Child Maintenance Errors Expose a System in Crisis The recent spate of high profile cases highlighting errors in child maintenance payments has shed light on a broader problem: a system more interested in extracting money from parents than ensuring the welfare of children.
At its core, the issue is one of trust. John Hammond, a maths teacher from Peterborough, was shocked when he discovered £20,000 had been taken from his bank account by the Child Maintenance Service (CMS).
His experience mirrors that of dozens of other parents who have spoken out about miscalculated arrears, money wrongly taken from wages or bank accounts, and lengthy court battles with the CMS.