To think men that don't pay child support should be arrested?

[HappyLoneParentDay]

Ok I'm not wanting a massive row. Just often thought (after yet another fruitless call to CMS and being told for the 137th time that after 3 years & yet another 'job-hopping' instance that I "have to give him a chance to pay") that despite the CMS being able to take them to Court etc, they very rarely do. Even multiple CMS supervisors have told me on a number of occasions that it's very, very rare that they actually take someone to Court.

Yet in the US, non payment of child support after 6 months, is a criminal offence. Resulting in an arrest warrant being issued.

AIBU to think there's no reason we can't do this?

FYI: He now pays child support on time every month and has done for a while. It is just something I've never been able to understand...

No they have to trace the father. Sometimes it will be futile. But they have to prove they have tried.
And how many children in the UK are relinquished for adoption at birth do you think?
Because it's not really a thing.

I do agree that something absolutely should be done. It is criminal (the adjective) that they can get away with not supporting their own child, and leaving it to the tax payer & resident parent. But, like a poster above states, it costs the, tax payer again, a fortune to keep someone in prison. And, they're not a threat to society. So, I'm not sure that's the answer.

Actually its more like 16 days wortth of parenting. 21 if shes lucky 😕

Opinion how would you implement this system of men being able to legally walk away.
So a man could beg his wife to have a baby. Then once the child is born decide nah not for me. And leave the women with no choice but to do it alone.

Doesnt have to be prison though, does it? Could start w no passport, no drivers license, then community service, ankle-tagging and a curfew.

It is pure and simple wilful child neglect to not support your own children when you are in a position to do so. If I didn't feed, clothe and support my children, which I do proudly and willingly, no one would because he refuses to.

Why should he get away with not providing for them? He is deliberately making THEIR lives poorer and harder. They go without because of him, wear tight shoes for longer than I would like because of his refusal to support them. He is neglecting them in every sense and should be punished for it.

It would just be so hard to take them all to prison. There’s too bloody many .
Taking their right to drive away is very easy and effective and costs us nothing.

Totally agree with you OP
Unfortunately it will never happen here as we are governed by men who feel it’s their right to ignore their children if, after shagging their mother, they feel they shouldn’t have to be responsible for them

@HappyLoneParentDay

It works very well in the US as a deterrent. Most of the time.

So not all of the time, people still wriggle through the cracks.

I'd say that benefits the child GREATLY!!!!

Its also been responsible for people losing there jobs, living in cars, and suicide!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

because they are still responsible for the original debt, they cannot get jobs due to a criminal record, for some it becomes an inescapable spiral.

The state should pay it direct to the resident parent then take it back via tax from income.

My SILs ex paid absolutely nothing to his DDs all the while they were growing up.

Amen

I personally think a good deterrent could be to take the driving license away from fathers who don’t pay.

CMS already have this power. They just can’t be arsed to use it.

I know I’m like a broken down record on this topic but the big scandal is the powers that CMS have - several of them that they don’t even need to go to court for!! - but don’t use.

All that’s needed to make CMS more effective is the political will do do so. They have the powers already.

Oh yes yes yes with bells on.
Wtf should I struggle to get by every month yèt he gets to decide how much he pays and when.
We BOTH wanted our son we BOTH tried for him yet I'm the only parent who gives a shit.
Last time I contacted them they told me they were taking it from his money and paying me (which is bs) they don't know their arse from their elbows and are only interested in parents that want to pay.
We need a major shake up to get non residential parents to pay if that means sending them to jail so be it.

The state should pay it direct to the resident parent then take it back via tax from income.

This. Or even just get the parent to pay it in the same way we have to pay council tax. Everyone knows that council tax is a high priority bill because the council is very very quick to take you to court if you don’t and technically can put you in prison if you don’t.

Sorry by contacting them I meant the cms

YANBU the current system is useless.

Lyralalala really?!
I did not know that.
I think it’s a great deterrent/ punishment...
In that it kind of takes ‘power’ from men and publicly shames them.
I also think it should be the first punishment for domestic abusers.
Imagine... lay a finger on a woman...coercive control... verbal abuse... sexual assault...
Lose your license immediately.

The only political will there has been with regards to CMS recently has been to actively write off older and “unrecoverable” debts.

Previously they’d stay outstanding so they could be recovered from estates or lottery wins (the debt, not an ongoing amount). However, there now started absolving men of their debts - something not even bankruptcy does x

Loving the ideas From barbarianmum and others to take away things that affect their quality of life without costing tax payer much.

lyralalala

CMS already have this power. They just can’t be arsed to use it.

I know I’m like a broken down record on this topic but the big scandal is the powers that CMS have - several of them that they don’t even need to go to court for!! - but don’t use.

All that’s needed to make CMS more effective is the political will do do so. They have the powers already.

This all the way, the CMS could do so much more but they just CBA.

If hes a work Dodger like so many, you can sue his parents and siblings for maintenance. Isnt that wonderful.

LOL what the fuck. Is this actually true?

Unfortunately it will never happen here as we are governed by men who feel it’s their right to ignore their children if, after shagging their mother, they feel they shouldn’t have to be responsible for them
Is that Boris you're talking about?

Seems strange..

My ex hasn't payed for about a year and a half and owes 4500 ish..

They took him to court the other month and got a liability order so can enforce it now

Has it not been passed to enforcement team?
Have they gone through all the direct payment and deduction of earnings debacle?

They only started the process of seriously collecting once I got my MP involved, after years of non payment.

At one point they talked about putting a charge on his property but never did it. They already have a lot of powers, I'm certain that if they threatened to take my exes car or motorbike or remove his driving license then he would suddenly take it more seriously.

At the moment a DOE order, some months I receive nothing but other receive variable payments.

There are a proportion of non resident parents determined not to pay and there needs to be a serious system of penalties in place and actually used to deal with them.

www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/legal-action-child-maintenance-service-can-take

@BarbarianMum makes some very good suggestions.

Couldn’t agree that a custodial sentence and the ensuing related costs is a good idea though