The new fees introduced for the Child Support Agency represent yet another attack on the poor. At one time legal aid may have been available for single parents to take recalcitrant parents to court for non-payment of child maintenance.

Then the Child Support Agency was set up to assist. Now applicants will have to pay £20 and lose 4% of their award.

The payer will have to pay an extra 20%. This will lead to fewer applications and once again, the main loser will be the children.

Ian Godfrey, member partner, Shepherd Harris, Enfield

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