Single parent families are almost twice as likely to live in poverty as couple parents. With so many people struggling to make ends meet, we need social security to be an effective safety net for everyone at times of need 

Our government needs to reform the system so that it supports not punishes those who need it, especially those who need it most. 

Our new report highlights the impact of a punitive Universal Credit regime on single parent families in the UK .

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We’ve been collecting stories from single parents about their experiences on Universal Credit. You can listen to their stories here.

Every day, single parents call our advice line to tell us about the difficulties they are having with the CMS. They tell us that action isn’t always being taken to enforce payments and that by avoiding payments, perpetrators of abuse are able to continue to exert control over their ex-partners.  The failings of the system also mean people avoid using it and often end up with no arrangement at all.

These problems with the CMS are directly linked to child poverty. We know that single parent families are almost twice as likely to be in poverty as couple families. Our new research shows that those single parent families who don’t receive the right child maintenance, face greater financial challenges and the majority (52%) are struggling to pay essential bills.

Where it’s received, child maintenance cuts the child poverty rate by 25%. It means that day-to-day expenses like school uniforms and food can be met, and kids have a decent quality of life.

That’s why we’re calling for the Government to #FixTheCMS. Because as it stands, it doesn’t work. The Government has promised to create a plan to tackle child poverty, but they can’t do that without fixing the CMS.

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The government has announced big changes to the CMS. We’ve written an open letter to Minister responsible, urging the government to deliver these changes in a way that works for families.  

Add your name to our open letter and help us make sure that the government takes action to reform the CMS.

Alongside our core campaigns, we work to drive systemic change that improves the lives of parents and their children. We advocate for flexible working to become the norm, enabling single parents to find jobs that match their skills, supported by dedicated work coaches when needed. We also call for greater investment in childcare, ensuring entitlements are accessible to parents pursuing education or training.