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Selective Access: Why Does Gingerbread Get the Minister, While Others Are Refused?

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In recent weeks, campaign groups and charities have once again been invited into Parliament to brief Ministers on the Child Maintenance Service (CMS). Among them, Gingerbread — a well-funded organisation with established political access — has been able to present its case directly to government. But what happens when other voices ask for the same access? The answer is now in black and white. The Refusal A formal request for a meeting was made by STOPSuicides UK , alongside journalists and campaigners, to discuss serious concerns including: deaths linked to Department for Work and Pensions systems safeguarding failures transparency in investigations The response from the Minister, Baroness Sherlock , was clear: “I am not in a position to meet at this point… I do not feel I could add anything meaningful beyond the information that has already been shared.” This is not a scheduling issue. This is a refusal to engage . What Was Being Asked? This was not a trivial r...
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When the Minister Won’t Meet: What the Sherlock Letter Reveals About CMS Accountability

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Selective engagement, limited scrutiny, and the voices Parliament chooses to hear Introduction A recent letter from Baroness Sherlock raises serious questions about how concerns surrounding the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) are handled at the highest level of government. The issue is not just what was said. It is what was refused. A Request for Engagement — Declined Campaigners from STOPSuicide UK , alongside journalists and advocates, requested a meeting with the Minister to discuss: Safeguarding failures Transparency concerns Cases involving serious harm and death The response was clear: The Minister declined to meet, stating she was “not in a position” to do so and could not “add anything meaningful.” This was not a casual request. It involved: A recognised advocacy group Investigative journalism Concerns linked to real-world harm Yet the door remained closed. Deflection and Scope Narrowing The letter shifts focus away from the core concerns: The matters raised “sit outside of my ...
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Domestic Abuse Statistics Tell a Bigger Story — So Why Is Only One Side Used in CMS Reform?

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When evidence is selective, policy becomes unbalanced The Missing Context in the CMS Debate Recent briefings by Gingerbread and partner organisations have placed domestic abuse at the centre of Child Maintenance Service (CMS) reform. That matters. Domestic abuse is real, serious, and must be addressed. But there is a growing problem in how the evidence is being presented: Only part of the picture is being used. What the Official Statistics Actually Show According to the Office for National Statistics: Around 2.2 million women and 1.5 million men experienced domestic abuse in the last year 👉 https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/domesticabuseinenglandandwalesoverview/november2025 Approximately 6.5% of men experience domestic abuse annually 👉 https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/domesticabusevictimcharacteristicsenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2025 Further analysis indicates: Men make up a significant prop...
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CMS Reform Is Built on Half the Evidence — Where Are the Paying Parents?

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 A direct response to Gingerbread’s “Fix the CMS” research and domestic abuse briefing What the Research Is Based On The key report (“Fix the CMS”) is built on: 24 interviews 1,622 survey responses FOI data from the Department for Work and Pensions 👉 That matters. This is mixed-method research — but it is still: experience-led, not a full system audit What the Research Claims 1. The CMS as a Site of Economic Abuse The central argument is clear: Abusers can use the CMS to continue coercive control Examples cited include: Withholding payments Paying late or unpredictably Using the payment system to harass Forcing contact through Direct Pay This aligns with wider domestic abuse sector evidence that: Withholding maintenance can be a form of coercive control 2. High Prevalence of Abuse The research relies on figures such as: Around 58% of CMS applicants disclosing domestic abuse 👉 But this requires context: It is self-disclosure , not verified prevalence It is drawn largely from rece...
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Who Speaks for Paying Parents? The Missing Voice in Child Maintenance Reform

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Parliament hears one side — but the Child Maintenance Service works both ways Introduction: A One-Sided Conversation This week, Gingerbread, alongside Women's Aid and Surviving Economic Abuse, presented a briefing to Parliament claiming: “Maintenance is used as a weapon all of the time.” That is a serious allegation. But there is an equally serious question that must now be asked: Why is Parliament only hearing one side of the system? The Evidence Behind the Headline The briefing relies on: A focus group of 8 participants All parents with care No representation from paying parents Acknowledged self-selection bias This is not disputed — it is set out in their own methodology. Yet from that limited sample, a system-wide conclusion is drawn. At the same time, broader government policy continues to rely heavily on receiving-parent narratives when shaping reform.  The Missing Half of the System The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) operates between two parties : The Receiving Parent (RP) ...
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Can You Sue the Child Maintenance Service? (UK Legal Options Explained)

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Introduction Many Paying Parents ask the same question: Can I sue the Child Maintenance Service (CMS)? This usually arises where individuals believe they have suffered: incorrect or disputed arrears aggressive enforcement action financial loss or hardship or long-term stress caused by CMS decisions The answer is not straightforward . In most cases, you cannot simply sue the CMS like a private company . However, there are legal routes available to challenge decisions and, in limited circumstances, seek compensation. What Is the CMS? The Child Maintenance Service is part of the Department for Work and Pensions . It is responsible for: calculating child maintenance collecting payments enforcing arrears Because it is a public body , different legal rules apply compared to private disputes. Why You Cannot Usually “Sue” CMS Directly Public bodies are protected by administrative law principles. This means: You cannot normally bring a standard civil claim just because you disagree with a deci...
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