Families have shared how significant amounts of money were withdrawn from their bank accounts due to errors in child maintenance payments.
John Hammond, a 56-year-old math teacher from Peterborough, had nearly £20,000 deducted by the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) even though his child support arrangement had ended over ten years ago.
Speaking to the BBC, Hammond described feeling extremely shaken upon discovering the substantial sum withdrawn from his bank account. At the time, his children were 25 and 28 years old, and he initially suspected it was a fraudulent activity.
In 2002, Hammond received a letter from the now-defunct Child Support Agency, informing him of a £947 debt, which was later waived at the request of his ex-wife. However, in 2019, he was notified by the CMS of a new outstanding amount of nearly £19,000.
Following a dispute over the arrears, Hammond successfully appealed to have the full sum reimbursed by the court after £19,269 was withdrawn from his account in December 2020. Despite being awarded £8,000 in legal costs, he remains over £6,000 out of pocket due to legal fees amounting to £14,055 associated with the case.
Child maintenance is a financial agreement aimed at assisting with a child’s daily expenses in cases of parental separation or non-cohabitation.
Reports from the BBC indicate that more than 30 parents have encountered inaccuracies in child maintenance calculations, wrongful deductions, and legal battles with the CMS.
Another individual, Richard George, had £18,800 withdrawn from his bank by the CMS in late 2019, despite having successfully appealed in 2016 to clear over £16,000 in arrears. It was later discovered that the CMS had been sending correspondence to an incorrect address for several years.
George mentioned to the BBC that although the money was eventually returned, including collection fees accumulated since 2019, the situation had already caused irreversible harm.
In 2025, the CMS received 92,700 requests from parents for reconsideration of decisions, resulting in 21,400 cases being identified as incorrect or requiring additional information leading to decision changes.
Operated by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the CMS ensures payment arrangements are based on the paying parent’s income, with assessment accuracy rates consistently close to 100%.
A spokesperson from the DWP clarified that disputed payment arrangements can be appealed, with independent tribunals determining changes if necessary. Enforcement measures are only pursued if regular payments are not reinstated voluntarily to prevent further arrears.
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