housing benefit disregarding csa payments!

tamsin1982 · 4 October 2008 at 9:25PM

Ive just done a benefits check up and noticed after 27th October that housing benefit will not use child maintainence as an income, someone tell me I havent read it wrong as it sounds too good to be true!!

if this is the case it gives me a small dillema.... I have a 3yr ds that has never really had much contact with his dad and doesnt see him at all anymore. I claimed csa a couple of months ago but ex wasnt working so got a nil entitlement letter and a very angry phone call from him threatening all sorts. since then hes got a new job and offered a private arrangement of £120 a month which I accepted as I knew some of it would be swalled by housing benefit anyway. hes due to pay 1st payment end of oct but the only time hes agreed to pay in the past he conviently lost his job so obv im not counting my chickens just yet!! hes never paid a penny towards our son before not even nappies or bday cards! so I have been quite a mug really.

so my problem is do i continue with our private agreement of 120 a month or do i pursue with csa and get about 180 a month?

tamsin1982 · 4 October 2008 at 9:31PM

just thought I better add that this doesnt mean everyone will get the full amount of maintainence, if you are on income support or other benefit you will be allowed to keep the first £20 a week (i think? someone correct me if im wrong :rolleyes: ) still all be a bit better off! :j

might even be worth looking into part time work, if it didnt make you better off before it might do now - especially if your child maint income is high!

rebbonk · 5 October 2008 at 12:35AM

Others might disagree, but I'd say if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

tamsin1982 · 5 October 2008 at 9:21AM

Thats what I originally thought but I have never had any money off of him, somethings always happens just before im supposed to get it :rolleyes:

I dont want to annoy him or be unfair but then I start thinkin who am I really being unfair to? Its my son who loses out on the extra and this 'man' has made him lose out on so much already.

thanks for your opinion tho, I do want to look at both sides of this before I make any decision on it

kelloggs36 · 5 October 2008 at 10:34AM

The £20 refers to income support, not housing benefit.

Half_Price_Sky · 10 October 2008 at 3:46PM

rebbonk wrote: »

Others might disagree, but I'd say if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

Agreed.......................!

Zoetoes · 10 October 2008 at 3:54PM

Don't push it, if he's like that he may just quit his job so he doesn't have to pay anything at all.

SuziQ · 10 October 2008 at 4:34PM

Better to get £120 amicably than £180 with snarls and resentment! Wish these men would grow a responsibility gene though!

tamsin1982 · 10 October 2008 at 5:36PM

thanks everyone, ive decided to await his first cheque and as long as it turns up I will stick with our arrangement but if it gets 'lost in the post' I will contact the csa again.

its hard to make sensible decisions about someone you dislike so much lol

Blackpool_Saver · 7 March 2010 at 5:08PM

tamsin1982 wrote: »

its hard to make sensible decisions about someone you dislike so much lol

yes it is, this is why the absent parent feels the same way and why we need a fairer system FOR ALL

missmontana · 7 March 2010 at 5:52PM

All the rules are changing with regards to CM payments.

As long as you are declaring the money you are getting, then its ok, or it would be considered as fraud.

If you can be amicable, then continue with the private agreement, but why do you have to wait till Oct to get the first payment?

housing benefit disregarding csa payments!

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