Child Maintenance Services (CMS) Campaign
Research shows that the Child Maintenance Service in the UK is blatantly breaking its own legislation and policies and that this is resulting in parents dying and children being forced into poverty.
In the next few weeks Split the Difference will release a full report created from 18 months research which includes results from a consultation questionnaire showing where the Child Maintenance Service has failed whole families for decades.
This interim report sent to leaders, highlights some of the legislative neglect the government having knowingly facilitated for three decades.
PLEASE SIGN CURRENT PETITIONS
Provide compensation for incorrect child maintenance assessments
Many Paying Parents have had incorrect assessments for child maintenance. This has been followed by wrongful enforcement that has caused financial loss and impacted mental health. We want compensation for people affected by incorrect child maintenance assessments and wrongful enforcement.
Public Inquiry into Child Maintenance Service assessments and enforcement
We are concerned that incorrect assessments and inflation of amounts owed by paying parents, combined with excessive use of enforcement action, has caused significant distress to many paying parents, leading in some cases to catastrophic consequences.
QUESTIONNAIRES
Are the CMS following their legislation, guidance and policy? Share your information with us by completing our questionnaire.
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The CMS is managed through legislation. By answering these questions you are helping us and the government to determine if the CMS are breaking their own legal requirements.
CURRENT HOUSE OF COMMONS PETITIONS
Child Maintenance Services
Declares that the petitioner is concerned regarding the number of suicides that have been linked with the activities of the CPA and the CMS, notes that incorrect assessments and inflation of arrears may have played a factor in the mental health of those who committed suicide.
The petitioner therefore requests that the House of Commons urge the Government to open an independent investigation into the Child Maintenance Service and their assessment procedures.
Child Support Act
Declares that the petitioner is concerned with section 33 of the Child Support Act 1991 and its compatibility with Article 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998; notes that the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is securing liability orders for debts that are not owed and are in dispute; further notes that no evidence is provided by the CMS to substantiate the debt is owed by the paying parent, further declares that Section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998 states that it is unlawful for a public authority to act in a way which is incompatible with a convention right.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to address these concerns surrounding section 33 of the Child Support Act 1991 and its compatibility with Article 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998.
Detachment of Earnings Orders
Declares that the Child Maintenance Service’s current policy on the enforcement of Detachment of Earnings Orders is not in accordance with the principles it should apply; notes that the CMS must provide factual evidence to the Paying Parents employer and Bank Manager that arrears are owed before such enforcement can commence; further notes that if arrears are in dispute DEO’s must not be enforced bank accounts must not be garnished and liability orders must not be granted; furthermore that the burden of proof lies upon the accuser to prove with factual evidence that a debt is owed by the Paying Parent.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to take into account the concerns of the petitioner and work with the Child Maintenance Service to prevent the improper use of the Detachment of Earnings Orders.
Child Support (Enforcement) Bill
Wednesday 1 March 2023 Meeting started at 9.25am, ended 10.06am
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CLICK TO LISTEN TO DEBATE
The National Audit Office v The Child Maintenance Service, death, destruction and no accountability.
The National Audit Office for over a decade has consistently reported the failings of the CMS. Noel Wilcox and Alex Reid discuss the truth of this service and how they are responsible for systemic abuse that too often results in the suicide of young paying parents.
What do you do when a government department pushes parents to suicide?
Gavin Briggs, an ex-RAF serviceman and the only child of Ian Briggs, took his own life when the CMS left him with £169 to live off. Research completed by Brian Hudson found over a 1000 additional deaths of parents every years are connected to the Child Maintenance Service (CMS).
To put this figure in context, in total over the last 30 years 842 UK service personnel have lost their lives as part of international conflict.From a fifteen month research project Split the Difference has identified catastrophic failings by the CMS and the previous CSA that shows wilful neglect in the needs of parents and children dating back decades.
Sally-Anne Burris, Director of Split the Difference CIC say: “The government has no other choice but to decommission this service. “I have seen such a destructive, dysfunctional government department that is clearly operating in a fraudulent capacity while it consistently breaks its own legislation, guidance and policy.”
Child Maintenance Service, does it help children or destroy their families?
Brian Hudson completed 18 months of research that identified heightened death rates in parents associated with the Child Maintenance Service in comparison with the general population. Joining Split the Difference to raise awareness and promote the decommissioning of the Child Maintenance Service (CMS), Brians research found there are over a 1000 deaths per year attributed to the CMS.