Staff at under-fire Child Maintenance Service may have missed suicidal thoughts of plumber, pre-inquest review told

The suicidal thoughts of a man found dead after being ordered to hand over 40 per cent of his wages to pay for his children’s care may have been missed by staff at the under-fire Child Maintenance Service (CMS), a pre-inquest review has heard.

Concerns were raised at the hearing that up to four CMS employees failed to respond appropriately to indications that Peter Racher, 41, was at risk of taking his own life.

This included two call handlers said to have heard comments that could have triggered a safeguarding response but failed to do so.

Mr Racher was found dead at his home in Wymondham, Norfolk, in November 2025.

His family believe his death was connected to financial pressures caused by the demand - and the issues leading to his death indicate there are widespread problems in the system, rather than an isolated error.

Norfolk assistant coroner Meave Sykes indicated she wanted to hear directly from those involved in the case at the full hearing, rather than relying on written evidence.

Details emerged days after the Daily Mail revealed in an investigation how fathers were being ‘driven to suicide, breakdown and penury by chaotic dysfunction in the Child Maintenance System’.

Mr Racher was found dead at his home in Wymondham, Norfolk, in November last year.

The hearing in Norwich yesterday was told that an internal investigation by the Department for Work and Pensions, which is responsible for the CMS, found there had been opportunities to recognise concerns he had voiced and take action.

Ms Sykes said the circumstances surrounding the decision to deduct two-fifths of the income from his plumbing business to pay for child maintenance would be reviewed during the full inquest.

Also under scrutiny will be the financial impact and to what degree Mr Racher’s interactions with CMS staff affected his state of mind.

Red flags that should be raised when there is evidence of suicidal thoughts may have been overlooked during conversations with CMS staff, the hearing was told.

Mr Racher’s family argued the suspected failure of employees to identify or act on these ‘indicators of suicidal ideation’ raised serious concerns about the organisation’s safeguarding procedures.

Ms Sykes said her investigation would include looking at why no concerns were raised by a risk assessment conducted into the case.

The family have asked for the assessment to be handed over.

Those expected to give evidence will include the CMS employee who imposed the 40 per cent deduction from earnings order, as well as caseworkers and call handlers.

The second day of the hearing has been earmarked to look at what lessons can be learned from the case.

The coroner added the inquest would establish whether safeguarding opportunities were missed and whether action should be taken to prevent future deaths.

An online tribute set up in Mr Racher’s memory said he was ‘much loved and will always be remembered as a loving father, son, brother and friend’.

Saturday’s expose on the CMS revealed how a whistleblower was warning that constant computer problems were leading to parents being overcharged, placing them in desperate financial straits.

The caseworker, who estimated up to one in five calculations were wrong, said staff were 'slamming their heads on keyboards' at the 'crazy' IT glitches.

It came months after another Daily Mail investigation found that at least two fathers had killed themselves and many are being 'financially crippled' by inflated demands from the government agency.

The whistleblower said concerns within the department were so severe that learning how to deal with suicidal callers had become a 'major part' of training, including regular refresher courses.

But she said that even when staff know the calculations are wrong and that the parents cannot afford it, they are under strict orders to tell them to pay up.

The DWP have not responded to a request for a comment.