Therese Coffey wants parents who do not pay maintenance curfewed

In the UK close to one million children are covered by Child Maintenance Service (CMS) arrangement

Parents who failed to pay child maintenance should face curfews, driving bans and passport restrictions, an MP has said.

Therese Coffey told a House of Commons debate the government needed to step up its efforts to ensure paying mums and dads "cough up the cash".

Three-month data, up to September 2023, showed that 78,677 parents in the UK did not pay in full.

Ms Coffey said: "We must remember that this is cash for the children".

Thérèse Coffey spoke at a debate in the House of Commons

Across the UK, close to one million children are covered by Child Maintenance Service (CMS) arrangements to ensure dependants were financially provided for when parents were no longer together.

The system is currently separated into two payment methods: Through Direct Pay, where payments are agreed upon by parents; and through Collect and Pay, where CMS collects the money when parents are not able to arrange payments.

In Suffolk, 851 arrangements were not paid in full as of September 2023, with East Suffolk being the district with the highest number.

But the number of children who are not receiving payments could be much higher due to the government not collecting any data on arrangements through Direct Pay, or having clear data when multiple CMS arrangements were in place.

During the House of Commons debate, Ms Coffey, who represents Suffolk Costal, alluded to a July 2022 consultation about improving enforcement powers through curfew orders.

This would see non-compliant parents forced to use an electronic tag and remain at a specified place at specified times for a period of up to six months.

Although the consultation closed in August of the same year, the government has yet to reveal the results.

Ms Coffey continued: "This is a simple thing, where people have the money and will not cough up the cash. I think we need to get on with curfew orders."

The Department for Work and Pensions has been contacted for comment.