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Send a letter to the Child Maintenance Service
Mandatory reconsiderations, variation requests, changes of circumstances and complaints - posted to CMS the same working day, with proof of postage on every letter.
- Address
- Child Maintenance Service, Wolverhampton, WV98 2BU
- Reconsideration deadline
- 30 days from your decision letter
- Despatch
- Same working day before 2:30pm UK time
- Recommended
- Signed For 1st Class
- Proof of postage
- Included free
How it works
Three steps, no printer required
1. Write or upload
Type your letter in the composer or upload a PDF / Word doc. We pre-fill the right Royal Mail service for this destination.
2. We print, fold and frank
Your letter is printed on quality 100gsm paper at our UK facility, folded, sealed and franked - usually the same working day.
3. Royal Mail delivers
Handed to Royal Mail for delivery on the service you chose, with a tracking link emailed to you where applicable.
When to use it
What people write to the CMS about
Mandatory reconsideration
Ask the CMS to look again at a maintenance calculation you think is wrong. This must reach them within 30 days of the date on your decision letter, so send it Signed For and keep the receipt.
Variation request
Ask for special circumstances to be taken into account - contact costs, boarding school fees, disability costs, or debts from the relationship. Variations can also be requested where you believe the other parent has unearned or diverted income.
Change of circumstances
Report a change in income, a change in the number of shared care nights, or a child leaving education. Income changes are generally only reflected if they cross the 25% threshold.
Arrears and payment disputes
Dispute an arrears balance, ask for a breakdown of what is owed, or propose a payment arrangement. Put it in writing so there is a dated record of what you offered and when.
Complaint about the service
Complain about delays, errors or how you were treated. Work through the CMS complaints process first - the Independent Case Examiner will only look at a case once CMS has finished with it.
The Child Maintenance Service handles maintenance calculations, payment arrangements and arrears for separated parents across England, Scotland and Wales. Most CMS correspondence still has to be sent on paper, and much of it is time-limited - a mandatory reconsideration has to reach them within 30 days of the date on your decision letter.
That deadline is exactly why proof matters. Disputes about whether a letter was ever received are common, and a proof of postage certificate or a Royal Mail Signed For receipt is the simplest way to put the date beyond argument. Every letter we send includes free proof of postage, and Signed For adds a signature on delivery.
Write or upload your letter, enter the CMS address, and we print on 100gsm paper, fold it into a plain windowed envelope, frank it and hand it to Royal Mail the same working day for orders placed before 2:30pm UK time. Always quote your CMS reference number and National Insurance number so your letter can be matched to your case.
Why send through us
- Free proof of postage certificate on every letter - dated evidence you sent it
- Signed For and Special Delivery for a signature on deadline-critical post
- Same-day despatch for orders placed before 2:30pm UK time
- Plain windowed envelopes - no third-party branding on the outside
- No return address printed on the envelope unless you add one yourself
Pricing
From £2.99 standard · First Class from £4.69 · Signed For from £8.54 · Special Delivery from £15.95.
Includes printing, folding, envelope, Royal Mail postage and same-day despatch from our UK facility.
Start writingFrequently asked questions
What address should I use for the Child Maintenance Service?
Most CMS correspondence goes to Child Maintenance Service, Wolverhampton, WV98 2BU. Check your most recent decision or statement letter first - CMS sometimes prints a case-specific return address or PO box, and if yours does, use that instead.
How long do I have to ask for a mandatory reconsideration?
30 days from the date on your decision letter. The CMS can accept a late request up to 13 months if you have a good reason, but it is at their discretion, so treat 30 days as the real deadline. Sending Signed For gives you a dated record that it arrived in time.
Is an appeal sent to the same address?
No. A mandatory reconsideration goes to the CMS. If you disagree with the outcome, the appeal goes to HM Courts and Tribunals Service - the Social Security and Child Support tribunal - which is a separate organisation with its own address and its own deadline. Your mandatory reconsideration notice will tell you where to send it.
What do I need to include in the letter?
Always quote your CMS reference number and your National Insurance number. Without them the CMS may not be able to match your letter to your case. State clearly what you are asking for and include the date of the decision you are challenging.
Will my address appear on the letter?
No. We print your letter exactly as you write it and post it in a plain windowed envelope with no return address, so nothing is added that you did not put there yourself. If you do not want the other parent to know where you live, do not include your address in the body of the letter. If you are worried about your safety, see the government's guidance on domestic abuse at gov.uk/guidance/domestic-abuse-how-to-get-help.
Can I prove the CMS received my letter?
Every letter includes a free proof of postage certificate showing the date it was handed to Royal Mail. For proof it was actually delivered, choose Royal Mail Signed For, which captures a signature, or Special Delivery, which is tracked with a guaranteed delivery time.
How quickly will my letter be posted?
If you place your order before 2:30pm UK time on a working day, your letter goes into the post the same day. Orders placed at or after 2:30pm UK time, at weekends, or on UK bank holidays are despatched on the next working day.
Is my letter content kept private?
Yes. Content is encrypted in transit (TLS 1.3) and at rest (AES-256), retained for 90 days for re-print in case of return, then automatically deleted. We are UK GDPR compliant and registered with the ICO.
Ready to send your letter?
Type or upload your letter. We print, fold, frank and post it from our UK facility - usually the same working day.
Compose your letter