Child Maintenance

Hotline numbers for Members of the UK, Scottish and Welsh Parliaments, the Northern Ireland Assembly and their staff

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Quick link: The UK Parliament current hotlines list is here.
You must have a parliamentary network account to access the list.  If you have a parliamentary network account and receive an error message, please reboot your computer and try again.

The hotlines list for the Scottish Parliament is here and, again, you must have the relevant network account in order to be able to access the list.

The hotlines list for the Senedd Cymru is here.  It is password protected and authorised staff should call the Customer Relations Team on 0300 200 6481 for access.

Jump to the list of latest updates

These hotline numbers are for the use of MPs, MSPs, Members of the Senedd and their staff ONLY. DO NOT disclose these numbers to members of the public or to staff in other agencies or the facility may be withdrawn.

Whilst MPs have certain Parliamentary privileges in relation to the authority to act for their constituents, this is not always extended to Members of the Scottish Parliament, or Members of the Senedd, so they must obtain written consent from their constituents. In any case, it is good practice for all representatives, including Members of Parliament, to obtain written consent whenever possible, in order to prevent any potential delays.

The list is updated when there are changes and represents the latest information we have. If you spot any mistakes or know of any other useful hotline numbers please let us know, using the website’s Feedback Form.

We have been asked by one or two agencies to encourage MPs, MSs and their staff to be sure to use these hotline numbers and NOT the numbers available for the general public. Here’s what they say: “Some Members and their staff continue to use the public enquiry line which means we are not always able to give the prompt reply that both they and we would like to happen.”

IMPORTANT: Are you using the correct hotlines list?

Please don’t print out the whole list and keep it on your desk, as you risk using out-of-date information – as well as using up an enormous amount of paper!  The list is updated frequently, sometimes several times a month, so please make sure you are using the most recent version   If you bookmark it, you’ll always be using the correct one.

It is better to view the list online rather than download it, then you can be sure you are always using the correct version.

Our list of hotline numbers is located on the Parliamentary Intranet (not on W4MP website) where it can be seen only by people with a parliamentary network account.  It is now listed as Hotlines for MPs under ‘H’ in the A-Z index on the intranet (click here). Click here for a direct link to the list.

It is also linked from the Constituency casework webpage on the parliamentary intranet and if you haven’t come across that very useful page do spend some time browsing through the excellent guides listed there. Here’s the link.

To clarify: you need to be working on the Parliamentary Network now to make those intranet connections.

If you do not have access to the UK Parliamentary Intranet, please use our Feedback Form to request a copy of the hotlines list, ensuring that you tell us who you work for. The list is available to Scottish Parliament and Members of the Senedd via their own Intranet.

Here’s something which is available to everyone: CEO email addresses: http://www.ceoemail.com/

LATEST UPDATES



15 September 2023

  • Added contact details for 38 Degrees
  • Amended contact details for Southern Housing
  • Added contact details for Taylor Wimpey West London
  • Added contact details for Your Housing

6 September 2023

  • Amended contact details for BT
  • Amended contact details for Maximus
  • Amended contact details for various NHS Scotland organisations
  • Added hotline for Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) cases
  • Amended contact details for Sanctuary Housing

31 August 2023

  • Amended contact details for Avanti West Coast
  • Amended contact details for Barnardos
  • Added contact details for CityFibre
  • Added contact details for DWP Disability Services
  • Added contact details for the Gambling Commission
  • Added contact details for Hampshire Police
  • Amended contact details for TSB

22 August 2023

  • Amended contact details for Barclays Bank
  • Added contact details for the Football Association
  • Amended contact details for HSBC Bank
  • Amended contact details for NHS Business Services Authority
  • Added contact details for Premier Inn
  • Added contact details for the Tyne Tunnels

9 August 2023

  • Added information about the New Homes Ombudsman Service

7 August 2023

  • Added a link to the London Diplomatic List of Foreign Embassies in the UK
  • Amended contact details for Aviva
  • Added contact details for Moat Homes
  • Amended contact details for the Money and Pension Service
  • Amended contact details for Network Rail
  • Amended contact details for Facebook
  • Added contact details for Warwickshire Police

