Can enforcement action be paused while a motion to change the support amount is pending?

Filing a motion to change doesn't automatically stop the Family Responsibility Office's enforcement of the existing order; the current support terms generally remain in effect, and arrears keep accruing on that basis, until a court actually changes them. This surprises many payors who assume that asking a court to lower support puts enforcement on hold in the meantime, but the existing order stays binding unless and until it's varied or a court specifically orders some form of interim relief.

In some circumstances, it may be possible to ask the court for a temporary or interim adjustment while the full motion to change is being resolved, but this requires actively seeking that relief rather than assuming a pause happens on its own simply because a motion has been filed. Continuing to make at least partial payments, and clearly documenting the financial change motivating the motion, generally puts a payor in a stronger position than stopping payments and waiting for the outcome. Anyone considering a motion to change because their circumstances have shifted should get legal advice early about whether interim relief is realistic and how to manage payments in the meantime.