The Department for Work and Pensions will be contacting payroll departments who are making child maintenance deductions from employees’ pay to the Child Support Agency (CSA).
In 2012 the new Child Maintenance Service was established, and gradually cases from the Child Support Agency are being moved to the new service, or closed.
Payroll departments will be contacted directly about the changes and may be asked to amend, stop or start deductions for child maintenance by either CSA or the Child Maintenance Service.
It is a legal requirement for payroll departments to keep employee records up to date, and prevent unlawful multiple deductions from wages.
The Child Maintenance Service has a dedicated Employer Payment Team which offers advice to payroll departments by telephone or online at childmaintenanceservice.direct.gov.uk/public/
Advice for employers deducting pay for child maintenance:
• The CSA Deduction from Earnings Order (DEO) should remain in place unless a new Child Maintenance Service DEO is received.
• Payroll departments who receive a new Child Maintenance Service DEO must end the existing CSA DEO for that employee before starting the new DEO.
• The Employer Payment Team can support payroll departments by telephone or secure message, using the self-service website.
• The Child Maintenance Service recommends the self-service website as the easiest and most efficient way to manage DEOs. You can register now at childmaintenanceservice.direct.gov.uk/public/