Child Maintenance (CSA) questions (merged)

kelloggs36

How to PM - click on the person's name and follow the instructions - it gives you an option to send them a PM.

With respect to Interim Maintenance Assessments - they are a penalty assessment which was supposed to kick the NRP's backside into providing the information required to make a full maintenance assessment - but this tactic failed (as did many, as the MPs who designed the CSA failed to grasp just how much some people just don't want to pay, regardless of how much it is!!!) However, in many cases it can't be enforced due to the fact that it is only a penalty and not based on true facts. However, if an NRP continues to fail to provide the info, then it can be enforced. If they are caught up with, the assessment can be converted to what it should have been, had they provided the info in the first place - hence in most cases, a huge drop in the assessment, and of course, the arrears owed.

The CSA should continue to collect arrears after the case is closed - it doesn't matter how old the child is as it is purely arrears they are dealing with, so it looks like that info was incorrect. They may have been confused and thought you were referring to regular maintenance, but for arrears, this is collected as normal by the CSA.

shelovestobuystuff

Prudent wrote: »

Is your son leaving school? You can only go via the csa while you are getting child benefit. This is not unique to Scotland, it is standard. If you son wants to go on to higher education he must then seek money from the nrp in his own right and this can be done via the courts.

No, my son has left the education system and is now thinking about starting up his own business.
I have had more conflicting info about my case though from the CSA.This is the different advice I have had so far regarding the arrears:

1.CSA will not be responsible for collecting arrears once the day to day maintenance stops being paid so I must go to a solicitor to recover the arrears.
2.The CSA will keep collecting the current rate of maintenance until all money owed, including arrears, is cleared.
3.The case will be suspended this September when child benefit ends for my son,maintenance will stop and all arrears will eventually be passed to a debt collection agency who will try to recover the arrears within 2 years.

I suppose I will just have to wait and see what happens when the maintenance stops in September.I am not even going to think about it again until then.

kelloggs36

loftus wrote: »

Sorry Kelloggs - I know you know far more about the CSA than I do but I thought the reductions in CM for new children were 15%, 20% and 25% for 1,2,3 or more new or step-children. How does this equate to them getting more than existing children leaving as it does 85%-75% of CM being paid?

Anyway its an imperfect system and whatever replaces it will also be imperfect.

Because 15% of (say) 200 pounds where an NRP has no other children in the household = 30 quid per week for their children for whom maintenance is payable. However, after they get a reduction of 15% (30 quid per week) from that 200 quid per week for a child that isn't theirs means that the child who the NRP has a responsibility towards gets only 15% of 85%, thus only 15% of 170 pounds per week, which is 25.50 per week. Therefore the allowance for children that aren't his is higher than he must pay for his own children. Peverse.

inneedofadvise

Hi, I have been reading the boards for a while now and would like to ask your advice on something.

A friend of mines has never met her father - she is 22 now. With regards to maintenance payments, (which her father has never paid) where does she stand?

Thanks in advance

aMeLia'S~MuMMY

Has your friends father been assessed to pay child maintenance but just hasn't paid? or has a claim never been made against the father.

If a claim has been made then the CSA should be chasing for unpaid maintenance (assuming a liability was put in place) however if a claim was never made then it is too late as the CSA only assess maintenance payments up to 19 ( assuming the criteria for this age is met)

:A

kelloggs36

It depends, as Amelia's-mummy says. If it was via CSA and he never paid, then the money would be due to whomever claimed - not the child (unless in Scotland if the claim was made by the child). If there are arrears owed then the mother (or guardian, whoever claimed) needs to get on and chase them up. If no claim was ever made, then it is now too late.

sarah_hamilton_2

hi im a single mum and the csa have been chasing me for £650 yes you read right they want it from me and its even gone to a debt collecter all the while the father lives off benefits and pays me nothing ive phoned sent letters and they still hav,nt sorted it out this has been going on now for 4 years to stop the baliffs ive agreed to pay £5 a month just to keep them off my back thanks sarah

kelloggs36

Hi Sarah

why do they want it from you? Is it a repayment of an overpayment from him? Or is it a shared care situation? Can you clarify what it is for so I can advise a bit more?

aimex

does anyone know situation whereby child lives with mother, father sees child on alternate weekends for whole weekend,ie stays there. Care outside of that time is often provided eg when mother needs to go out etc and always has share of holiday etc. Agreement made when split up now CSA threatened, actual maintenance may be less than CSA amount, havent worked that out yet but this was because all school clothes etc are paid for by father? this taken into consideration?

Sorry and what happens if CSA amoutn is more? is there back pay or not as original amount was agreed?

sarah_hamilton_2

hi they are saying i was a absent parent ive wrote them letters we even got married at the time i was supposed to be absent its so frustrating i hav,nt heard anything from them for last couple of month now im paying £5 month now im thinking i might leave it at that it just causes so much stress thanks sarah