Petition · past parliament · Department for Work and Pensions
Only require child maintenance from fathers listed on birth certificate
Closed
29 signatures
What the petition asks
The Government should change the rules for child maintenance, so that mothers can only apply for child maintenance when the birth father is listed on the birth certificate.
This would help to prevent mothers who refuse to voluntarily add the father to the birth certificate from seeking to claim child maintenance from a man who may not be the father. It would also prevent men who dispute the fatherhood and don’t feel they should have to pay maintenance from having to pay for a DNA test to prove it (could be hundreds of pounds).
Timeline
| 5 Aug 2022 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 19 Feb 2023 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
29
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Work and Pensions
Opened
5 Aug 2022
Closed
19 Feb 2023
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.