Child maintenance: New DWP rules as government aims to 'hold parents to account'

Picture of a child being pushed in a buggy

Parents across the UK are being alerted about changes to the Child Maintenance Service made by the Department for Work and Pensions [DWP]. The government is making it tougher on parents who don’t pay child support, so kids can get help faster, Gloucestershire Live reports.

The government has decided to speed up these changes after hearing people’s opinions. They’re also getting rid of the £20 fee to use the child support service from February 26, 2024, so all children can get the support they need.

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride MP shared: “We know the vast majority of parents strive each and every day to give their children the best possible start in life. But those who shirk the financial responsibilities they have for their children must be quickly held to account. That’s why we are fast-tracking enforcement from six months to six weeks making the system fairer for parents and above all for children.”

The consultation also sought views on proposed regulations that mean the CMS can use an administrative liability order to recover unpaid child maintenance instead of having to apply to the courts. This change will help reduce the time it takes to obtain a liability order, from around 22 weeks to as little as six to eight weeks and ensure that further action such as forced sale of property or disqualification from driving can be considered much sooner. Around 10,000 parents a year who willfully refuse to pay maintenance will be affected by the law change, creating more financial security for thousands of children and parents.

DWP Minister Viscount Younger said: “The Child Maintenance Service makes a real difference to the lives of over 900,000 children across the UK, with CMS and family-based arrangements helping to keep around 160,000 out of poverty each year. That’s why, alongside improving enforcement action, we’re removing the application fee so the Child Maintenance Service is accessible to everyone, meaning the poorest families can ensure their children are properly provided for.”

The CMS will now have the power to write off debts less than £7 in some inactive cases, according to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). This move aims to use taxpayers’ money and caseworker time more effectively.

Parents can find more information on how to arrange maintenance payments using the Get Help Arranging Child Maintenance tool.