Feckless fathers will be forced to sell homes if they fail to pay child support

[SerendipityJane]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/child-maintenance-sell-homes-parent-mel-stride

Not read there article, just the headline. But this isn’t new. Child maintenance service already have this power, plus a whole load of other powers, which they don’t use. This is just the governments shouting out about stuff to gain votes but it won’t happen.

If the government wants to win votes and help single mothers by capping the profits of energy firms and supermarkets etc as we go without.

As pp said, they already have powers. If the father is hiding his income it’s pointless.

This isn't new and a lot of feckless fathers don't own houses.

The CMS has all these powers at the moment, they don't use them. I don't see that changing. I don't think they're staffed sufficiently to progress these things

I won't believe this until I see some actual action.

I think that they should switch to a system where the government pays the RP once arrears get to a certain point. The government has the means of tracking people who don't pay VAT and income tax, they could use that same infrastructure to chase NRP. Owing the government rather than an ex partner might mean some money is collected. It's fucking horrific that RP can be owed tens of thousands then the CMS ask them to write it off so their figures look better.

What about when he shacks up with the next woman? What would she do if she lived there?

More like when he shacks up with the next woman many a feckless parent has come across the loophole that if they shack up with a woman who has children they pay less if they have new children they pay less if they get the woman to support them totally then they pay zero

They'd be better off making the fathers contribute toward the childcare fees, after all the child being in childcare supports both parents to work. They'd also help, as a PP has said, by reducing energy bills and increasing the council tax reduction to 50%!

Let's face it there are so many departments and jobs that could be created if the gvt had half a mind to do so and actually overall save money

Child payments is one. All these blokes (especially self employed ) who it seems earn next to nothing and yet manage to house and feed themselves, run cars and go on great holidays

Also one for companies that need to liquidate- at the moment it's private companies who usually jolly make sure they charge every penny they get back in assets to 'fees' - £130 an hour for an admin clerk anyone! (I've been that person who needed to liquidate in a very simple situation ) and on paper would have been able to cover off about 40% due- as it was people got zilch.

What about the ones who don’t have a house to sell. Also where are they going to live after selling their house and handing all their money over. There’s not enough housing for the crisis that’s happening now without making it even worse.
Absolutely they should be made to pay but I’m sure the Government can think of something a bit more sensible and realistic. They are after all far too quick enough hounding lone parents and threatening them with Benefit Sanctions if they don’t jump through their hoops.

Another day, another desperate Tory policy announcement they could have enacted any time since 2010 and can't actually be implemented because they ravaged all the systems that would be needed to implement it.

Soundbite. There's an election coming. Nothing will change.

They do bugger all and will continue doing bugger all. I didn't get a penny for 18 years. My ex owned a home in the UK and worked in Germany to avoid paying. He just laughed at us.

In other news my ex has made almost 2 full payments because child maintenance has threatened to start proceedings against him so woohoo 👏

I don't have childcare fees as I have an older child (age 15) so how would it work in that case?

It should just be deducted straight from their salaries and be done with, and the ones who are self employed or hide their finances should be more throughly investigated.

And if they have other children living in that house and they have to be housed…. This is going to work out and save money how? Another Meat Tax announcement

Deleted as the thread is very old.

Wow you almost got me there...thought the left were set to punish (not reward) the feckless...go Keir, go....he's more conservative than the conservatives.

Oh hang on...