Child Maintenance (CSA) questions (merged)

alwaysonthego_2

djdido2 wrote:

I have spent the last 6 months ringing the CSA 2 - 3 times per week to try and get a little bit of financial help from my son's absent father!!!

They tell me the same thing every single time I call, that the ex is not traceable and so they cannot do anything and will not be able to take my case any further!!:mad: . My business has nearly failed and I am struggling like I never have before.

How have you lot as PWC got your head around the fact that the absent parent will not pay a small contribution and/or visit and spend some time with your child/ren????

I am absolutely heartbroken for my son, it is NOT greed or revenge to bleed my ex dry. Its support and help to make sure DS has the essentials he needs and the emotional involvement and input from his excuse for a daddy!!

It's not about money, it's about responsibility!!

We have been apart for four years and he is still so angry and abusive that he REFUSES to pay!!:mad: .

My friends keep saying that I am obsessed but I just want what is best for my wee man and feel so down when I know I am not coping financially for my kids sake!! Have give in now with CSA so just have to plod on and hope that I can manage and do the best for them!!

Nice one, why do men think they can get away with their responsibilities and have the nerve to blame us women. Hope you get it sorted out xxx

kelloggs36

alwaysonthego wrote:

Nice one, why do men think they can get away with their responsibilities and have the nerve to blame us women. Hope you get it sorted out xxx

Yes this really winds me up! They are happy to let the mother take all the responsibilities, cope with no help, and as soon as they are asked to help take care of their children, they are hailed as being money grabbers who spend their money on booze and fags and neglect the children! They fail to acknowledge that having a child costs hell of a lot more than the odd Christmas or birthday present - they need feeding and clothing and heating and a roof over their heads! If the children were living with both parents, they would be benefitting from whatever the parents earn (both of them), so if the NRP earns a lot of money then the child should benefit from it, if not, then they should benefit from whatever the true income is. There is no set amount that children need on which to live which is often an argument. For example, if David and Victoria Beckham split up and David refused to pay any maintenance, he could argue that Victoria could easily afford to bring them up herself. Yes, this may be true, but as the children belong to David too, they should benefit from David's income and he should pay accordingly. If he argued that he should pay only 15 pounds per week as the Child Benefit rate, he would be laughed at - and rightly so. If however, he only earned 80 quid a week, then 15 quid would be a lot of money! Having children is a financial sacrifice that is for the whole time that a child is a child. Once it is here, it will cost money and to claim that it is unfair to have to pay is stupid and selfish. (to all those refusing to pay ANYTHING!!!!)

sexy_fufu

i thopught the CSA was useless..

Failed me several times, i worte a letter of comlaint to not get very far after 6 months i tried again with them. this time after another 6 months had done nothing. So i complained again in writing.

Upon this complaint i got £90 compensation of the CSA and a GREAT caseworker.

within 4 months i had my case reassesed and payments im now getting £170 per Month

RESULT

You just need to keep trying peeps its hard but eventually you do get there in the end.

I say COMPLAIN it worked for me !!!

sexy_fufu

as for the father no contact at all his choice, his family have started getting involved a bit more, my lil girl who is now 3 got a present of her nanny and aunty (his mom and sis) at Christmas.

kelloggs36

But don't wait for 6 months - chase them every week or fortnight and if they give a deadline for an action, ring them on that date to ensure they do the next action on time!

EthelBloggs

I've been in your situation for the last 11 years djdido.. I'm down to calling them once or twice a year now.. it's pointless.

They've been and knocked at the house where he lives and apparently he claims to be his brother! its crazy, not even a christmas or b'day card for the kids, and this is the only time he kept his word, cos when i divorced him he said those kids would never see or hear from him again, and they haven't! :mad:

EthelBloggs

lol, just out of interest I rang them a few mins ago, they still can't find him even tho I've given them pics of him etc.. lmfao.. useless

System

Brother is currently in the final throes of separating from his adulterous wife and the finances are nearly sorted. She is asking for approx 26% of his net pay in child maintenance for their 2 kids (down from a very greedy 44%).

If he agrees to this percentage just to get his share of the house equity and get out of the marital home is there anything to stop him at a later date, and after the access hearing, from going to the CSA and getting them to calculate what he should be paying or has he to abide that figure? Neither of them are in receipt of benefits and he has no intention of not paying for his kids.

kelloggs36

The CSA would be calculating him at 20% of his net income as they have 2 kids, so I would offer that and tell her to do her worst, if I were him!

kelloggs36

Oh, does he have the children to stay over with him at least one night per week? If so, there would be a 1/7 reduction in the amount payable per night they stay over with him.