Welfare Reform Act means tougher powers for Commission

16/11/2009

Tougher enforcement powers to deal with parents who fail to take financial responsibility for their children are on the way following Royal Assent of the new Welfare Reform Act.

The Act introduces legislation enabling the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission to remove the passports and driving licences of parents who have wilfully and culpably failed to meet their child maintenance obligations. The Commission will not have to apply to a court first, though the Act provides an immediate right of appeal to a Magistrates' Court in England and Wales or Sheriff Court in Scotland.

Similar systems used internationally have been shown to increase the recovery of maintenance arrears and get money to children faster.

Some parents will go to great lengths to evade the child maintenance system and a strong and robust enforcement regime is critical to tackle those who ignore their financial responsibilities.

The powers will only be used as a last resort where the non-resident parent has wilfully failed to pay child maintenance and other enforcement methods have failed.