Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Crackdown on absent dads’ joint account money dodge
ABSENT parents will no longer be able to avoid child payments by opening bank accounts with new partners.
Family Support minister Caroline Dinenage is to close a loophole which allows cash to only be taken from a runaway parent’s account.
From next year she’ll be able to get it from joint accounts, too. That will stop parents ordered to pay maintenance, mostly dads, conniving with a new lover to keep the money.
Ms Dinenage said: “A small minority of parents try to cheat their way out of paying towards their children. This new power will be another tool to tackle those who do.”
It is estimated children are being ripped off £390,000 a year by the loophole. There will be safeguards to ensure the joint account holder
does not lose out.