Lord McKenzie issues ultimatum to more than 18,000 Newcastle parents
Today Lord McKenzie, Child Maintenance Minister, was in Newcastle to launch a campaign which targets more than 18,000 parents from the area who refuse to take responsibility for their children.
The Child Support Agency (CSA) is already cracking down hard on those who refuse to pay, and in the past year over 300 non-paying parents in Newcastle have had their cases put through the courts.
Newcastle parents owe their children more than £50 million in maintenance payments.
Lord McKenzie said:
In Newcastle, irresponsible parents owe an average of almost £3,000 each in outstanding maintenance - money that their children deserve and have a right to.
Our enforcement team is more determined than ever to use its powers to track down these parents and force them to support their children. Every day the Child Support Agency passes 37 cases to bailiffs and 36 to the courts, while 200 more begin to have money deducted straight from their pay packets.
Today's campaign launch sends a strong and simple message to child maintenance evaders in Newcastle: Your time is running out. Act now or we will.
The campaign will run for six weeks and will raise awareness of the Agency's increased powers via advertising on radio, billboards, and in local newspapers, as well as posters in washrooms, pubs and gyms.
