CSA - October 27th Change...?

T4i

SuziQ wrote: »

but soon it would go up to almost everything you get from the pwc.

Anyone know how true this is?

As for no one checking up and leaving it for the 'honest' society of today to declare..........OMG! If it wasn't easy enough already :rolleyes:

Loopy_Girl

T4i wrote: »

Anyone know how true this is?

As for no one checking up and leaving it for the 'honest' society of today to declare..........OMG! If it wasn't easy enough already :rolleyes:

Very true. It comes into effect from 2010.

To 'combat' the potential fruad (if you can call it that) then from 2010, if your eldest is age 7 then they move you from IS to JSA which means you have to sign on and make an effort to look for work.

Thing is, it is going to be widely abused and we all know that. If a PWC is on IS and her (or his!) ex is on a great wage and they are getting a good CSA then where is the incentive to work?

Personally I think it's mad to bring this rule in...and I am a PWC. Essentially lone parents on benefits are going to get money from the government AND all the maintenance. I'm sorry but I think there will be women out there who will get themselves knocked up to a man who has a good wage as it's a licence to sit on your !!!! all day.

The point of benefits is to help you through a difficult time in your life until you can get back to work - this new ruling makes a mockery of the welfare system. I hated being on benefits as I was always skint and you fitted into the stereotypical single mother - I coulsn't wait to get back to work and get more money in the house and my identity back.

Diamond78

Loopy_Girl wrote: »

Very true. It comes into effect from 2010.

To 'combat' the potential fruad (if you can call it that) then from 2010, if your eldest is age 7 then they move you from IS to JSA which means you have to sign on and make an effort to look for work.

Thing is, it is going to be widely abused and we all know that. If a PWC is on IS and her (or his!) ex is on a great wage and they are getting a good CSA then where is the incentive to work?

Personally I think it's mad to bring this rule in...and I am a PWC. Essentially lone parents on benefits are going to get money from the government AND all the maintenance. I'm sorry but I think there will be women out there who will get themselves knocked up to a man who has a good wage as it's a licence to sit on your !!!! all day.

The point of benefits is to help you through a difficult time in your life until you can get back to work - this new ruling makes a mockery of the welfare system. I hated being on benefits as I was always skint and you fitted into the stereotypical single mother - I coulsn't wait to get back to work and get more money in the house and my identity back.

well done for getting back into work, that is my goal. I have a lot of health problems which is why i cant work at the moment. I am going to start a course to build up my knowledge and experience so I can get a job that pays enough to live by. I dont like being on benefits either but have no choice at the moment as I am very ill. But Im doing everything I can to get better so I can atleast get a part time job. Im not that fussy, im happy to do cleaning, what ever I can find that will suit my sons school hours.

Loopy_Girl

Diamond78 wrote: »

well done for getting back into work, that is my goal. I have a lot of health problems which is why i cant work at the moment. I am going to start a course to build up my knowledge and experience so I can get a job that pays enough to live by. I dont like being on benefits either but have no choice at the moment as I am very ill. But Im doing everything I can to get better so I can atleast get a part time job. Im not that fussy, im happy to do cleaning, what ever I can find that will suit my sons school hours.

Oh please don't think I was having a go:o I know there are many lone parents that can't work for reasons of illness either on them or through their child - but the press aren't interested in decent lone parents like the majority of us...oooohhh no, lets wheel out the Vicky Pollard stereotypes (which lets be honest, there are some of) and that's what will get in the press and that's why lone parents have a bad name and it hacks me right off.....it's bloody hard being Mum and Dad and either working or trying to bring kids up on benefits and then you get these benefit bashers bleating how good the welfare system is and then you find they have never lived on them so how could they possibly know?

Don't stress about getting back to work - look after you first. It's bloody knackering working and then coming home to be a double parent. And then you have to catch up with the household chores at the weekend but then feel guilty as you want to do an activity with them....arrrgghh!!!!:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

When you are ready then get back but not before...I didn't go back till my daughter started school as I wanted to be there for her as I didn't think it was fair her only having me and then me dumping her in a nursery all day - but that's just me!!

Tax credits are really good...you get a 'bonus' for being a lone parent. I couldn't live without them. Basically my wage covers all my mortgage and bills and I live off my tax credits. You also get a Back to Work bonus of £250.00 is you have been on IS for 26 weeks and if you have been on it for 52 weeks, you also get 'In Work Credit' which is £40.00 a week for 52 weeks. I get nothing in CSA from my ex.

With your case, stick with the CSA I think as it doesn't sound like your ex will cough up on his own. His choice to have 3 kids with 3 mothers so why should your child suffer just cos he has others? He's a bully so don't listen to him. And yes, you can now get to keep £20.00 CSA on top of your IS If they already are taking money out his wages for CSA then your case could be linked to it. Yes, the 1st child will get less but that's not your problem. If he starts threatening then get the police - your son deserves his maintenance just as much as his half brother and sister.

