How do we make changes to Direct Earnings Attachments (DEA) or Child Maintenance (CMS) orders?
What we need to amend, pause, or reduce deductions -and what happens during maternity leave or reduced pay.
We can update DEA/CMS deductions only on receipt of written instruction from the issuing body (e.g., DWP for DEAs or CMS for child maintenance).
Verbal confirmations aren’t sufficient. If pay is reduced (e.g., maternity leave), protected earnings rules may limit or reduce deductions automatically for that period.
What we need to make a change
Please upload the official notice/letter that clearly shows:
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Issuing body (DWP/CMS/other) and reference number
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New deduction amount or confirmation to stop/pause
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Effective date (and, if relevant, repayment/reimbursement details)
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Employer / employee identifiers
Contact us here to submit documents: Contact us here
What we can and can’t do without a letter
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Can: keep current settings; review against protected earnings; diary a follow-up; advise employee how to obtain the letter.
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Cannot: change, pause, or cancel deductions based on a phone call, email summary, or employee statement without written authority from DWP/CMS.
Refunds: If a payment has already been made under a valid order, refunds (if any) are handled by DWP/CMS, not via payroll.
Protected earnings & reduced pay (incl. maternity leave)
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Deductions must not reduce net pay below the protected earnings threshold.
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During Statutory Maternity Pay or other reduced pay, the system automatically applies protected earnings. This can reduce the deduction or make it £0 for that period.
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Once pay returns to normal, deductions resume at the instructed rate unless we receive a new instruction.
How we process a valid change
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Receive evidence: Official letter/notice uploaded via the ticket.
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Apply from the effective date: We update payroll for the next eligible run.
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Confirm: We’ll confirm which pay period the change will first affect.
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File & retain: We store the evidence with the payroll record for audit.
FAQs
Can we pause deductions now and send the letter later?
No - pauses/changes require written authority. We must continue the current instruction until the letter arrives.
What if the first payment under the old rate already went?
Any reimbursement/adjustment is managed by DWP/CMS per their process.
The employee says DWP/CMS “updated it on the phone.”
We still require the written notice. Please ask the employee/issuing body to send it to you (or directly to us, if permitted), then Contact us here.
💬 Contact Us
To submit a DEA/CMS change, upload the official letter here:
Contact us here