Guidance

Child maintenance decision makers' guide

Guidance for DWP decision makers on child maintenance.

From:
Department for Work and Pensions
Published
16 October 2020
Last updated
6 November 2024 — See all updates

Documents

Chapter 1: Child Maintenance Group abbreviations

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Chapter 2: Child Maintenance Group legislation

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Volume 1: The basic principles (chapters 3 to 16)

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Volume 2: Maintenance calculations (chapters 17 to 26)

PDF, 280 KB, 69 pages

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Volume 3: Variations (chapters 27 to 36)

PDF, 216 KB, 47 pages

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Volume 4: Information gathering (chapters 37 to 41)

PDF, 180 KB, 31 pages

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Volume 5: Review and appeals (chapters 42 to 48)

PDF, 247 KB, 52 pages

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Volume 6: Collection and enforcement (chapters 49 to 95)

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Volume 7: Evidence and decision making (chapters 96 to 100)

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Annex A: Client contact

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Annex B: Court proceedings

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Annex C: Notifications

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Annex D: Understanding employed and self-employed earners

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CMDMG abbreviations summary of changes

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CMDMG Volume 1 summary of changes

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CMDMG Volume 2 summary of changes

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CMDMG Volume 3 summary of changes

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CMDMG Volume 4 summary of changes

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CMDMG Volume 5 summary of changes

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CMDMG Volume 6 summary of changes

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CMDMG Volume 7 summary of changes

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CMDMG Annex A summary of changes

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Details

This advice for DWP decision makers covers:

  • Child Maintenance 2012 scheme

Updates to this page

Published 16 October 2020
Last updated 6 November 2024 + show all updates

  1. Updated Volume 1: The basic principles (chapters 3 to 16) and Volume 1: The Basic Principles Summary of changes from December 2021.

  2. Updated Volume 1: The basic principles (chapters 3 to 16) and Volume 1 summary of changes.

  3. Updated CMDMG Volume 1: The basic principles (chapters 3 to 16), Volume 1 summary of changes, Volume 2: Maintenance calculations (chapters 17 to 26) and Volume 2 summary of changes, and Volume 6: Collection and enforcement (chapters 49 to 95) and Volume 6 summary of changes. Also deleted Memo 01-24 - The child support (management of payments and arrears and fees)(amendment) regulations 2024 and Memo 02-23 Child Maintenance - the Carer’s Assistance (Carer Support Payment) (Scotland) regulations 2023 (consequential amendments) order 2023 — these memos have been incorporated into the CMDMG chapters.

  4. Volume 3: Variations and Volume 3: summary of changes has been updated.

  5. 'Volume 4 summary of changes' and 'CMDMG Volume 4' updated.

  6. Updated Volume 2: Maintenance calculations (chapters 17 to 26) and also CMDMG Volume 2 summary of changes.

  7. Updated 'Volume 2: Maintenance calculations (chapters 17 to 26)' and also 'CMDMG Volume 2 summary of changes'.

  8. Created 01-24 - The child support (management of payments and arrears and fees) (amendment) regulations 2024. Updated Volume 1: The basic principles (chapters 3 to 16) and also Volume 6: Collection and enforcement (chapters 49 to 95).

  9. Updated CMDMG Volume 7: Evidence and decision making (chapters 96 to 100) and summary of changes.

  10. Updated Volume 7: Evidence and decision making (chapters 96 to 100), Annex A: Client contact and added summary of changes for both.

  11. Updated CMDMG Volume 6: Collection and enforcement (chapters 49 to 95) and Volume 6 summary of changes

  12. Updated 'Volume 2: Maintenance calculations (chapters 17 to 26)' and also added '02-23 Child Maintenance - the Carer’s Assistance (Carer Support Payment) (Scotland) regulations 2023 (consequential amendments) order 2023'.

  13. Updated Child maintenance decision makers' guide, Volume 1: The basic principles (chapters 3 to 16) and summary of changes.

  14. Updated Volume 2: Maintenance calculations (chapters 17 to 26) and also CMDMG Volume 2 summary of changes.

  15. Updated Volume 5: Review and appeals (chapters 42 to 48) and the CMDMG Volume 5 summary of changes.

  16. Updated Volume 7: Evidence and decision making (chapters 96 to 100) and also CMDMG Volume 7 summary of changes.

  17. Updated Volume 1: The basic principles (chapters 3 to 16), Volume 2: Maintenance Calculations (Chapters 17-26) and Volume 7: Evidence and decision making (chapters 96 to 100). Also updated the summary of changes for Volumes 1, 2 and 7.

  18. Updated Volume 2: Maintenance calculations (chapters 17 to 26) and Volume 7: Evidence and decision making (chapters 96 to 100). Also updated CMDMG Volume 2 summary of changes.

  19. Updated Volume 1: The basic principles (chapters 3 to 16) Volume 2: Maintenance calculations (chapters 17 to 26) and Volume 6: Collection and enforcement (chapters 49 to 95). Also updated CMDMG Volume 1 summary of changes, CMDMG Volume 2 summary of changes and CMDMG Volume 6 summary of changes.

  20. Updated 'Volume 2: Maintenance calculations (chapters 17 to 26)' and summary of changes.

  21. Updated volumes 2 (Maintenance calculations) and 7 (Evidence and decision making) and the summary of changes documents for volumes 2 and 7.

