TOO MUCH: Chris Smyth says paying child support has left him financially struggling.

Southlanders owe more than $20 million in child support debt, with more people defaulting than paying on time.

Inland Revenue figures show as of November 30, Southlanders owed $22 million in child support debt. Of that, $6.9 million is owed in assessment debt and $15.1 million in penalties for late or non-payment.

The largest portion of debt comes from Invercargill, where $11 million is owed ($3.8 million assessment debt and $7.1 million penalties).

In Gore, $2.2 million is owed ($785,000 assessment debt and $1.4 million penalties).

The figures also show as of November 30 there were more child support defaulters than people who were up to date with their payments – 1167 with an ongoing liability and payments up to date compared with 1741 with an ongoing liability and a debt.

A further 463 were listed as having past debt only.

An IRD spokesman said most child support liable parents defaulted at some point and many proactively contacted child support when this happened to make a repayment arrangement.

Of the 2204 Southlanders with a debt, 70.3 per cent (1549) had a repayment arrangement in place, the spokesman said.

But some southern welfare and budgeting services are worried the unpaid support has left some families struggling. Gore Salvation Army Budget Service assistant community worker Kaye Byron said she was aware of at least one mother who was struggling to make ends meet while waiting for child support payments from her child's father.

"They do heavily rely on those payments," she said.

Invercargill's Jubilee Budget Advisory Service manager Simon Tierney said while he was aware of families struggling because of unpaid child support, he also knew of people who were struggling to pay child support.Sometimes a debt became so large it was too difficult for people to manage and it was easier for them to simply stop paying anything, he said.

While child support was automatically deducted from wages and benefits it could become a problem if people were self employed as it became easier to put payments on hold, allowing debt to mount, he said.

Support payments 'crippling'

Invercargill father Chris Smyth would do anything for his three kids.

Which is why each week he forks out $235 in child support, even though it leaves him with little to live on himself.

Mr Smyth wants changes made to the way child support is calculated so people paying it are not put into financial strife, and would also like the process to be less complicated.

He claims paying child support has left him financially struggling.

After separating from his childrens' mother, he left the newly renovated family home and is now living in a rented property.

From his wage earned as a garbage truck driver he said he pays $235 child support, which is deducted automatically, $220 rent, $70 car repayment, $30 for power, $25 for his telephone, $50 for counselling, and, because of an ongoing medical condition, $120 for groceries.

He also helps his former partner out with incidentals such as milk or petrol, for the sake of the children, he said.

The total puts him in the red each week by close to $100. He has fallen behind in his rent by $2800 as a result of his child support commitments and there appeared to be no reprieve in sight, he said.

While he agreed parents had a responsibility to care for their children both physically and financially, it was not fair if the financial burden fell almost completely with one parent, leaving them destitute, he said.

It was also unfair if the parent who had the primary care of the children was receiving benefits allowing them financial assistance if they got into strife, but the parent paying child support was unable to receive any help, he said.