Child Maintenance Service Reviews 

Even when your complaint is accepted by an Independent Case Examiner (ICE), this is in response to a request for an update on timescales made on 29th March 2026…..

Dear Mr xxx,

Thank you for your email. Your case is currently in a queue awaiting allocation to an Investigator.

Cases are allocated to investigators in order of the date they are received at this office, this ensures fairness to all complainants.

Your case was received by our office in November 2025. We are currently allocating cases to investigators that we received in August 2025.

It is difficult to say when your case will be allocated as this will be dependent upon the complexities of the cases investigated ahead of yours.

We appreciate your patience whilst it is awaiting allocation.

Kind regards
Independent Case Examiner’s Office

Corrupt system designed to extort money.

People have committed suicide as a direct result of CMS accusations and loading accounts with false arrears.

Despite winning an Independent Case Examiners review they refused to remove the arrears.

They had to pay me £250 in compensation which I eventually got from them.

Corrupt, terrible communication and controlling company to extort money. Needs dismantling and holding to account.

All i can say about this service is disappointing,all they are bothered about is getting money for the person claiming,if you ring them and finally get through which takes ages they tell you to go online,so waste of time,and finally done with this thank goodness feel for people who are having them chase you!

CMS appear to be prejudiced and take lies as facts without any validation or checking.

Have been both the receiving parent and the paying parent and in both situations the rules just didn't apply to the other parent, and I was left with threats and difficulties and expectations that I couldn't meet - when you complain CMS hides behind "time" (min 45mins hold time per phone call??!!) of process, and then breaks their own process.

Have successfully taken CMS to court tribunal three times, now onto my fourth time with HMCTS.

The number of "administrative" errors are incredible - as others have said this government "service" is serving the very people it purports to not.

As a receiving parent with refusal from the paying parent, CMS pretend to go get it, but in practice do nothing. The 25% charge for paying and 5% charge for receiving is appalling waste of a child's benefit.

As a paying parent, when you say you cannot afford the payments, they guide you to online support advice (meaingless and pointless box-ticking), rather than have a reasonable grown up conversation about paying what you can afford - a PAYE income doesn't mean it's available to send to the receiving parent.

It's broke

they ruin your relationship with your kids never listen to the man side my ex Anna is on benefits don't work wants money for her life I was feeding my 18 year old daughter 3/4 days a week she didn't want to stay with me as she not a kid had to stop as I could afford it after 109 pound a week was taken out and couldn't afford my bills while she lived it up really when I refused wot happens threatened with court and passport taken off me and driving licence sort your shit out so unfair

Unfortunately I have to score 1 as zero not option. The child maintenance service is abhorrent. This vile government department is unlawful and corrupt to the core. These scum bags are renowned for inventing arrears on cases When challenged on this they are unable to provide any evidence. However they then place individuals on collect an attachment of earnings. They have caused thousands of fathers to commit suicide and forced into homelessness due to the above. Cause parental alienation. This abhorrent service needs to be dismantled forthwith

I have 2 children full time alone. I also have 2 that don’t live with me. The situations are identical, but the treatment of me as man compared to me as a full time single parent, a quiet frankly disgusting and financially abusive. Changing shared care when you’ve been advised there are no changes and there’s no proof of any changes is shocking. You adsive me as a parent that concent from both parties or proof such as documentation is required. But as a man you’ve done this anyway with no concent and no proof and I’ve even assured you there no conversations about changes. Shocking being on both side and having a clear experience of these alarm double standards. Guess I’m left to move a priory dept to UC to block it. 🤦‍♂️☠️

Yet another system not fit for purpose. Had a case with them for roughly 20 years. Owed thousands in arrears, nothing appears to be done about chasing the non resident parent for payments. All these things they say they can implement on the non resident parent if they don't pay never happen. My son is now grown up and has kids of his own but I'm still waiting for someone to chase up the vast arrears I'm owed. Also not heard anything on any kind of progress for months. Least the pointless letters have stopped, could have wallpapered my house with them numerous times with the amount I've had over the years all amounting to nothing.
I'll probably die still waiting for a penny. Absolute joke. This system could learn alot from how it's done in Germany!

Theses are meant to be hear for both parents, load of rubbish gladly took over £140 from my universal credit by accident, but been trying for over a year to get in back and keep getting past from pillow to post.

