Families and social services

This Library briefing describes the UK Government’s policy to write-off arrears arising from the 1993 and 2003 child maintenance schemes. These schemes are now closed to new applicants and ongoing maintenance cases have been transferred to the 2012 scheme.

Social prescribing is a means for GPs and other healthcare professionals to refer patients to non-clinical services in the local community. Such services can include arts or nature-based activities, physical activity classes and counselling. Evaluations of existing social prescribing schemes have reported positive impacts on people’s mental health and wellbeing and a reduction in demand on health services.

This briefing describes the laying of the Statutory Instrument, its content, reaction from the sector, and the consultation on extending some its regulations.

This House of Commons Library briefing note sets out the rules on variations under the “2012 scheme” administered by the Child Maintenance Service (CMS). From a policy standpoint, it compares the current variation rules to those for the legacy “2003 scheme”, and notes criticism of the changes and parliamentary debate of them. This Briefing was last updated in March 2019.

This Commons Library research briefing provides information about changes to the treatment of earnings (for child maintenance purposes) from certain "special occupations", including reserve or territorial force members and local authority councillors. This Briefing was last updated in March 2017.

This House of Commons Library briefing paper sets out how the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) uses, collects and reviews the income of the non-resident parent under the 2012 statutory child maintenance scheme. This Briefing was last updated in December 2018.

This House of Commons Library briefing sets out how the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) calculates the amount of child maintenance payable under the 2012 statutory child maintenance scheme.

This briefing was last updated in August 2018.

This briefing was last updated in January 2017.

This paper describes what steps the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) may take when a Non-Resident Parent (also known as a “Paying Parent”) fails to pay child maintenance on time or in full. It also provides information on the application, collection and enforcement fees charged by the CMS, and briefly summarises analysis on the effectiveness of the CMS’s enforcement and collection system. This paper relates primary to Great Britain: Section 6 describes Northern Ireland’s system.

This briefing paper sets out how the child maintenance system operates where a Person with Care, Non-Resident Parent or a Qualifying Child, lives overseas.

This Commons Library Briefing paper provides an overview of changes to local authority duties around the provision of adult social care during the coronavirus outbreak.

This House of Commons Library briefing paper provides a summary of developments concerning the reform of adult social care since Boris Johnson became Prime Minister in July 2019. It applies to England only.