Petitions/Strengthen child maintenance enforcement powers and increase payment rates
StatusOngoing
Opened2 Jun 2026
Closes
Government response
Parliamentary debateNot eligible
Milestones

The Government really needs to strengthen the law relating to the enforcement of child maintenance payments towards the cost of raising a child. Especially SEN children as this comes with additional costs. Also, to re calculate the amounts, as we think the £7 a week flat rate is outdated and poor.

The Child Maintenance Service is supposed to be a solid security/network for enforcing the law on financial contributions/responsibilities towards children. Yet this is often not the case and many families/children are being failed by this service. The law has to change, and the amounts need re calculating. The law on enforcement needs serious attention and change, as do the amounts that are presented as adequate to raise a child - £7 a week as a flat rate amount is not remotely acceptable.

10,000
100,000

Constituency engagement ranking

Jon Pearce
1Jon Pearce MP
High Peak
9
Samantha Dixon
2Samantha Dixon MP
Chester North and Neston
3
Lisa Smart
3Lisa Smart MP
Hazel Grove
3
Alison Bennett
4Alison Bennett MP
Mid Sussex
2
Maya Ellis
5Maya Ellis MP
Ribble Valley
2
Michael Wheeler
6Michael Wheeler MP
Worsley and Eccles
2
Natalie Fleet
7Natalie Fleet MP
Bolsover
1
Max Wilkinson
8Max Wilkinson MP
Cheltenham
1
Nigel Farage
9Nigel Farage MP
Clacton
1
Sarah Jones
10Sarah Jones MP
Croydon West
1