Make Child Maintenance Support fairer

I have had to support my son, who is now 17, for the last 7 years, and I have received minimal support from my ex-husband who is the director of his own business. I have received £5 a week only for the last year, following much debate with the CMS. Before that, I was receiving nothing!

Following our divorce, I was forced to sell the marital home, and move into rented accommodation - and renting is not cheap to say the least. On top of this, I have to feed and clothe him, not forgetting all the other expenses that come with bringing up a teenager. We have only managed to have one family holiday since my ex-husband left and I have incurred a considerable amount of debt. I also work full-time to try and provide a roof over our heads.

As my ex-husband is a director of a limited company, the CMS cannot prove the income he is drawing - he says that he earns only £250. However, his business is expanding, he has taken on a number of employees, goes on regular holidays, lives in an affluent area - and this is only half of it. He also has gone on to have two other children with his new partner. I am certain that he earns far more than this, but there is nothing in place to prove otherwise.

I think this agency, set up to ensure parents are treated equally when it comes to providing financial support to their children, is completely flawed and fails to look after parents whose former partners have their own businesses or are self-employed - and this needs to be addressed.

I know there must be other parents in the same situation as me, so please show your support and sign this petition - I want this discussed in parliament.