MOST single mothers are better off after the Howard government overhauled the child support system, although nearly 7000 have been left out of pocket by up to $60 a week.

The Rudd government yesterday released two reports on the child support changes. When they were introduced in July 2008, it was thought most divorced fathers would pay less, undercutting payments for single mothers.

But the analysis of 198,000 parents who receive payments, mainly women, and 207,300 child support payers, mainly men, revealed that most of those receiving payments — 59 per cent — were getting more child support and family tax benefit. About 61 per cent of “paying parents” contributed more child support.