Urgent Advice Needed please....

NikNox

She reckons she did ask them to close it, but said they told her they wanted to do a reassessment, which I don't believe to be honest. She must have told them my husband had a change in his circumstances for them to even be writing to him for a reassessment!! I can kind of understand that because she is on benefits and they (the Government) wouldn't want to miss out on any money that could be paid to cover her benefits! Her financial benefit will only be about £20, so it hardly seems worth it for her. Still, if that's the way she wants to play it!

marksoton

NikNox wrote: »

Right, no DEO in place, thankfully. So, if he sends them payslips and answers their question about how long he has been with his present employer (3 years), ALL they can do is request arrears from when the PWC phoned them, which was a couple of weeks ago apparently? Sorry to harp on for all this clarification, but my hubby is really confused, and really worried. Thanks.

All he needs to do is provide his last two monthly or five weekly payslips.

They have no need to ask questions about how long he has been with his employer.

As long as he is honest about his current income then all should be fine.

NikNox

Thanks for that. They have asked in their letter how long he has been with his present employer, and I assumed it was so they could backdate arrears to when he started with them! Could he try ignoring that question and just sending them the payslips and go from there? He's planning on phoning his ex again tomorrow, just to speak to her and suggest that it might be better that she does ask for the case to be closed, reason being that his daughter will continue to benefit from what we do with her (i.e. trips out, ice skating, cinema etc.,), but we will not be able to afford if he's paying the Government more money (his ex will still get her £20 per week).

Worth a try!

NikNox

Also, if she does ask for the case to be closed and it is, but they want to recoup arrears from him for their own pockets, which if backdated 2 weeks will amount to the princely sum of about £20, would they just carry on with their direct debit until those arrears are paid and then cancel it and let my husband and his ex get on with their private arrangement?

marksoton

NikNox wrote: »

Thanks for that. They have asked in their letter how long he has been with his present employer, and I assumed it was so they could backdate arrears to when he started with them! Could he try ignoring that question and just sending them the payslips and go from there? He's planning on phoning his ex again tomorrow, just to speak to her and suggest that it might be better that she does ask for the case to be closed, reason being that his daughter will continue to benefit from what we do with her (i.e. trips out, ice skating, cinema etc.,), but we will not be able to afford if he's paying the Government more money (his ex will still get her £20 per week).

Worth a try!

Hmm. As far as i am aware this is not normal. They have no need for this information.

kelloggs36

NikNox wrote: »

Also Kelloggs, if no reassessment has been asked for by her and it's the CSA deciding to reassess, when would they want arrears from?

From the date they contacted him if the CSA made the decision, or the date the PWC requested reassessment if instigated by PWC

NikNox

kelloggs36 wrote: »

From the date they contacted him if the CSA made the decision, or the date the PWC requested reassessment if instigated by PWC

Thanks Kelloggs. We received the letter today, but believe she phoned them a couple of weeks ago, so I guess it would be from then. It's such a relief to know that we won't owe 3 years worth of arrears!!

If she wrote to them now however, and asked them to close the case, end of, would they do so?

kelloggs36

They would close the case - it doesn't look like she has requested closure of the case though. Does the letter just ask for your updated details?

NikNox

kelloggs36 wrote: »

They would close the case - it doesn't look like she has requested closure of the case though. Does the letter just ask for your updated details?

I thought so. No, the letter says that they have been informed that my husband's circumstances have changed, and are asking for payslips and how long he has been with his present employer. He has until 26th Feb to reply.

My husband spoke to his mother about this (if you remember from Parents Centre, my MIL is very close to the ex) and she said she was with the ex when she phoned the CSA. MIL swore blind to my husband that the ex asked them to close the case but that they refused to do so. She reckons they said that if the ex wanted privately arranged payments in the future then that would be ok, but that she could not close the case. MIL reckons that the ex is really worried about how my husband will take all of this as she apparently just wants everything to be amicable. Hmmm, MIL is very capable of stirring things and she's not the sharpest tool in the box, so who the hell is telling the truth I just don't know. And, if they were all so concerned after this phone call 2 weeks ago, why the hell didn't anyone let my husband know!!!

Anyway, he will comply with the letter, send the payslips etc., and take it from there. However, I'm wondering if maybe he should phone them and ask them what's going on, and tell them he was under the impression that his ex was going to ask for the case to be closed. What do you think?

kelloggs36

If she called before 27th October, then this may have been the case as benefit claimants were always obliged to claim but if it was since then there is absolutely no reason at all why the CSA would not close the case for future maintenance and just collect the arrears. Has your hubby asked the CSA if the PWC has requested closure as she has suggested to him?