Anyone think the UK is a joke when it comes to not paying child maintenance?

[SleepDreamThinkHuge]

You hear a lot of stories especially in the UK where courts are not that strict on individuals who are no longer together to pay maintenance for their child. Unlike the UK, USA is much more stricter and it is much harder to avoid paying child maintenance.

Anyone think the rules need to be a lot stricter in the UK? How can it be better enforced in the UK and what is the minimum amount a month you think someone should pay for maintenance assuming someone is on around £1.5k-£2k after tax a month.

@Catfordthefifth I don’t care if you do get benefits. I mentioned benefits in that post and mentioned you along side it as you had previously mentioned benefits in a whataboutery way. Benefits for 43% of single parent families is what is ensuring those children can survive so I’m definitely not looking down on that.

Like I said you are projecting here if I was the one being rude why are there at least three people this morning talking to you about your posts and whataboutery?

The only thing that needs done is that political will needs to change.

CMS do have all the powers they need.

they can take money from bank accounts (either a lump sum or regular amount) and wages without a court order.

If they go to court for a liability order they can put a charge on a house, send bailiffs to seize goods to sell to cover the debt, freeze bank accounts, remove driving licenses and more (up to the point of imprisonment).

They have the powers they need. There is just zero will to use them. That’s what needs to change.

But that change has to start with society. Until it’s unacceptable to people day to day it’ll never be a political issue. While guys laugh when Billy says “I’m not paying her a penny”, while people date and marry non-payers, while it’s ignored when it’s our brother/sister/cousin that doesn’t pay because their ex is “psycho anyway” the politicians won’t make it an issue for them because it’s not for anyone else.

No, you said the state contributed more than £100 to my child. You said it nastily. You also said my child wouldn't earn well ever because I wont pay in full for private school and uni. Don't pretend you've been lovely. You haven't. You've been massively offensive. You've accused me of being nasty about single mothers and benefits (even tho apparently I am reliant on them) and told me I'm lying about my outgoings. I'm not projecting because I have nothing to project about.

Just because others agree with you doesn't mean you haven't made personal comments and been rude.

Others have told me I'm not allowed to make other entirely related comments but they've not made personal attacks.

Actually I can't remember whether it was you who said about university and private school or someone else rude. So apols of that wasn't you but the rest stands.

I cba with this anymore as you're just claiming I've said things I haven't and it's bullshit. So I'll leave the thread and you can find your next victim

Quote where I said that.

I think you were talking about this post, which strangely enough isn’t mine.

I've already apologised maybe read

Yes to this. Ex lives in million pound house. Never paid a penny in 18 years.

He's cost the taxpayer thousands in child benefits but no one's cares...

that post wasn't at you specifically, actually just a general reflection of how these threads go. There was a poster a while back under the name of "Busdriver" who basically thought RPs should have to provide itemised receipts.

With regards to amounts, it is a tricky thing I agree, but in my specific case, my ex earns a little more than me, but only pays about 1/4 of what his kids cost. I listed what sort of things I have to fund and there was nothing there that was outlandish, an activity each and a music lesson and cheap phone contracts. I think for an NRP to say these are unnecessary luxuries and "extras" is pretty piss poor parenting when the money IS there. Unfortunately, certainly in my case, EOW or less NRPs simply don't deal with the reality of day to day living with kids and don't appreciate the importance of these things.

Its also true that notwithstanding childcare, kids get more expensive as they get older, not less and unlike childcare, those costs are not even slightly met by CTC or UC but this is not factored in either. The RP is stuck just absorbing the extra while the NRP just pays the same.

I totally agree and I don’t think CMS should charge to take CM directly from their salary either. I was honestly shocked to hear that they make money from this system, it should just be automatic because it makes far more sense. This way men can’t get away with not sending it because as soon as they’re paid it leaves their account. I think the amount many men get away with paying is pittance too. They also shouldn’t be allowed to pay less when they shack up with someone who has children.

