Petition · past parliament
To make non paying parent pay child maintenance or face prison or fine.
Rejected
21 signatures
What the petition asks
For non paying parent to pay child maintenance to the other parent who solely looks after biological child/children.
Makes it easier to apply against self employed non paying parent who hides earnings from the government and also who are claiming not to be working.
Makes it easier to apply against self employed non paying parent who hides earnings from the government and also who are claiming not to be working.
Us single parents who physically and financially looking after our children don't get a lot of help from the other parent. It is unfair that we have to carry all these responsibilities when the other parent pays nothing or pay absolute minimal towards their children. Please make it a law so that this gets taken seriously and that make it fair for the other single parent who pays for everything (food, clothing, child care and cost of living)
It is unfair that the other parent can get away.
It is unfair that the other parent can get away.
Why it was rejected
It was not clear what the petition asked the UK Government or Parliament to do.
Petitions need to call on the Government or Parliament to take a specific action.
We understand that you are concerned about non-payment of child maintenance, and difficulties applying for child maintenance in certain circumstances, but we're not sure exactly what you'd like the Government or Parliament to do.
The Child Maintenance Service can already take a range of actions to collect arrears of child maintenance. You can find out what actions the CMS can take here:
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7774/
We could accept a petition calling on the Government to make non-payment of child maintenance a criminal offence, with custodial penalties for offenders, if that's what you want to happen. If you want the Government to make any other changes to how parents apply for child maintenance, or requirements to pay child maintenance, you'd need to be clear what changes you want.
We understand that you are concerned about non-payment of child maintenance, and difficulties applying for child maintenance in certain circumstances, but we're not sure exactly what you'd like the Government or Parliament to do.
The Child Maintenance Service can already take a range of actions to collect arrears of child maintenance. You can find out what actions the CMS can take here:
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7774/
We could accept a petition calling on the Government to make non-payment of child maintenance a criminal offence, with custodial penalties for offenders, if that's what you want to happen. If you want the Government to make any other changes to how parents apply for child maintenance, or requirements to pay child maintenance, you'd need to be clear what changes you want.
Timeline
| 31 Aug 2022 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 5 Sep 2022 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
21
Status
Rejected
Rejected
5 Sep 2022
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.