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<p>The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) provides support to all Direct Pay clients.
Those who do not receive their maintenance in full and on time, should contact the
CMS straight away, so the case can be moved into the Collect & Pay service to
enforce regular payments of ongoing maintenance and arrange collection of arrears.</p><p>
</p><p>For clients using the Direct Pay service a payment schedule is issued, detailing
the maintenance and arrears due to be paid. It is clearly explained to both parents
that they will be responsible for managing their payments and keeping appropriate
records of the child maintenance payments made.</p><p> </p><p>At the start of every
case, and at each annual review, parents are notified what to do if their arrangement
breaks down. The CMS sends SMS messages to parents using Direct Pay three months after
they set up their arrangement to remind them to contact the Service if their arrangement
is not working.</p><p> </p><p>The importance of full and on time payments is emphasised
to clients by CMS caseworkers and Child Maintenance Options call handlers. Receiving
parents are advised to contact us if payments are not received.</p>
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