A new phase of Singapore’s Maintenance Enforcement Process (MEP) will take effect on 1 October 2025. This marks a significant development in how court-ordered maintenance arrears will be enforced under the Family Justice Reform Act 2023.
What Is the MEP?
The MEP is a structured enforcement regime intended to:
- Deter failure to fulfil maintenance obligations;
- Improve clarity and fairness in enforcement;
- Help courts make better-informed decisions by reviewing parties’ financial circumstances;
- Provide an accessible pathway, particularly for those without legal representation.
Under this model, Maintenance Enforcement Officers (MEOs) act as neutral conciliators. Rather than relying solely on mediation, MEOs can:
- Request financial records from parties, banks, or government agencies;
- Propose practical solutions;
- Prepare reports that present detailed financial data to the Family Justice Courts, allowing judges to differentiate between inability to pay and unwillingness to pay.
What Changes in the Next Phase?
In the first phase (from January 2025), the MEP applied primarily to repeat enforcement applications. From 1 October 2025, its coverage is extended to include first-time enforcement applications, provided the arrears amount is $10,000 or more.
Applicants may file their enforcement request through the Family Justice Courts or authorised agencies. If the application qualifies, it will be referred to the Maintenance Enforcement Division (MED) for conciliation under the MEP; otherwise, the traditional enforcement route remains available.
A fee of $180 will be imposed on respondents who are referred to MEP for follow-up work by the MEOs.
The Impact of These Changes
This next phase reflects the Government’s intention to make maintenance enforcement more robust and equitable. For individuals seeking to enforce maintenance orders, this change could mean:
- A more straightforward, more systematic enforcement pathway;
- Faster resolution in appropriate cases;
- More transparency in how courts assess defaulting parties’ finances.
Over time, the MEP is likely to expand to cover more categories of maintenance enforcement, providing greater consistency and predictability in enforcement outcomes.
