Is It Free to Apply to the Child Maintenance Service?
Last updated: 24 October 2026 · Written by the family law paralegal team at Court Help Limited
In short: Since 26 February 2024, it has been free to apply to the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) in England, Wales and Scotland. The Child Support (Management of Payments and Arrears and Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 scrapped the old £20 application fee. The CMS collection fees for Collect and Pay haven't changed and still apply.
Key facts: the CMS application fee change
Topic | The position in England and Wales |
What changed | The £20 fee for applying to the Child Maintenance Service was removed |
In force from | 26 February 2024 |
Where it applies | England, Wales and Scotland (Northern Ireland has its own system) |
The law | Child Support (Management of Payments and Arrears and Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (SI 2024/87), regulation 7, which removes Part 2 of the Child Support Fees Regulations 2014 |
Who it affects | Any parent or carer applying to the CMS for a child maintenance calculation |
Source checked | legislation.gov.uk and GOV.UK, 24 October 2026 |
What was the law before?
Before February 2024, a parent who wanted the Child Maintenance Service to work out and manage child maintenance had to pay a £20 application fee. The fee was set by Part 2 of the Child Support Fees Regulations 2014. For a parent already stretched after a separation, even a small fee could be one more reason to put off applying.
What changed with the CMS application fee, and when?
The Child Support (Management of Payments and Arrears and Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 were made on 23 January 2024, after both Houses of Parliament approved a draft. They came into force on 26 February 2024.
The regulations made two changes that matter to parents:
Free applications. Regulation 7 removes Part 2 (the application fee) of the Child Support Fees Regulations 2014. Applying to the Child Maintenance Service no longer costs anything.
Small debts written off in some closed cases. Regulation 4 lets the CMS write off child maintenance arrears of less than £7 in a narrow set of 2012 scheme cases. This applies where the maintenance calculation has ended, or the CMS no longer has jurisdiction, and the paying parent made no payments in the three months before the decision.
The government announced the fee removal on 12 February 2024, alongside wider plans to speed up enforcement against parents who refuse to pay. Those wider plans, including letting the CMS make liability orders itself instead of applying to the courts, were an announcement, and the government said they would need new legislation. They weren't part of the February 2024 regulations, so check GOV.UK for their current status.
What does the free CMS application mean for you?
If you're the parent the child mainly lives with, or the parent who'll be paying, you can now apply to the Child Maintenance Service without paying anything up front. It's the same whichever parent applies.
The fee was only for applying. Other CMS charges are still in place. GOV.UK says (checked 24 October 2026):
Direct Pay: no fees. The CMS works out the amount and the parents arrange payments between themselves.
Collect and Pay: the CMS collects and passes on payments. The paying parent pays a 20% fee on top of each payment, and the receiving parent has 4% taken from each payment they receive.
Enforcement charges: a paying parent who doesn't pay on time and in full may face extra charges, for example £50 when the CMS takes action to deduct payments from earnings.
You don't have to use the CMS at all. If you and the other parent can agree, a family-based arrangement made between yourselves costs nothing and has no collection fees.
For example, if a parent caring for two children after a separation wants the CMS to work out what the other parent should pay, they can apply free of charge. If both parents then agree to use Direct Pay, neither pays a collection fee. If payments stop and the case moves to Collect and Pay, the 20% and 4% fees would start to apply.
Who does the CMS fee change affect?
The change affects anyone applying to the CMS in England, Wales or Scotland, whether they're the receiving parent, the paying parent or another person who has care of the child. GOV.UK says child maintenance arrangements cover children under 16, or under 20 if they're in approved education or training. Northern Ireland has its own child maintenance service with its own rules.
Frequently asked questions
Does it cost anything to apply to the Child Maintenance Service?
No. Since 26 February 2024 there's been no application fee. The old £20 fee was removed by the Child Support (Management of Payments and Arrears and Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2024.
Do I still pay fees if I use Collect and Pay?
Yes. GOV.UK says the paying parent pays an extra 20% on each payment and the receiving parent has 4% deducted from each payment. Direct Pay has no fees.
Does the change apply in Wales and Scotland?
Yes. The 2024 regulations extend to England and Wales and to Scotland. Northern Ireland has its own system.
Can the CMS write off child maintenance arrears?
Only in limited cases. Since 26 February 2024 the CMS can write off arrears under £7 in some 2012 scheme cases where the calculation has ended and nothing was paid in the previous three months. Other arrears remain payable.
Do I have to use the CMS?
No. Parents can make a family-based arrangement between themselves, which has no fees. The CMS is there if you can't agree, or if an agreement breaks down.
How we can help
Court Help Limited is a family law paralegal firm in England and Wales. We're not solicitors and we don't represent clients in court. We can help you understand the child maintenance options, prepare paperwork, and get ready for a Child Maintenance Tribunal appeal or a related family court application. Email help@incourt.co.uk or use our contact form. You can also read our Google reviews.
Related guides
Sources
This article is general information about the law in England and Wales. It is not legal advice and should not be relied on as legal advice. Every case turns on its own facts, and court fees and procedures change, so check GOV.UK for the latest position. Court Help Limited is a family law paralegal firm, not a firm of solicitors, and does not represent clients in court.
Comments