Child Maintenance Group FIU: complex earners investigations, Apr 2016 to Sept 2017
Statistics on the Financial Investigations Unit (FIU) investigations into cases of complex earners who are suspected of evading their child maintenance.
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This ad hoc release provides statistics covering just one part of Child Maintenance Service (CMS) enforcement work: investigations by the FIU into cases of complex earners who are suspected of evading their child maintenance responsibilities by misrepresenting or withholding information about their income. The data provided is for April 2016 to September 2017.
Complex earners are those with multiple income streams, including company directors and the self-employed, where the parent has some control over the way in which their income is paid, and are required to complete a self-assessment by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
The CMS facilitates child maintenance payments for separated families who are unable to make arrangements themselves.
CMS has a number of enforcement powers to ensure non-resident parents pay the maintenance they owe. Actions include deducting maintenance directly from earnings or from bank accounts, instructing enforcement agents to collect unpaid maintenance or seize goods, and in extreme cases, prison sentences. In addition, CMS has powers to ensure that the level of maintenance owed is set correctly, and to investigate the paying parent’s income levels in cases where this may have been reported incorrectly.