The Department for Work and Pensions published its Child Maintenance Service Customer Experience Survey 2025 to 2026 on 24 September 2026.
The report is based on 2,313 surveys carried out with CMS customers between April 2025 and March 2026. It measures customer experience across areas including ease of use, accuracy, communication, professionalism, support and trust.
The headline result is clear:
Only 43% of customers agreed that the CMS provided a satisfactory service.
That means 57% disagreed.
This is a systems-focused review of the official figures. It does not identify any individual parent, child, case, court or location. The numbers should be read carefully, with the survey’s methodology and different respondent bases in mind.
Headline figures: what the survey found
| Survey measure | Overall result | Receiving parents | Paying parents |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMS provided a satisfactory service | 43% agreed | 51% | 35% |
| CMS was easy to use | 49% | 58% | 40% |
| Only needed to contact CMS once for the right action | 37% | 41% | 33% |
| CMS met the timescales it set | 46% | 48% | 44% |
| Received updates when timescales were not met | 38% | 41% | 34% |
| CMS colleagues provided accurate information | 48% | 56% | 40% |
The paying-parent satisfaction figure was 35%, compared with 43% across all customers. The survey therefore records a lower level of agreement among paying parents on this measure.
The DWP explains that CMS cases have two customers who may have opposing positions. As a result, an outcome viewed positively by one parent may not be viewed in the same way by the other. That context does not remove the importance of the figures. It shows why clear assessments, accurate explanations and reliable processes matter to both sides.
What this means
1. Satisfaction was below half
The overall satisfaction question produced a split of:
- 43% agreed that CMS provided a satisfactory service.
- 57% disagreed.
Among receiving parents, agreement was 51%. Among paying parents, it was 35%.
The difference should be reported as a survey finding, not treated as proof that every paying parent or receiving parent has the same experience. However, it is a material difference within the published results.
2. Repeat contact was common
Only 37% agreed that they needed to contact CMS once for the right action to be taken.
In other words, most respondents did not select that positive response. The figures were:
- Receiving parents: 41%
- Paying parents: 33%
For any parent dealing with an assessment, payment issue, variation, arrears question or enforcement matter, repeated contact can make it harder to establish what was requested, what was promised and when action was due.
That is why written records remain essential.
3. Timescales and updates were weak points
The survey found:
- 46% agreed that CMS met the timescales it set.
- 38% agreed that CMS provided updates when timescales were not met.
Among paying parents, the figures were 44% for meeting timescales and 34% for receiving updates when timescales slipped.
These results do not determine whether a particular delay was lawful or whether a decision should be changed. They do, however, show why a parent should record every deadline and every missed update.
4. Ease of use was not the same as satisfaction
The survey separately asked whether CMS was easy to use. Overall, 49% agreed, while 47% disagreed and 4% answered “don’t know”.
By parent type:
- Receiving parents: 58%
- Paying parents: 40%
This is different from the 43% satisfactory-service figure. A service can be relatively easy to access but still produce dissatisfaction because of delays, disputed calculations, unclear decisions or difficulty resolving a problem.
Gender difference in ease-of-use ratings
The DWP report also provides a separate gender breakdown for the question of whether CMS is easy to use.
| Gender | Agreed CMS was easy to use |
|---|---|
| Male customers | 42% |
| Female customers | 56% |
The difference was 14 percentage points.
The report says this was statistically significant. It also notes that the difference reflects, in part, the composition of the customer groups, because female customers were more likely to be receiving parents in the survey.
This table should not be used to assume the experience of every male or female customer. It is a survey comparison across the reported sample.
Fees: what applies now and what is only proposed
The current position must be separated from the government’s planned reforms.
Under the current Collect and Pay system:
- 20% is added to the paying parent’s liability.
- 4% is deducted from the receiving parent’s payment.
These are the current charges for Collect and Pay.
The government has proposed a different future fee structure:
- 2% deducted from the receiving parent’s payment.
- 2% added for a compliant paying parent.
- 20% added for a non-compliant paying parent.
However, the proposed 2% compliant-parent rate is not law. It is part of reforms that require legislative change and Parliamentary scrutiny. The government response says implementation is expected in 2027–28, subject to Parliamentary time, so it is not a current charge and is expected no earlier than 2027–28.
Direct Pay is currently fee-free for both parents, according to the government response. The government intends to remove Direct Pay and move towards a single service in which CMS monitors and transfers payments, but that change is also subject to legislation and implementation.
What to do next
Keep a complete CMS contact record
Create one chronological record containing:
- The date and time of every call.
- The name or reference given by the CMS adviser, where available.
- The issue raised.
- Documents sent and how they were sent.
- Any deadline or promised action.
- The date by which CMS said it would respond.
- What actually happened.
- Any missed deadline or lack of progress update.
Keep screenshots, letters, emails, payment evidence and upload confirmations. Avoid including children’s personal information in documents unless it is genuinely necessary.
Ask for the assessment and decision in writing
If CMS gives an assessment, recalculation or decision verbally, ask for written confirmation.
Request:
- The effective date.
- The income information used.
- The calculation period.
- The number of qualifying children used.
- Any shared-care information applied.
- How arrears or payments have been treated.
- The reasons for the decision.
- The deadline for challenging it.
A written assessment makes it easier to identify a specific error instead of making a general complaint.
Use mandatory reconsideration for a disputed decision
If you disagree with a CMS decision, the usual first step is to request a mandatory reconsideration.
Your request should identify:
- The decision being challenged.
- The date of the decision.
- The part you believe is wrong.
- The correct information or evidence.
- What outcome you are asking CMS to consider.
Make the request in writing where possible and keep proof of delivery. Check the decision notice for the applicable deadline. A request is normally expected within one month of the date of the decision, although late requests may sometimes be accepted where there is a reasonable explanation.
A complaint about delay is not a substitute for mandatory reconsideration. If the issue is the calculation or decision itself, use the decision challenge route.
Appeal if the mandatory reconsideration does not resolve the issue
If CMS issues a mandatory reconsideration notice and you still disagree, you may be able to appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal.
Check the notice carefully. It should explain the appeal route and the time limit. Keep the original decision, mandatory reconsideration notice, evidence and a short timeline of events.
Use the complaints process for service problems
A complaint may be appropriate where the issue concerns:
- Repeated failure to respond.
- Poor communication.
- Missed promised actions.
- Failure to record information correctly.
- Unexplained administrative delay.
- Difficulties accessing the service.
State clearly what went wrong, when it happened, what evidence supports your account and what resolution you seek. Ask for a written response. Keep the complaint separate from any mandatory reconsideration or appeal so that an administrative complaint does not replace a legal challenge to the assessment.
Where is the verified source?
The primary source is the DWP’s official publication:
The official survey confirms the sample of 2,313 customers, the 43% satisfaction figure, parent-type comparisons, contact and timescale figures, and the 42% male versus 56% female ease-of-use comparison.
The fee and reform position is set out in:
For additional practical preparation, see our guides on child support modifications, building evidence of parenting fitness and representing yourself in a UK family court.
Important information
This article is general information, not legal advice. It is written primarily with England and Wales in mind and does not assess any individual CMS case. Procedures, courts, tribunals and relevant rules may differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Parents in Scotland or Northern Ireland should check the applicable local guidance and obtain advice relevant to their jurisdiction.
This advocacy content is produced by Fathers Rights. It does not identify any protected party, parent, child or individual case.
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