CSA advice please

mrsspendalot

enemes wrote: »

My understanding is that he will be assessed at nil, when he becomes a student. Your CTC will not come into it, as they are surely for your three children. Likewise your income will not come into it either.

Well that is what I would have thought too, but apparently the CTC I receive for my 3 kids (and have done even before we got together) is all taken into account as DH's income! He doesn't see a penny of it though, as it is paid to me for my 3 kids. So really it will be me having to pay his ex £7 a week in maintenance - and they say that partners are not liable!

LizzieS_2

Students are automatically assessed at nil. However, if they have another income in excess of £100pw then that income is assessed for child support payments.

CTC is a joint claim and therefore would be included irrespective of who receives it, ie you are both equally entitled to receive payment.

mrsspendalot

Thanks Lizzie - my confusion is over whether he will have to keep paying £7 assessed on the whole £109 ... or whether the calculation will be based only on the amount over the £100 ... i.e. the £9? Reading the stuff online, students are nil rate unless they have income over £100 which would normally be taken into account. That reads to me like he could earn £99 and it would be ignored .... so presumably they will ignore the CTC upto that limit also and only count the bit over £100 - which would be more than a fiver a week, and therefore give him flat rate assessment of £5 a week? Have I got that right?

I understand about the CTC, but it is bloody annoying!

enemes

mrsspendalot wrote: »

So really it will be me having to pay his ex £7 a week in maintenance ...

Well, that is crass! More like it is your children who having to pay his maintenance!! Sorry for the misinformation, and I am surprised at that.

LizzieS_2

mrsspendalot wrote: »

Thanks Lizzie - my confusion is over whether he will have to keep paying £7 assessed on the whole £109 ... or whether the calculation will be based only on the amount over the £100 ... i.e. the £9? Reading the stuff online, students are nil rate unless they have income over £100 which would normally be taken into account. That reads to me like he could earn £99 and it would be ignored .... so presumably they will ignore the CTC upto that limit also and only count the bit over £100 - which would be more than a fiver a week, and therefore give him flat rate assessment of £5 a week? Have I got that right?

I understand about the CTC, but it is bloody annoying!

Yes you're partly right. He can have an "income" of £99pw without having to pay, but once it reaches £100pw or more he would be assessed on all the income. For the CTC being annoying - try to find a way of seeing it as long-term justice instead of letting it get to you, eg pwc is going to lose a lot and when your hubby gets a better job through studying, she will gain for a very short time compared to you.

enemes

LizzieS wrote: »

...she will gain for a very short time compared to you.

Very mellow ... I like that attitude, well done Lizzie!

LizzieS_2

enemes wrote: »

Very mellow ...

LOL, I take it you are comparing to a certain other thread? If it helps, the difference in my posts is purely down to the attitude displayed by the poster I am responding to.

enemes

No comparisons whatsoever ... just like the attitude displayed here. Everyone has their own attitude, but their words speak for themselves. Its just good to get our human instincts out ...

mrsspendalot

Thanks for that Lizzie.

He has decided to pay direct to CSA so no dispute with payments being received with PWC (they're hardly on speaking terms at the moment!). He has cleared arrears in lump sum and set up the weekly payment. Hopefully that will now be the end of it.

What happens now then? Do we have to be reassessed in September when he becomes a student because of the change of circumstances? What if my CTC amount changes (up or down?) How often will it be reassessed in future (yearly?).

Sorry for all the questions, but we're both very new to all this! I have a really nice amicable arrangement with my ex for my kids. Until she got so greedy, they had a nice arrangement too!

Oh, and can anyone answer my query about the variation for travelling costs and/or having to buy clothes if PWC refuses to send clothes with the child?

Ta!

mrsspendalot

DH now thinking maybe the best solution is to offer a private arrangement and try and appeal to her greedy nature, just to get away from CSA.

Thinking that if he offers £10 a week as opposed to the £7 CSA are going to take, she may drop the case.