The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued a formal commitment to respond to Child Maintenance Service (CMS) complaints within 15 working days, following criticism of its response times. The announcement, described as 'regrettable' by a government minister, came during a parliamentary session on Monday, 12th January 2026.
Minister addresses 'regrettable' delays in Commons
Andrew Western, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, addressed the issue directly in the House of Commons. He was responding to a series of pointed questions from Justin Madders, the Minister of State for the Department for Business and Trade.
Mr Madders had demanded clarity on the CMS's official response time for queries from MPs. He also pressed the DWP to assess the adequacy of both its response times to MPs and the performance of the CMS's dedicated hotline for handling public concerns.
The new 15-working-day service standard
In his response, Andrew Western outlined the department's official policy. Where a customer makes a complaint, including when an MP contacts the DWP on their behalf, the aim is to contact the customer within 15 working days. This contact will either deliver the outcome of the complaint or provide a timeline for when a response can be expected for more complex cases.
Minister Western acknowledged that the system is under strain. "Regrettably, higher volumes of MP enquiries, combined with a rise in more complex complaints which take longer to investigate, has caused some delays with our responses," he stated.
How MPs can contact the Child Maintenance Service
The DWP confirmed that MPs and their caseworkers have dedicated routes to contact the CMS, both in writing and by phone. Details are available on the parliamentary website.
A specific CMS MP Hotline is operational for general enquiries or constituency cases. This service runs from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday, and is staffed by Complaint Resolution Managers. The DWP states it aims to provide an immediate response where possible, with follow-up contact arranged for more complex matters.
The department insists it is actively monitoring the timeliness of MP enquiries to identify problem areas and underlying causes for delays. It concluded by reaffirming its commitment to "delivering a modern, efficient service that meets the needs of all customers."
