Children: Maintenance

(asked on 31st January 2017) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what powers of enforcement are available to the Child Maintenance Service if parents are on a direct-pay scheme and the paying parent refuses to meet their obligation to pay.


Answered by
Caroline Nokes Portrait
Caroline Nokes
This question was answered on 7th February 2017

When we are informed by a receiving parent that the paying parent has missed a payment whilst on direct pay, they can request to move on to the collect and pay service. We will make this change as soon as possible unless the paying parent produces evidence that the payment was made.

Where the paying parent is employed we will immediately attempt to deduct from their earnings with a deduction from earnings order. We have at our disposal a wide range of enforcement powers including deducting from bank accounts, seizing property, removal of driving licences and commitment to prison. Arrears accrued on direct pay can be enforced using any of our enforcement powers.

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