Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to expand the ability of bailiffs to enter a place of work to secure outstanding Child Maintenance Service loans.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) does not provide loans.

The CMS encourage paying parents to pay their maintenance on time and in full to avoid accrual of arrears. Where a paying parent fails to pay child maintenance on time or in full, the CMS aims to take immediate action to recover the debt and re-establish compliance, such as contacting the paying payment to agree a repayment plan.

Where parents fail to take responsibility for paying for their children, the CMS is committed to using its wide-ranging enforcement powers proportionally, and in the best interests of children and separated families.

The CMS already has a suite of strong enforcement powers at its disposal. These include, using Enforcement Agents (previously known as bailiffs) to take control of goods, forcing the sale of property, removal of driving licence or UK passport, deductions directly from earnings and bank accounts or even commitment to prison.

Where required, enforcement agents may visit the paying parent at their home, business premises or place of employment. In the year ending December 2024, the CMS collected £2.6m via enforcement agents (formerly known as bailiffs).