Allow UK courts to enforce child maintenance when parents move overseas.

Background

Close the loophole that stops the Child Maintenance Service enforcing payments if a parent is posted abroad by a UK employer. Use the UK–India Free Trade Agreement to secure a treaty so Sheriff and Family Courts can enforce maintenance internationally.

Additional details

Child maintenance is a child’s right, not a privilege. At present, when a parent is transferred abroad by a UK employer to a non-reciprocal country like India, enforcement stops. Mothers are forced into costly High Court cases. This loophole enables financial abuse. The UK–India FTA is a chance to fix this through a bilateral treaty.