20 July 2023

  • Amended contact details for Electricity North West
  • Amended contact details for the Royal Society for the Protection of Animals (RSPCA)
  • Amended contact details for Southern Housing

13 July 2023

  • Added contact details for Cheshire Police
  • Added contact details for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)
  • Amended contact details for The Environment Agency
  • Added contact details for the National House-Building Council (NHBC)
  • Amended contact details for Openreach

5 July 2023

  • Amended contact details for Action Fraud
  • Amended contact details for Barclays
  • Amended contact details for NHS England, which includes the responsibilities of the former Health Education England
  • Added contact details for OnlyFans
  • Added contact details for Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA)
  • Amended contact details for Probate
  • Amended contact details for TikTok
  • Amended contact details for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

15 June 2023

  • Added contact details for Apple
  • Amended contact details for HMRC – Tax Enquiries
  • Added contact details for HMRC – National Insurance
  • Added contact details for Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing
  • Added contact details for the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA)

8 June 2023

  • Added contact details for Ferrero
  • Added contact details for The Forestry Commission
  • Added contact details for Jacobs Enforcement Agents
  • Amended contact details for O2/Telefonica
  • Added contact details for Ovo Energy Scotland
  • Amended contact details for SSE

1 June 2023

  • Amended contact details for Aldi
  • Added contact details for Aster (Housing Association)
  • Added contact details for Cadw
  • Amended contact details for the Department for Health and Social Care

26 May 2023

  • Amended contact details for the Food Standards Agency
  • Amended contact details for Girl Guiding
  • Amended contact details for the Government Equalities Office
  • Added contact details for Grain 5G Broadband
  • Updated the list of contacts for Scottish Government Departments
  • Amended contact details for the South West Ambulance Service

15 May 2023

  • Amended contact details for the Housing Ombudsman
  • Amended contact details for Social Security Scotland
  • Amended contact details for South Yorkshire Police
  • Amended contact details for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

4 May 2023

  • Amended contact details for The Crofting Commission
  • Amended details for HM Prison and Probation Service
  • Amended contact details for Network Rail
  • Amended contact details for the Office for Students
  • Amended details for the Pensions Ombudsman
  • Added contact details for RingGo
  • Amended contact details for TV Licensing

21 April 2023

  • Added contact details for numerous housing association in Wales, which now have their own section
  • Deleted contact details for Care Council for Wales
  • Added contact details for Care Inspectorate Wales
  • Added contact details for Public Health Wales
  • Added contact details for Social Care Wales

19 April 2023

  • Added contact details for Stagecoach
  • Added note to details for British Gas
  • Amended contact details for HM Treasury
  • Amended information about UKVI immigration enquiries – please read!

12 April 2023

  • Added contact details for BUPA
  • Amended contact details for Crisis
  • Amended contact details for Nationwide
  • Amended contact details for Tesco
  • Added contact details for UK Parking Control
  • Amended contact details for UNICEF
  • Amended contact details for Virgin Money

20 March 2023

  • Amended contact details for the Pensions Ombudsman
  • Amended contact details for the Post Office
  • Amended contact details for Scottish Power

9 March 2023

  • Added contact details for the Consumer Council for Water
  • Amended contact details for Creative Scotland
  • Amended contact details for Ofwat
  • Added contact details for Pinnacle Group
  • Added contact details for Switch2
  • Amended contact details for enquiries relating to Ukrainians

23 February 2023

  • Amended contact details for Anchor (formerly Anchor Hanover)
  • Amended contact details for Evri
  • Amended contact details for HomeGroup
  • Added contact details for Legal and General
  • Amended contact details for Ovo
  • Added contact details for The Planning Inspectorate
  • Amended contact details for UK Finance

14 February 2023

  • Amended contact details for British Gas
  • Added contact details for the Crown Estate Scotland
  • Amended contact details for the Government Equalities Office
  • Amended contact details for Lancashire Police
  • Amended contact details for the Metropolitan Police

3 February 2023

  • Added contact details for the administrators of Flybe
  • Amended contact details for the Land Registry
  • Added contact details for Manchester Move
  • Amended contact details for Yorkshire Water

27 January 2023

  • Amended contact details for the Centre for Health and Disability Assessments
  • Amended contact details for HMRC
  • Amended contact details for the Pension Protection Fund