Lets us know how you get on x

tamsin1982

if hes that worried about his 1st child getting less he could always pay the extra amount :rotfl:

dont be frightened by him or his threats, you cant let him rule you and make your life harder. living on what the goverment says we can survive on isnt easy and if you and your son can have a better life then do what u can to get it! if maintainence was a benefit we were all entitled to we would all apply, just wish id had the guts to do it 3 1/2yrs ago :rolleyes:

wish id known about back to work bonus! i mustve missed it by a month or two!! I work two days a week to be about £25 a week better off but gained so much more than that very helpful bit of extra money. I get to be 'me' for a bit and my ds goes to a great nursery that I think he has really benefited from

gardengal_3

I can understand why your angry but you shouldn't be with people who are only trying to help you...

1st don't give her cash, you can't prove that in any way what so ever. If she wants money give her a cheque only made payable to her and if she wants it that bad she'l open an account.

2nd try talking to the CSA, nicely though, and explain the situation. They are there to help you too.

3rd If no luck with that speak to a solicitor, may cost you but it could save you in the long run. They can set up an agreement that would stick in court if ever the time came.

4th Get yourself a punchbag, fantastic investment to relieve any stress, put her picture on it if it helps!!!!!

Hope it works out.;)

Paparika

T4i wrote: »

I shall try be as clear as possible.

I have a 3 yr old that was taken away from me by my lovely ex partner back in October 2007.

The ex is on benefits (:mad:) and has been for the last 10 years. When we split in October 2007 she told me that we couldnt make our own arrangments for payments as she is on benefits and we would have to involve the CSA so they can get her benefits right. Fair doos!

I've rang CSA twice now to ask them to take my money, but on both occasions they told me they have no idea how long it will be before the claim is actualy finalised and they can take my money. So I've setup a 'savings' bank account and put away £175 a month ready for when the CSA deciede to pulls ones socks up.

I see my child twice a week, on a Friday night after i finish work and all day Sunday (goodbye weekend lol), I take them out to theme parks and other recreational places quite often, supply them with shoes, clothes from M&S (i get a discount as my mother works there), school uniforms......blah blah blah.

As I understand it the CSA will not take into consideration that I already supply my child with things needed in life, so I still need to put away £175 a month for CSA.

Today when picking my child up my ex told me that the CSA is changing rules on the 27/10/08. She said the new rules would mean that she now has the choice of going through the CSA or doing financial arrangments privately.

She really suprised me by saying she would want £100 a month to support the child, as she knows damn well my child must get the best part of £300 a month spent on her anyway (not including the £175 i'm putting into the savings account). All sounds too good to me, i've read too many horror stories that are similar to me and reading about dads getting a letter saying they owe them 33k

Me and the ex get on, but she is the kinda person to try get as much money as she can for free (you know the types!), so i'm not sure if this is a way of trying to get £275 a month off me by tricking me into a rogue arrangment.

What would I need to do if I accepted to make our own financial arrangments that is 100% guranteed to stand up in court if it was needed? I don't trust this goverment at all, and when sums of k's involved i'm really not comfy unless I know for sure 100% that i'm going to be fine.

Any help would be appreciated.

Just for the record I also bring up my ex's first child, she is not mine but she knows me as 'Dad' as I brought her up from the age of 8 months. She gets just the same financial support (if not even more as she is older, aged 6, needs more expensive 'names', more expensive grown up presents etc etc). Would the CSA take into consideration this? Or would they not even acknowlage that she is part of the 'bigger picture'?

Thanks,
T4i

Well done for putting the money away :T

Don't give her a penny until you have something in writing from csa

Diamond78

Thanks loopygirl and tamsin. Its been really hard and still is. I even tried to reason with my ex by saying if he didnt want to pay money for sons things, he could buy him clothes ect but he is very stingy. He says that unless he has access to my son or has me back he wont pay anything or buy him anything. I could never get back with him as he is still violent plus has drink and drug problems. I would not be a responsible mother if i allowed contact with him and my son alone. Since my son was a baby I have said im happy for supervised visits but he wont have that. He is not like a normal man or father, he has never been a father to my son. Slowly but surely, Im getting better and even though it has taken me a long time, Im finally stronger and ready to move on. Its been like this for over 6 years. He pays for his other children, he is on my sons birth certifacate and its him who refuses to be a father. Some may say, why bother with going to the csa? All I want is for my son to have a happy childhood and happy memories. Its always a struggle with money, that £20 a week on top would help in many ways. Its not a lot but better than nothing. I still feel scared a bit though, he will go mad when he finds out. I never told him I moved, the last we spoke was when he threatend me again. I told him not to call me and that if son wanted to call him he would. I know if he got nasty in anyway he would go down as he has always got away with other stuff but police warned him next time he would face jail. I shouldnt be scared anymore and be strong enough to go through with it.
I tried to apply online but it says i have to go to my local jobcentre plus. It that right? I dont have his address, I have his national insurance number, his work info and thats it.

Loopy_Girl

Phone the CSA helpline number and tell them you want to put a claim in and that your ex partner alreadys pays through a DoE for another child.

Number is 08457 136000

Stay strong and get what is due for your son:D

And having an NI number is much more valuable than an address as he can move house but his NI number will always show activity of where he is working or if he is claiming benefits.

tamsin1982

its over £1000 a yr so it is alot of money!! from what ive read from 2010 you will be entitled to keep the full amount so its defo worth sorting out now.

the csa will not give him any of your details so dont worry about him turning up at your door, he will soon calm down and realise he has to provide for his son even if its only in a money way.

as loopy said stay strong and get what is due