Very disappointed with a government service waiting time on hold can take up to about 1 hour to 2 hours bad experience with customer service teams in past can’t explain how the amounts are broken down when you ask found there is no help when you need support and help overall a very disappointing experience would advice any one that is not involved not to get involved caused more problems than good also found lots of harassing mail from them

I have repeatedly provided all required documents, including my end-of-year tax return, and completed every form as requested. Despite this, the Child Maintenance Service continues to make repeated mistakes, resulting in ever-increasing bills. The persistent errors suggest a systemic issue that needs urgent resolution. On top of this, I am told not to pay directly but to follow their unclear payment system. This level of service is unacceptable and needs immediate attention.They don’t do their job properly.

The worst public service in England
I was paying over £900 a month for 2 children that i have with my ex, then remaried and declare my third child in 2023, altough i submitted all requested document, they refused to add the child in the calculation because she was born abroad. I chaĺlenged them and for over a year. The case fowarded to the tribunal and the judge made the decision in my favour in November 2024 and the CMS to make the calculations and reimburse the overpaiment. I am still chasing them as the refused to pay, stating that i do not meet the criteria for reimboursement.
I have contacted the Unbudsman 3 months ago and they are asking for the final decision that shows the amount owed and i have been chasing the CMS for the past 3 months . I spoke to several advisors, the last one i spoke to was called Mark, he promised he will make things right and sent me the requested document and I still haven't receive anything . I wish we could rate minus 1 star because that's what they deserve

Absolutely disgusting service (Genuinely need a 0 star for this service) and anyone working for this department should genuinely be ashamed of themselves.

I have been added as a representative to talk on my partners behalf as the level of prejudice and sexism the staff of this service have shown him actually makes me sick.

My partner is a disabled, highly HIGHLY decorated war veteran that would give anything to see his boys but is blocked by the mother then penalised by this disgusting service that should genuinely not be allowed to operate.

FALSE and FAKE fines applied. Stone walling to prevent complaints being made. Blocking phone numbers so you cant call. Dropping the call when you do get through!

Any other service would be completely overhauled but this still exists?? How is that even possible at this point?

The communication route has become so poor by these deviants that we are having to now get our local MP involved to even get a response from them!

They sent our company a letter requesting information about an employee. We were told to ring them on 0800 171 2345 to provide this. Their telephone number has 3 options (after listening to lots of useless drivel) but not a single one of the options is relevant to an employer/company

Poor communication. Completely wrong with paying parents calculation . Refused to look into his earnings thoroughly

1 star is generous for them. I had my child 3 nights a week a saw him every day to and they feel its OK to steal 192 a month give to my horrible ex partner and keep some cash for them selves for a direct pay service which I never agreed to and refuse to chance it or anything inless ex partner agrees. I've explained what there doing is barely leaving me enough to eat each month let alone buy myself clothes or trainers if needed. The staff seem really inconsiderate for my miss fortunes as ex is doing alot more evil and legal stuff to. I thought they were meant to be a neutral service but feels like they on the side on the enemy as in ex partnet

I explained to CSM that my expenses per month are more than how much i make and that CSM payments have left me unable to eat and borrowing money.
They sent me a letter with local soup kitchens.
I explained to them that my mental health is extremely effected, they offered no assistance and did not care. The only out i can see is to go on benefits.
On top of all this the figure im paying is incorrect. I have submitted evidence to prove this and they ignore me. Even one of the agents agreed with Me and wasn't sure how this was happening. Unfortunately the agents are just powerless company men.

Dreadful service, have used them twice and been let down both times. Still trying to get money owed for my first son and he's now 30 years old!
Never give clear answers to any questions and even when they do they constantly contradict what you were told before. Complaints aren't addressed appropriately. In summary, its a pointless service that doesn't support the parent caring for the child one bit. They claim to have all these powers to ensure absent parents support their child financially, but seem completely unable to use said powers. A complete and utter joke of a service.

Very poor, absolutely no help whatsoever and have zero interest in doing the right thing. Taking money off parents who have had their child taken away from them with no consideration of the financial implications. Gross income is used as a starting point and they don’t care what disposable income you actually have.

Treat men like criminals and there is absolutely no responsibility on the receiving parent to spend the money on the child.

Take forever to answer the phone.

Absolutely the worst.
Arbitrary decision making, stress inducing and not fit for purpose.
Killed more dads via suicide than you'd want to imagine.
Government should be ashamed of this mess.