‘Errors’ in child maintenance accounts

THE error-strewn accounts of the organisation in charge of enforcing child maintenance payments have not been fully signed off by a government spending watchdog.

Some maintenance payments at the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (CMEC) were based on incorrect assessments and some were paid at the wrong rate, according to the National Audit Office (NAO).

Auditor General Amyas Morse also gave “adverse opinions” on the truth and fairness of outstanding maintenance arrears, which the Commission put at £3.748 billion by March last year. He said the figures do not give an accurate reflection of the true figure because of levels of error in assessments.

Work and Pensions minister Maria Miller said: “The NAO has again underlined the need for the radical reforms we are bringing forward.”

A CMEC spokesman said the reforms would see all CSA cases close over the next few years.