Child Maintenance can involve a range of terms and processes that can be tricky to understand. This page contains some common words and phrases to help you navigate the child maintenance system.

Accepted / Refusal to supersede: Supersede means to change. Either parent can report a change to circumstances or ask the CMS to review a decision. The CMS will consider the evidence provided and either accept the change/request or refuse it.

Arrears: Unpaid child maintenance

CMS: The Child Maintenance Service is a national agency and is part of the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). It supports families with child maintenance where required. It replaced the Child Support Agency.

Deductions Order:  Where there is persistent non-payment of CMS child maintenance arrangement, the CMS can apply for a deduction order. This may require a deductions from the Paying Parents wages or Bank Account. The employer, DWP or the bank’s is responsible for making the deductions and transferring the money to the CMS in line with the payment schedule. Failure to comply with a deductions order can result in up to a £1000 fine for the Employer/Bank.

DWP: (Department of Work and Pensions). CMS operates as part of the DWP government service responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance services.

Full time education: Full time education is more than an average of 12 hours a week of supervised study or course-related work experience. If your child has an illness or disability, they may still be considered to be in full time education if they study fewer hours.

HMCTS: (Her Majesty Court and Tribunal Service). HMCTS are responsible for operating social security tribunals in the UK and operates independently from the CMS.

Kinship Carer: A kinship carer is often a relative or close family friend who provides care for a child when their parents are unable to do so.

Mandatory Reconsideration: Is a formal request to the CMS looks at a decision again following reporting a change.

Non Advanced Higher Education: Non-advanced education includes:

• A levels or equivalent, for example, International Baccalaureate

• T levels

• GCSEs

• Scottish Higher

• NVQs and most vocational qualifications up to level 3

• Home education

• Study programmes in England

• Pre-apprenticeship programmes

Non Geographical Bank Account: Some sort codes can potentially identify an area where the bank account was opened. Most major banks and all online only banks offer bank accounts with generic sort codes. There are some banks that can hide text on transfer references that may be deemed malicious.

Paying Parent / Non-Resident Parent: Both these terms are used to describe the parent that does not have ‘main day to day care’ of the child and is responsible for paying child maintenance.

Person with Care / Receiving Parent / Resident Parent: These terms are often used to describe the person with ‘main day to day’ care of the child(ren). This often aligns with the person who receives Child Benefit for the child. The person with main ‘day to day care’ of the child does not need to be a biological. Foe example, kinship carers can also be a person with care.

Redact: Hide information for legal or security reasons.

SSCS2: Social Security and Child Support Tribunal form. The form is used to appeal to the HMCTS: (Her Majesty Court and Tribunal Service)

U.N.C.R.C: United Nations Convention for the Right of a Child)(opens in new tab). The UNCRC is an international agreement that sets out, civil, political, economic and social and cultural rights. It contains 54 articles that cover all aspects of a child’s life and how adults and governments must work together to make sure all children can enjoy all their rights.

Variation of Income / Report a Change: These terms are used when reporting a change to the paying parents income pr requesting that additional income or special expenses are taken into account while calculating child maintenance.