Parents across the UK have been dramatically impacted by a costly error from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Maths teacher John Hammond was left shaken when he discovered £20,000 had been taken from his bank account by the Child Maintenance Service (CMS).
“I was so shocked that I couldn’t stop shaking,” recalled Mr. Hammond as he checked his wages in the school staff room. Concerned colleagues noticed something was wrong and asked what had happened.
With two grown children aged 25 and 28, Mr. Hammond initially feared he was the victim of a scam. However, over 30 other parents have reported similar errors to the BBC, revealing a wider problem.
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The DWP’s CMS calculates child maintenance payments using a set formula. If parents fail to agree privately, the CMS can deduct payments directly from wages, bank accounts, benefits, or pensions. It also has authority to recover arrears if payments fall behind.
Mr. Hammond’s ordeal began in 2022 when he received a letter claiming he owed £947. However, his ex-wife had requested no action be taken. Things escalated when, by 2019, the CMS sent him a letter demanding nearly £19,000. Alarmingly, the DWP admitted it was “unable to ascertain why” Mr. Hammond was suddenly asked to pay this large sum.
“Even when you’re proved right, it doesn’t feel like justice,” Mr. Hammond said. “It just feels like you’ve survived it.”
Charity leaders have called for urgent reforms. Abigail Wood, CEO of Gingerbread, which supports single-parent families, said the CMS system is “failing parents and children alike.”
“We welcome the proposed changes, but the DWP needs to go further and faster to ensure a fair and functional system,” Ms. Wood added.
Michelle Counley of the National Association for Child Support Action (NACSA) stressed the need for better cooperation. “If the CMS worked with both parents together, many disputes could be resolved early, before figures are imposed and enforcement begins,” she said. Counley called for “serious investment and a joined-up way of working” to improve the system.