  22. CMDMG volumes 1 (The basic principles) and 7 (Evidence and decision making) have been updated, and summary of changes documents added for both. Memos 01-21 and 01-22 have been removed as they're now incorporated within main CMDMG guidance.

  23. Updated Child maintenance decision makers' guide, volume 4: Gathering Information and added summary of changes - May 2022.

  24. Updated Volume 1: The basic principles (chapters 3 to 16). In chapter 15: Service types and methods of payment, section on “Direct pay for MOPs for PWC who have experienced domestic abuse” added at paragraphs 15057 to 15060 and ‘Note’ added to para. 15015. Updated Volume 5: Review and appeals (chapters 42 to 48). In chapter 45: Parentage disputes, removed section no longer relevant in paragraphs 45052 to 45055.

  25. Updated 'Volume 2: Maintenance calculations (chapters 17 to 26)' and 'Volume 2 summary of changes'.

  26. Updated CMDMG Volumes 2 and 5, and Volumes 2 and 5 summary of changes.

  27. Added ‘CMDMG memo 1/22 The Adult Disability Payment – Child Maintenance’ and updated ‘Volume 3: Variations (chapters 27 to 36)’. Also updated ‘Chapter 1: Child Maintenance Group abbreviations’ and added ‘CMDMG abbreviations summary of changes’.

  28. Updated 'Volume 2: Maintenance calculations (chapters 17 to 26)' and 'Volume 2 summary of changes'. Also updated 'Volume 5: Review and appeals (chapters 42 to 48)' and 'Volume 5 summary of changes'.

  29. Updated Volume 1 and Volume 1 summary of changes.

  30. Updated 'Volume 1: The basic principles (chapters 3 to 16)' and 'Volume 1 summary of changes'.

  31. Replaced 'Volume 1: The basic principles (chapters 3 to 16)' and 'Volume 1 summary of changes'.

  32. Updated 'Volume 2: Maintenance calculations (chapters 17 to 26)' and added a new document 'CMDMG Volume 2 summary of changes'. Also updated 'Volume 5: Review and appeals (chapters 42 to 48)' and 'CMDMG Volume 5 summary of changes'.

  33. Replaced 'Volume 6: Collection and enforcement (chapters 49 to 95)' and added a new document 'Volume 6 summary of changes'.

  34. Replaced Volume 1: The basic principles (chapters 3 to 16) and CMDMG Volume 1 summary of changes.

  35. Replaced 'Volume 1: The basic principles (chapters 3 to 16)' and added new document 'Volume 1 summary of changes'.

  36. Updated Volume 3 and Volume 5 summary of changes. Added Volume 3 summary of changes.

  37. Updated Volume 5 Reviews and Appeals (Chapters 42-48). Added CMDMG summary of changes.

  38. Updated 'Volume 1: The basic principles (chapters 3 to 16)'.

  39. Updated Chapter 1: Child Maintenance Group abbreviations.

  40. Updated Volume 6: Collection and enforcement, chapter 54.

  41. Updated volume 4: Chapter 38 (Information gathering) is amended to include a note regarding ‘SEISS’ at paragraph 38019. Updated volume 7: Chapter 97 (Evidence – income) is amended to include a note regarding ‘SEISS’ at paragraph 97031.

  42. Added CMDMG memo 1/21 and updated Volume 3.

  43. Updated Volume 5: Review and appeals (chapters 42 to 48).

  44. Updated Volume 1: The basic principles (chapters 3 to 16). This update includes CHB as Child Benefit in Chapter 5 and makes minor amendments to the Effective Date Table 4 in Chapter 14.

  45. Updated Volume 5: Reviews and appeals.

  46. Various minor amendments made to chapter 18 (Volume 2). Edited chapters 54 and 71 (Volume 6) to take into account that Indesser Enforcement scoring is no longer to be in use. Former guidance on Indesser in chapter 66 is now deleted and this chapter is ‘Spare.’”

  47. Updated Volume 1 and Volume 2.

  48. Updated the Child Maintenance Decision Makers Guide - Volume 5, Reviews and Appeals Chapters 42-48.

  49. Various minor amendments made to chapter 53 (Volume 6).

  50. Updated Volume 2 - Maintenance Calculations (Chapters 17-26).

  51. Various minor amendments made to chapters 44 (Volume 5) and 97 (Volume 7).

  52. Various minor amendments made to chapter 4 and chapter 14 (Volume 1).

  53. Various minor amendments made to chapter 4 (Volume 1). Added ‘Annex D: Understanding employed and self-employed earners’. Annex D explains the various types of employment and self-employment status a non-resident parent (NRP) may have and provides guidance for dealing with cases where the NRP's employment status is complex, for example where the NRP is a company director.

  54. Minor amendments made to chapter 14 (Volume 1).

  55. Minor amendments made to chapters 38 (Volume 4), 53, 54 and 56 (Volume 6) and 97 (Volume 7).

  56. Minor amendments made to chapters 5 (Volume 1), 14 (Volume 1) and 97 (Volume 7).

  57. Various minor amendments made to chapters 14 (Volume 1), 20 (Volume 2) and 43 (Volume 5).

  58. Various minor amendments made to chapters 19, 20 and 25.

  59. Volume 2 updated with minor amendments to chapters 21 and 25.

  60. Various minor amendments made to chapters 19, 55 and 97.

  61. Updated volumes 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7. Various minor amendments made to chapters 14, 19, 20, 33, 36, 43, 44 and 97.

  62. First published.

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