The Child Maintenance Service ensures that children are provided for financially by a non-resident parent, where a family-based arrangement cannot be reached by the parents. Using a range of approaches, some of which result in a 20% surcharge to the NRP, the CMS is able to act without oversight.
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The 20% surcharge applied by CMS and the creating of arrears resulting from miscalculations by the CMS has a devastating impact on NRPs, many of whom are struggling to maintain a relationship with their children. This causes additional hardship and contributes, directly or otherwise, to 1,000 suicides a year.
The CMS has little accountability for its actions or the behaviour of its employees and should be subject to independent regulation to protect users of the service.