In total, the maintenance collected last year came to more than £1.1bn. The figures have reignited concerns that the government's proposed changes to statutory child maintenance services will impact a significant number of families and in particular those in the low-income bracket.
The government is proposing that single parents who want to use state maintenance services from 2012 pay a £100 application fee and an extra ongoing charge of seven to 10 per cent of the payments they receive, with reduced rates for families in receipt of benefits and exemptions for cases where domestic violence is involved.
Ministers have said they want to give separating couples more help to find their own settlements, and support to explore a range of alternatives before the situation escalates to court proceedings.
But those opposed to the plans, including single-parent family charity Gingerbread, have said while most parents would prefer to make their own arrangements, informal agreements can easily break down.
