Unpaid child maintenance

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1. If you're owed child maintenance

You can get help from the Child Maintenance Service if the paying parent:

  • misses payments聽
  • does not pay in full
  • makes payments late

What you do depends on whether you:

  • get payments directly from the paying parent (known as Direct Pay)聽聽
  • use the Child Maintenance Service to manage payments (known as Collect and Pay)

If you get payments directly from the paying parent (Direct Pay)

The Child Maintenance Service cannot take action while you are on Direct Pay. You can ask to move to Collect and Pay by signing into your Child Maintenance account.

Both parents pay a fee to use Collect and Pay. Find out more about child maintenance payments and fees.

If you get payments through the Child Maintenance Service (Collect and Pay)

If you get your payments through the Child Maintenance Service, you do not need to do anything. The Child Maintenance Service will take action if a payment is not made in full and on time.

The Child Maintenance Service might not be able to tell you what actions they are taking.

What the Child Maintenance Service can do

What the Child Maintenance Service will do depends on the paying parent鈥檚 circumstances.

The Child Maintenance Service can:

  • make deductions directly from their pay, pension or benefits
  • take money directly from their bank account
  • get a court order for payments (called a liability order)

The paying parent will need to pay an extra fee if the Child Maintenance Service uses these actions.听

If a court order is granted, the Child Maintenance Service can take further actions such as seizing their property.听

If you need help with money while you wait for missing payments, find out what support you can get with the cost of living.

2. If you cannot pay the full amount or on time

If you cannot pay child maintenance in full and on time or you鈥檝e missed a payment, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

If you do not pay what you owe, the Child Maintenance Service can take action to enforce payments.

If your income or circumstances change, report it to the Child Maintenance Service.

If you manage your own payments (Direct Pay)

If the paying parent does not pay in full or on time, the Child Maintenance Service can change the payment method to Collect and Pay.

Both parents pay a fee to use Collect and Pay. Find out more about child maintenance payments and fees.

If you pay through the Child Maintenance Service (Collect and Pay)

The Child Maintenance Service will work out how much should be paid and when for your:

  • ongoing Child Maintenance payments
  • unpaid Child Maintenance

You can view your payment plan .

If you do not pay in full and on time, the Child Maintenance Service can:

  • make deductions directly from your pay, pension or benefits
  • take money directly from your bank account
  • get a court order for payments (called a liability order)

You鈥檒l need to pay a fee if the Child Maintenance Service uses these actions.听

If a court order is granted, the Child Maintenance Service can take further actions such as seizing your property.听

You can stop court action being taken by contacting the Child Maintenance Service and agreeing to pay what you owe.

How much you鈥檒l pay

You can view your payment plan .听

There are laws about how much money the Child Maintenance Service can collect from you. You must:

  • be left with enough money to live on聽
  • pay priority debts first 鈥� things like mortgage repayments, rent, utility bills, taxes and court fines