DISCLAIMER:THE INFORMATION IN THIS SITE RELATING TO THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OF SPECIFIC FOREIGN COUNTRIES IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND MAY NOT BE TOTALLY ACCURATE IN A PARTICULAR CASE. QUESTIONS INVOLVING INTERPRETATION OF SPECIFIC FOREIGN LAWS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO FOREIGN COUNSEL.

Summary

The United States and the United Kingdom concluded a bilateral agreement on child support enforcement on December 17, 2007. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Support enforcement http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/international/index.html is the U.S. Central Authority for this agreement.

Questions From U.S. States:

See model Policy Declaration of the IV-D Agency of a U.S. State – U.K.

If your state IV-D Agency Office of Child Support Enforcement is not familiar with the practice, contact the:

• National Child Support Enforcement Association (NCSEA)
• Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement

U.K. Procedures

The United Kingdom Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1972 was amended to include specified states of the United States in 1993 and amended again, in 1995, to extend full reciprocal enforcement of orders and judgments for arrears to specified states of the United States (Schedule 1).  The U.K. Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders (REMO) Section is currently considering requests from non-specified U.S. States to be added to Schedule 1.

Requests should be sent by your IV-D Agency Office of Child Support Enforcement directly to the appropriate U.K. authority.

See U.K.

• REMO - Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders ;
• When Parents Live Abroad;
• U.K. Department for Constitutional Affairs – Countries With Which the U.K. has Reciprocal Maintenance Arrangements

See U.S.

See the National Child Support Enforcement Association NCSEA United Kingdom Page ( http://www.ncsea.org/international/uk/) for forms and procedures, relevant laws, contact information and an overview of the process.

U.K. Laws, Regulations, Other Instruments

United Kingdom Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act (1972)
Home Office Circular 89/1984
Children Act (1989)
U.K. Child Support Act of 1991
Maintenance Orders Reciprocal Enforcement Act (1992)
Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders, Hague Convention Countries (1993)
Child Support Act (1995)
Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders, Designation of Reciprocating Countries (2002)
Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders, Facilities for Enforcement, Revocation Order (2002)

United Kingdom Child Support Enforcement Authorities:

U.K. Child Support Web Pages

International

REMO Office:

• REMO – Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders

Department for Constitutional Affairs:

• U.K. Department for Constitutional Affairs – Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders
• A Guide to International Claims for Family Maintenance
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Contacts

Scotland:

• Scottish Courts, Justice Department Divisions, Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance
• Scottish Requests

Domestic (For U.K. residents Only)

• Child Support Agency Department for Work and Pensions
• Child Support Agency Pre-2003 Law
• U.K. Department for Work and Pensions Combined Page
• U.K. Department for Work and Pensions Child Support Maintenance

U.K. Requests for Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance in the United States

• NCSEA International Visitors Homepage

Reference:

U.S. Department of State

• U.S. Department of State Child Support Enforcement Page
• U.S. Department of State Judicial Assistance Page
• U.S. Department of State Children and Family Page
• U.S. Department of State Consular Affairs Home Page

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

• Federal Reciprocal International Child Support Agreements
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Support Enforcement
• Intergovernmental Referral Guide – Select a State (click on reciprocity)
• Links to State IV-D Child Support Enforcement Agencies

Non-Governmental Organizations

• NCSEA State Level Reciprocity Arrangements
• NCSEA International Contact Directory

International Organizations

• Hague Conference on Private International Law Maintenance Obligations
• EUROPA European Judicial Network in Civil and Commercial Matters
• EUROPA European Judicial Network in Civil and Commercial Matters UK
• EUROPA EJN UK Maintenance Claims
• EUROPA EJN UK Parental Responsibility

Readings (Read More About It)

• Lessons from the New English and Australian Child Support Systems, J. Thomas Oldham, 29 Vand. J. Transnat'l L. 691 (1996).
• Child SupportIn The U.K.: Making The Move From Court To Agency, Mavis Maclean, 31 Hous. L. Rev. 515 (1994).
• Comments On Child Support In The U.K.: Making The Move From Court To Agency, Gwynn Davis, 31 Hous. L. Rev. 539 (1994).