The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced plans which may include a curfew on parents who fail to pay child maintenance. A set of new proposals has been issued by the Government with the aim of getting more of the money that is owed to the children of separated parents.
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) collected or arranged £1 billion in child maintenance payments last year. The DWP says the money acted as a crucial weapon in the battle against child poverty.
Around 140,000 children are taken out of poverty each year due to child support payments. By putting a curfew in place, the DWP believes it would be another method of enforcement, alongside current powers.
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At the moment, parents who continually refuse to pay maintenance owed can have their passport and driving licence confiscated and earnings deducted. A curfew would be an alternative sanction to prison which is costly and prevents maintenance being given to children.
The DWP says the curfews would act as a deterrent by restricting and disrupting non-compliant parents’ lifestyles, stopping them, for example, going out for dinner, to the pub or going on holiday. The curfew would be monitored by an electronic tag which would monitor the parent, making sure they comply with the rules.
If a parent fails to comply, the CMS would be able to refer them back to court which could see the curfew order extended or impose a prison sentence.
DWP Lords Minister Baroness Stedman-Scott said: "For children in low-income households, maintenance payments can make all the difference, lifting them out of poverty. We are not afraid to go after those parents who deliberately and repeatedly refuse to pay for their children.
"Curfew orders are another step towards providing the CMS with a full arsenal of powers to make sure children get the financial support they need to have the best start in life."
This proposal builds on new powers introduced this year to digitise all communications to parents. The service can trace the paying parent, calculate maintenance and enforce arrears more effectively. The consultation for the proposed curfew plans closed on 12 August 20202.
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