Enforcement powers

The statutory maintenance service (currently operated by the Child Support Agency) has a range of powers enabling it to take firm action to ensure parents meet their financial responsibilities.

These include deduction from earnings orders, liability orders, bailiffs, third party debt orders, charges on property, orders for sale of property, driving licence disqualification and imprisonment.

On top of the Child Support Agency's current powers, the Commission has additional sanctions enabling it to ensure that parents fulfil their financial responsibilities. New measures include:

• deduction of maintenance payments and/or arrears from bank accounts, without the need to apply through the courts;
• the recovery of arrears from deceased persons’ estates.

The Commission can use these powers in relation to debt accrued under both the existing schemes, and will be able to use them under the future 'gross income' scheme, which will be established from 2012.

The Commission will continue to pursue child maintenance debtors. It will build on the Child Support Agency's activity and will use all of the powers at its disposal against those who try to evade payment. This will include using credit reference agencies, bailiffs and debt collectors, to get more money for more children.