On my account, it states they take £320 a month from ExH. I get £247 of that. Half of it is the CURRENT months payment, the other half is one of fuck knows how many months he owes.

The missing £73 is for “fees”. Half of that is “deducted” from what I get, the other half is taken from him on top of what he owes.

Ive had these payments for 4 months.

DD is 6.5YO and these are the first payments I’ve ever had. They should take the whole lot on top of what he owes, not take a chunk of it out of what he owes DD.

I'm owed just under 27,000 in arrears which date back 22 years. In this time he's gone self employed got married and adopted two kids legally and still he gets away without paying a penny. If your late paying your council tax God help you.

And tbh I think it's foolish to expect to be financially as well off single as you are in a couple for both rp and NRP. If you're counting on having the same lifestyle post divorce 9 times out of 10 you'll be sorely disappointed. You can't magic money from thin air! Two houses cost more than one etc etc

Agree. DH’s ex completely expected that maintenance would be sufficient to keep her/the children in the lifestyle she enjoyed when married.

And tbh I think it's foolish to expect to be financially as well off single as you are in a couple for both rp and NRP. If you're counting on having the same lifestyle post divorce 9 times out of 10 you'll be sorely disappointed. You can't magic money from thin air! Two houses cost more than one etc etc

Agree. DH’s ex completely expected that maintenance would be sufficient to keep her/the children in the lifestyle she enjoyed when married.

I must be very lucky as have never had an issue with CMS getting me what I’m owed. It’s a shame they have to take direct from source as he wouldn’t agree to the amount which means a percentage is taken in charges but I suppose they need to cover costs.

Technically in the UK, losing the drivers license and passport is an option as is selling assets and lastly prison time. My son's dad has almost £20k arrears and hasn't paid a penny since March 2019. He works self employed and reports that he only works 3 days a week earning £100/week. He was in and out of court between November to last month where he was contesting that he owes anything. They have finally agreed that he should pay <£7/week child maintenance and £6/month arrears. This is a man who drives about in a fancy sports car, wears designer gear and has a weed habit. Absolutely boils my piss, however i know my son will never get the money that is owed to him. Thankfully, i earn enough to give him clothes, food and shelter and also subsidise all his hobbies. CMS have tried with him but their hands are tied when he is blatantly lying to them.

@alphapie yep and done for child neglect. No one can convince me that a father deliberately going out of his way to not pay maintenance, is not out and out a child neglect issue

Parents who hide wealth should be dealt with like the criminals they are

They already are. HMRC can and do investigate.

cash in hand jobs possibly, but again it needs to be proven. If HMRC cant’t prove tax fraud, then they can’t prove they’re hiding income for CM either.

it is a crime to hide income already. One issue is many people think nrp are hiding income -dividends, for example. However these are declared to HMRC income, again it’s a crime not to.

The big issue is that the vast majority of the time CMS don’t investigate. They take the NRP’s word for it and it can be left to RP’s to do any investigative work/report to HMRC themselves.

Despite CMS having perfectly adequate powers to deal with non-payers.

You would think it would make people think more carefully who they have children with

This is an old thread but the issues are unchanged. If the two most recent posters care to read more than the op they'll see plenty of posts from people like me who were married, years of committed, hands on parenting of planned and wanted children til the dads got bored, mid life crisis etc. it's not about choosing better and keeping legs closed. Disgusting misogyny to blame the women who DO stay and take responsibility for their kids in any circumstances. Is the idea then that the men should be entitled to shag around with abandon and it's always the woman's job to stop them or reign them in? They can't take responsibility themselves?

The man you marry is NOT the same that you divorce.

No need to insult mums who are doing their best. People change and nobody has a crystal ball. Besides, there are a lot of mums out here, who are not divorced, trying their best to make ends meet while the husband is out spending £1000s a year on himself (hobbies any one?).

Gold digging 😂😂😂. Through having a baby and claiming from CMS? 😂😂😂😂🙄

Newsflash for you: The vast majority of single mums are divorced women.

I bet you have had your legs open more often than your brain is connected to your mouth.