On Friday, the Child Support Collection (Domestic Abuse) Bill moved a step closer to becoming law. Castle Point MP, Rebecca Harris attended the second reading in the House of Commons, to vote in support of the Bill.

This Bill was introduced as a Private Member’s Bill by Conservative MP Sally-Ann Hart. The Bill will add the option of Collect and Pay without the consent of the other parent if there is evidence of domestic abuse.

Under current legislation, a paying parent who has been abusive towards the other parent can refuse the Collect and Pay option – which involves no contact between the parents – in favour of Direct Pay. Direct Pay gives the abusive parent access to the abused parent’s bank account details and restores contact. For example, through Direct Pay, an abusive parent would be able to send an abusive message to the abused parent using the ‘payment reference’ section when making a bank transfer. This can cause serious distress to the abused parent.

Direct Pay is the default option in all cases and Collect and Pay is only used if the paying parent agrees to it or is deemed ‘unlikely to pay’ by demonstrating an unwillingness to pay their liability. In legislation, considerations of domestic abuse currently play no role in choosing between Direct Pay and Collect and Pay.

You can keep up to date with the stage of the Bill and its publications at: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3209.