Icelandic men are behind in paying child support to the amount of ISK 14 billion, reported Icelandic National Broadcasting Service, RÚV, yesterday. According to RÚV, one out of every four men who pay child support are struggling to make payments.
In Iceland, child support amounts to ISK 17,000 per month, having increased 4% since last year. 16,000 Icelandic women receive payments for just under 22,000 children under the age of 18. This means that 28% of all Icelandic children receive child support.
To ensure that payments are delivered in a timely manner, the State Social Security Institute (SSI) pays the child support at the beginning of each month. A collection agency for local authorities then collects the money from the fathers. Even though a father is heavily in debt and does not reimburse SSI the amount due, SSI continues to make the monthly payments. Therefore, the total outstanding debt keeps increasing.
Although, billions are owed in child support, the agency which collects the payments is able to collect 70 – 75% of all child support payments in the country every year, reported RÚV.
