigates whether the financial information used in the child maintenance assessment is correct and will either confirm the existing assessment or identify grounds for a revised liability.

Investigation timescales vary according to the complexity of the case. All credible allegations are investigated thoroughly and proportionately, with relevant evidence fully considered before a decision is made, helping to ensure accurate and evidence-based outcomes. The Child Maintenance Service's primary objective remains securing maintenance for children, and more intrusive investigatory action may, in some cases, risk disrupting ongoing payments.

FIU referrals and outcomes, for the last financial year, can be found at GOV.UK, table 7 in the following link: Child Maintenance Service statistics: data to March 2026 - GOV.UK

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
18489
Session
2026-27
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Children Maintenance Standards
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk