To let you all know that the Child Maintenance Service..

Also the staff there are working with one hand tied behind their back. There's not enough of them and they are poorly trained.

When I worked there briefly I asked at the end of my training if you got extra training on the bigger powers or if it was dealt with by a more specialist team. The trainer asked what I meant and I said things like putting a charge on a house or the powers along those lines and the trainer didn't even know that could be done (I only knew because my ex was a non payer.

I also got told off for being "too aggressive" with one NRP. Now it was clarified that my manner with him was perfectly acceptable and my route was completely following guidance - there was no disciplinary issue whatsoever. However, refusing a second month's grace to a man who hadn't paid a penny for four years (and who had changed jobs and moved to avoid paying numerous times) was seen as being "too aggressive" and I was told to be calmer with my approach.

I remember once seeing an MP saying they had powers to remove various things like this. I thought really that’s odd because I’ve seen countless stories online of parents not getting their money… and nothing happening. Well this confirms it!

It’s an absolute joke and even if they do pay it’s nowhere near half the cost of raising a child.

Fucking pathetic.

The lack of interest in CMS/CSA not using their powers is actually why it stopped counting toward benefits.

At the point that change was made RP's on benefits only got to keep £20 a week because the rest was owed to the Sec of State to go toward the benefits bill. The amount owed by non-paying NRP's got so high it was decided that something must be done.

So the politicians decided that RP's could keep the money they knew mostly wasn't being paid and not count it toward benefits.

If there was any actual interest in NRP's paying that would not have been the outcome chosen.

Single parents - usually mothers - get trash talked and discriminated against for a deadbeat parent/father's selfishness/complete lack of care. The patriarchy does this. Society allows this.

What does it say about men in general as well, that so many can’t be bothered to pay for their own children. How utterly depressing.

Heaven forbid that single parents don't struggle financially eh.

Useless

I’m surprised they’ve used their full powers that number of times tbh
I am however not remotely surprised that the amount of unpaid debt is that high.
the CMS is beneath contempt

The CMS is only effective if you, the claimant, are able to fulfil the following requirements:

1. Your former partner must be in full-time employment and PAYE. Otherwise, fuck off.
2. You must know his full name, exact address and how long he has lived there. Otherwise, fuck off.
3. You must know his NI number, payroll number and be able to give the exact name and address of his current employer. Otherwise … you catch my drift.
4. You must know his passport number and driving license number …
5. You must provide all this data yourself, without breaching GDPR …

And then you should just basically fuck off anyway because, you know, they’re very busy people.

Yep! 33 years after they were established they still can't make self employed parents pay up. Fucking useless good for nothings.

Yes, I do - but since the tine that CM payments didn’t reduce the benefits paid to the resident parent, most people lost interest. Unless they were affected of course. 🤷‍♀️

Yes it's totally unacceptable that they don't do anything about self employed absent parents who choose not to pay - it's 2026 for god's sake, there are lots of things they could do.

It’s a complete piss take