UK child maintenance payments reach record compliance level

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UK child maintenance compliance record

Highlights

Nearly 130,000 parents on Collect & Pay paid over 90% of their maintenance dues, a 27% increase from last year, per GOV.UK figures.
The proportion of parents paying no maintenance fell by 19% since March 2025, and CMS now supports almost 1.6 million parents across Great Britain.
Customer service improved with 85% of calls answered and average wait times reduced from over 28 minutes to just over 11 minutes since summer 2024.

Compliance gains and service upgrades

As reported by GOV.UK, newly released government figures show the Child Maintenance Service is driving higher payment compliance, with nearly 130,000 parents using Collect & Pay now paying more than 90% of the maintenance due, up around 27% over the last year.

At the same time, the number of parents paying nothing has fallen by around 19% since March 2025. The service is now supporting almost 1.6 million parents across Great Britain as ministers push to improve outcomes for families.

Baroness Maeve Sherlock says the government's priority is to ensure children receive support from both parents. She says most parents using the CMS support their children without enforcement, but the government will act where responsibilities are not met.

Customer service metrics also improve alongside compliance. The figures show 85% of calls are now answered, compared with 59% in summer 2024, and average waiting times have fallen from more than 28 minutes to just over 11 minutes.

Child poverty strategy and family impact

The government says child maintenance arrangements help keep around 120,000 children out of relative poverty by providing support with the everyday cost of raising a child. The latest CMS figures are released as ministers seek to turn the tide on child poverty and improve life chances across every postcode.

Officials also link the policy to a broader poverty reduction plan. The government says it is set to lift 550,000 children out of poverty in the final year of this Parliament through measures including the removal of the two-child benefit limit, which it describes as the largest reduction in child poverty since records began.

In our earlier coverage of Chancellor John Healey’s deficit-reduction plans ahead of the October 28 Budget, we explained why the government is sticking to a tighter fiscal path while still looking for room to support growth. We also noted the slight upside surprise in August GDP and the political pressure building around how the Budget should balance fiscal discipline with relief for households and businesses.

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