Maintenance Payments Hit Record Levels

The number of non-resident parents who pay towards the cost of their children through the Child Support Agency (CSA) has hit an all-time high, according to the Government.

Figures show that almost nine out of ten non-resident parents within the CSA system are now contributing towards child maintenance to support their children.

In the past 12 months, the CSA has apparently helped collect and arrange more than £1.2 billion of payments, thanks to tougher enforcement action against parents who previously refused to pay, as well as vastly improved processes.

This is a substantial turnaround for the body, which has been heavily criticised for the arrears that built up since its inception in 1993. During the worst period, arrears were building up at a rate of £20 million a month.

Action available against non-resident parents who refuse to pay towards the upbringing of their children includes:

• applying Deduction from Earnings Orders, whereby employers pass on money to the CSA direct from their employee’s pay packet,
• registering a charge against property owned by a parent who refuses to contribute,
• using bailiffs to seize possessions, and
• taking people to court, which could lead to a prison sentence or those found guilty losing their driving licence for up to two years.

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