Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008

<p>The Bill proposes to replace the Child Support Agency with a new body, the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. </p><p>Parts 1-3 and Part 5 of the Bill aim to reform the child support maintenance system. Part 4 contains provisions to extend compensation to all people suffering from diffuse mesothelioma. </p><p>The Child Support Agency was set up in 1993 following the Child Support Act 1991, which was subsequently amended in 1995 and 2000. </p><p><strong>Key areas</strong></p><ul><li>Changes the present system of maintenance collection </li><li>Changes the way maintenance payments are calculated </li><li>Strengthens the collection and enforcement methods available to the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission </li><li>Introduces new powers to manage debt</li><li>Fast tracks up-front lump sum payments for people diagnosed with diffuse mesothelioma and their dependants</li><li>Amends the Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997 in order to fund payments through a compensation recovery mechanism.</li></ul>