CSA Payments

Lady_S

If someone is on benefits, and they claim through the CSA for maintenance, do they actually get to see that money, or does it just go into the CSA coffers.

Does it make a difference if you are on benefits or not?

helen21_2

If you are on income support you get to keep the first £10 each week of maintenance paid. If you are on WTC then you get to keep it all as it is not taken into account.

purple-smartie

My babies dad started making payments of £39 a week to the CSA on the 6th of july of this year. Ive not seen 1 penny of this yet. Ive phoned the CSA a couple of times to find out where my £10 a week is and all they will tell me is you dont receive it weekly if your on income support, you get it in a lump sum during the year. their excuse is that its too expensive for them to arrange for the payment to go into my bank account everyweek! Ive looked everywhere online to find out more about this but cant find any info anywhere and i dont know anyone else whos on income support thats invlved with the CSA to ask. Theres never anyone available at the local CAB and no one ever answers when i phone them. So if anyone here claiming income support and getting CSA payment could you please let me know if this is how your payments will be made or if your receiving them weekly.

I know £10 a week isnt much but I was going to put this in babies child trust fund and im worried he might be losing out on the interest that the CSA are pocketing.

Thanks

helen21_2

I was under the impression that all csa payments were directly paid to IS so maybe give your IS office a ring!

Scarlett1

Im a single parent on IS and my £10 gets paid direct to me through my bank account weekly, but sometimes they miss a week and pay me double the following week

Did take me 10 months to chase the money though :rolleyes:

purple-smartie

Scarlett1 wrote:

Im a single parent on IS and my £10 gets paid direct to me through my bank account weekly, but sometimes they miss a week and pay me double the following week

Did take me 10 months to chase the money though :rolleyes:

Thanks. I knew something wasnt right about how they said i would receive my payments but didnt know anyone in the same position to ask. I will be phoning them first thing tomorrow morning and every morning until i also get my payments.

aroma44

I have just separated from my husband and am now a lone parent with two kids. My Income support claim is still being processed so would I be better off not claiming as I will get £56.20 Income support and out of the £76 per week (this goes up in Jan to £111 as he has a large pay rise) Csa i only bet £10 I'm going to get £66.20 per week total, how will this affect housing benifit and all that if I just have CSA payments? Now I really am confused, also what about prescriptions etc? Any advise sugesstions would be really helpful thanks

purple-smartie

Hi aroma

I hope Ive read your post right. But you will get more then £56.20 a week if you claim income support with 2 children. I think the weekly rate for income support will be more round the £130 something mark plus your child benefit on top of that.

I dont think i would want to risk living off CSA payments alone as from my experience they arnt very realible payers even if your ex does make regular weekly payments.

Im not sure how housing benefit/council tax would work if you just lived off your CSA as i think you have to be in receiving sometype of benefit to qualify.

Sorry i cant be more help but I know for certain that you will get more then £56.20 income support.

helen21_2

Hi aroma
I take it you will be claiming for the children through the CTC's and income support for yourself? Not sure about claiming housing/council tax benefit. i would think if you only claiming the CTC's you would be entitled to claim the same as being on IS but not sure, maybe worth a quick phone call to CAB. Sounds like if you claim IS you could be worse off.

helen21_2

purple-smartie wrote:

Hi aroma

I hope Ive read your post right. But you will get more then £56.20 a week if you claim income support with 2 children. I think the weekly rate for income support will be more round the £130 something mark plus your child benefit on top of that.

I dont think i would want to risk living off CSA payments alone as from my experience they arnt very realible payers even if your ex does make regular weekly payments.

Im not sure how housing benefit/council tax would work if you just lived off your CSA as i think you have to be in receiving sometype of benefit to qualify.

Sorry i cant be more help but I know for certain that you will get more then £56.20 income support.

Income support rates are -

For adult £56-20
For 2 children under 16 £87-76
Family premium £16-10

Remember you child benefit is also deducted off this too!
Also IS is changing the way people claim by CTC's

Hope this helps

aroma44

I have to claim IS for me £56.20 and then child tax credits for the two kids. To make you all laugh my claim for IS still hasn't been processed (claim date 13/09!) Child tax credit are very busy at this time of year so I'm told, and housing ben can't process my claim till they receive paper work from IS and Child tax........... Unfortunately lidl don't accept "I'll pop back and pay when I get my benefit through!
So if you are having a bad day I am too.
Off to CAB in am to try and sort this mess out quite what thwey expect me and kids to live off god only knows, thankfully my ex and I are on ok terms so he's helping out with kids but that'll be the next battle when CSA want him to pay arrears from 13th Sept when he has been helping out the plot thickens!
Thanks for all the support and help