Current position
21.Under section 6 of the Child Support Act 1991, if a parent with care is paid or has claimed income support, or income based jobseeker’s allowance, (or one of those benefits has been claimed or is paid in respect of that parent), they are treated as though they have applied for child support maintenance.
22.Parents with care who do not wish to be treated as applying for child support maintenance need to demonstrate good cause: for example, that applying for maintenance could put them, or any child living with them, at risk of harm or undue distress. If they do not demonstrate good cause, section 46 of the Child Support Act 1991 enables the Secretary of State to make a decision to reduce their benefit.