19 January 2023

  • Amended contact details for the British Red Cross
  • Amended contact details for the Human Tissue Authority (HTA)
  • Added contact details for The Lowell Group
  • Amended contact details for Mears Housing
  • Amended contact details for National Grid

11 January 2023

  • Amended contact details for NS&I
  • Amended contact details for Thames Water

9 January 2023

  • Amended contact details for British Gas
  • Amended contact details for DWP – including Universal Credit
  • Amended contact details for HMRC (Child Benefit)
  • Added contact details for Lidl
  • Amended contact details for Network Rail
  • Amended contact details for NS&I
  • Added contact details for So Energy
  • Amended contact details for TransPennine Express
  • Added contact details for Unison
  • Amended contact details for United Utilities
  • Amended contact details for the Valuation Office Agency (VOA)

20 December 2022

  • Amended contact details for Centrica/British Gas/Scottish Gas
  • Amended contact details for FirstPort
  • Amended contact details for National Highways (formerly Highways England)
  • Added contact details for NatureScot
  • Added contact details for One Vision Housing
  • Added contact details for P&O Cruises
  • Added contact details for Starling Bank

8 December 2022

  • Added contact details for the Academic Technology Approval Scheme
  • Added contact details for Arriva
  • Amended contact details for Child Maintenance
  • Amended contact details for the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
  • Amended contact details for Evri (formerly Hermes)
  • Amended contact details for Highlands and Islands Enterprise
  • Amended contact details for the Mayor of the Sheffield City Region
  • Added contact details for Merseyrail
  • Added contact details for the National Aids Trust/HIV Discrimination Service
  • Amended contact details for Public Health Scotland

30 November 2022

  • Amended contact details for the Office of Road and Rail
  • Added contact details for the University of Cambridge
  • Added contact details for West Yorkshire Police

14 November 2022

  • Amended contact details for the British Parking Association
  • Amended contact details for the Children’s Society
  • Amended contact details for DWP – please look at these carefully, there’s a lot of changes
  • Amended contact details for easyJet
  • Amended contact details for Govia/Southern Rail
  • Added contact details for HM Prisons and Probation Service (for contact with individual prisons)
  • Added contact details for Link – the UK cash machine network
  • Amended contact details for Smart Energy GB
  • Amended contact details for Qatar Airways
  • Amended contact details for UCAS
  • Amended contact details for Vodafone
  • Added contact details for Wales and West Utilities

26 October 2022

  • Amended contact details for the Charity Commission
  • Amended contact details for DWP Debt Management
  • Amended contact details for Network Rail
  • Amended contact details for the Ombudsman Services
  • Added contact details for Primark
  • Added contact details for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
  • Amended contact details for Yorkshire Housing

30 September 2022

  • Amended contact details for British Airways
  • Amended contact details for E.On
  • Amended contact details for L&Q Housing
  • Amended contact details for the Pensions Ombudsman
  • Amended contact details for Sanctuary Housing
  • Amended contact details for Virgin Atlantic Airways

Introduction to the Child Maintenance Service

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When the parents of a child do not live together, they need to make arrangements to cover the child’s living costs, which should remain in place until the child is 16 years old, or 20 years old if they remain in approved eduction or training until then.

Where possible, parents should try to reach a private agreement over child maintenance arrangements.  The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) website has useful information on working out costs, calculating maintenance and mediation.

It is not always possible for parents to reach a private arrangement, and so the Child Maintenance Service can also help parents to reach an agreement.

The parent will need to speak to Child Maintenance Options before they apply.  They will discuss the maintenance arrangements with the parent, give them a reference number and explain how to apply.

Child Maintenance Options
Telephone: 0800 083 4375
Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm

There is a small application fee to use the Child Maintenance Service, unless the parent:

  • has experienced domestic abuse
  • is under 19 years old
  • lives in Northern Ireland

If the service is used to collect and transfer payments, here is a fee payable  a payment is made or received.  See here for further details: https://www.gov.uk/making-child-maintenance-arrangement/using-child-maintenance-service

You can find contact details for the Child Maintenance Service in our Hotlines List.

The House of Commons Library has some very useful briefings on Child Maintenance: