'They took £20,000 I didn't owe': Parents hit by child maintenance errors
Summary
Many parents in the UK have reported that the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) wrongly took large sums of money from their bank accounts or wages, even when they did not owe the money. The CMS was created to ensure child support payments but some cases involve old or finished arrangements, leading to financial and legal problems for parents like John Hammond and Richard George.Key Facts
- John Hammond had nearly £20,000 taken from his bank account by the CMS even though his child support arrangement ended over 10 years ago.
- The CMS took £19,269 from Hammond’s account before he won an appeal to get the money and legal costs returned.
- Richard George also had £18,800 taken from his bank by the CMS, causing him shock and distress.
- More than 30 parents reported issues such as incorrect arrears, money taken wrongly, and long court fights with the CMS.
- The CMS replaced the Child Support Agency (CSA) in 2012 and manages child maintenance payments when parents don’t pay voluntarily.
- The CMS uses rules to calculate payments and can take money directly from wages, bank accounts, benefits, or pensions.
- The UK government department in charge, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), did not explain why these wrong takings happened.
- A House of Lords report raised concerns about the CMS taking money inappropriately, even when parents were trying to pay.
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