Petition · past parliament

Refund child maintenance if DNA testing proves a man isn't the biological Father

Closed 187 signatures

What the petition asks

My husband recently discovered that the child he has been raising for almost six years is not biologically his, following DNA testing.

As the Mother had always maintained that he was the father, he has been paying maintenance through the CSA for five years.

He has no legal right to a refund.
The only way to attempt to get the money back is by claiming fraud in court which is costly, time consuming and not guaranteed.

This is totally unfair and I believe the Mother should have a legal obligation to pay this money back via an attachment of earnings or a deduction of benefits, in the same way that Father's are forced to pay maintenance by the government.

Please sign this petition to have the issue debated in parliment, and bring about change in a system which unfairly favours women.

Timeline

14 Oct 2016 Petition opened for signatures
14 Apr 2017 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 187
Status Closed
Opened 14 Oct 2016
Closed 14 Apr 2017

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.