The Child Support Agency (CSA) will expect you to catch up any missed payments, unless you can show them you are unable to. You may have had a change in circumstances that the CSA are not aware of.

If you are working, the CSA will attempt to take any arrears in instalments from your wages using a deduction from earnings order.

If this does not work, they will get a liability order through a magistrates’ court. Once they have this they can take further action if you have not paid. They may

• Get a distress warrant, and use private bailiffs
• Place a charging order or order for sale on your property
• Get a third party debt order to take money directly from your bank account or savings
• Disqualify you from driving for up to two years
• Send you to prison for up to six weeks

The consequences of not paying CSA arrears may be serious. You can seek help by contacting the Child Support Agency direct or get independent advice from the National Association for Child Support Action or Child Maintenance Options.

At the moment, Child Support Agency (CSA) arrears are not recorded on your credit file unless they result in a liability order from a magistrates’ court. This may change as the new agency, the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (C-MEC) looks to expand the powers available to collect child maintenance arrears.

The CSA is being replaced by a new agency called the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (C-MEC)

Child Support Agency (CSA) arrears can already be collected using a number of means, and they have more power than any agency other than HM Revenue and Customs.

The new agency, the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (C-MEC) has stated they plan to extend these powers further. Options which have been discussed include:

• Withdrawal of driving licences and passports
• Imposing curfews
• Publishing names of non-paying parents
• Obtaining charging orders (Charging orders (England & Wales)) without going through the courts