Child maintenance
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for the child maintenance system in Great Britain. It funds information and support for separating parents and runs the statutory child maintenance schemes.
The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission website closed on 1 August 2012. This page explains how DWP now manages the child maintenance system in Great Britain.
In July 2012, the Government published a consultation about transforming the child maintenance system so the emphasis is placed on supporting families to make their own arrangements.
The Government set out its vision for child maintenance in an earlier consultation in January 2011.
Existing services
Child Maintenance Options
The Department funds the Child Maintenance Options service, which provides information and support to help parents make a child maintenance arrangement that meets their needs. Child Maintenance Options also provides information on other issues parents might face in making maintenance arrangements, such as housing, legal and money concerns. The service signposts people to organisations that provide specialist help and advice.
Statutory child maintenance schemes
DWP is responsible for the statutory child maintenance schemes, currently operated through the Child Support Agency.
- Child maintenance (Directgov)
A new "gross income" scheme will be introduced in 2012 to replace those currently operated by the Child Support Agency.
There is information about the performance of the Child Support Agency in the statistics section of the DWP website.
Our client charter
Publications
The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission ran the child maintenance system from 2008, until its abolition in July 2012.
Certain Commission publications are listed here because they are of continued relevance.
Payroll software
Information about the standardised child maintenance deduction of earnings order (DEO) schedule report is available on the following page.
