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CSA Arrears
13Kent
Posts: 1,190 Forumite
I have been reading through a few of the threads on this forum, and a lot of people seem aghast that arrears have built up and seem to think that it is black and white that the person owing the arrears is at fault for letting them build up in the first place.
My OH has arrears as his ex told the CSA that he wasn't paying her when he was. He was also paying the mortgage and household bills such as insurance and tv licence etc not to mention a loan in joint names. Other than the bank statements for bills by DD he had no proof that he had paid her as the money he gave her was cash. Bad move you might think but he had no choice as she ruined him financially spending all in their joint account - having seen the bank statements some of that spent on train tickets, hotel bills and restaurant bills to see the person she was having an affair with. As a result he was left with just a cash card - no cheque book, so he could not prove that the cash withdrawn from the account went to her.
Some of the bills paid by direct debit were taken off the arrears (only half of each bill) but only after the CSA had contacted the ex for her agreement.
In the last 10 years the CSA have put the arrears up and down almost every year. Often they have increased due to our CSA payments increasing, but the CSA omitting to change the payment amount until one or two months later. We were paying the arrears at the lowest possible figure, and have done so for years - but after a 'threatening' call from the CSA recently wanting to up the amount, threatening to increase the monthly amount significantly or take it directly out of his pay if he didn't agree to the change, have increased it so that the arrears are paid off within 2 years.
The reason the CSA are chasing up the arrears at the moment is that the government are putting pressure on them to claim them back within a time period, which is making life difficult for those that are paying - galling when in some cases the arrears were not necessarily their fault in the first place.
- Just a note about our circumstances we are on the oldest system and pay nearly £600 a month for 2 children. We have 2 of our own, my wages are counted as part of our household income as well as hubby's, as are our child benefit and child tax credit.
The ex has also remarried. Her husbands wages are not taken into account as part of her household income. Neither are her child benefit, child tax credit or working families tax credits. Although she works in a building society her income is deemed as NIL as she is on a benefits - working families tax credit is deemed as a benefit. So in the last few years I have had financial responsibility for her children, she hasn't.
They have had expensive foreign holidays (Disney Florida being one) and had the whole house refurbished (carpets, bathrooms, kitchen etc).
We have tried to tell the CSA that she is living beyond her income - NIL - but to no avail.
We have tried to apply for transport costs as my other half always picks up his kids and drops them back when they visit - this has sometimes been a round trip of 4 hours on a Fri and the same on a Sun. (she has not attempted to get the children to us or even meet us half way at any time). The CSA's answer to that is "It doesn't change the amount by£*** a week/month (pick a a number - it changes every assessment!!) so we won't change the amount you pay!
To add insult to injury we have been told by a member of the CSA staff who was shocked at the amount we were paying based on our circumstances, that if we were on the new system we would be paying only £288 a month (not £600!!!). :mad: thanks for that!!
I have a lot of sympathy for the PWC who have been left high and dry by partners refusing to pay, and dodging paying by any means.
Unfortunately there are others like us who pay regularly and always have done, and the CSA is making life miserable for these people as it can't get to the others!
After years of fighting talking to MP's trying to get put on new system, etc we are resigned to just keeping quiet and paying - we were fed up with ruining our lives by constantly getting upset about it. We are just waiting for the next few years to go by when we will stop paying and then we will have more money to treat our two children as well.
And if I am completely honest sadly that leaves me torn also as much as I would like my step children to be successful, there is a little part of me that hopes that they do not go on to further education so that we can finish paying the CSA sooner, an have more money to spend on my children who are not getting the opportunities I would like to give them as we can't afford too many luxuries - A horrid way to feel - I hate it!
So best of luck those of you involved with the horrid CSA - keep fighting, and others please don't judge too harshly until you know the circumstances - it's not always as cut and dried as it seems!!
(Rant over!!!)
My OH has arrears as his ex told the CSA that he wasn't paying her when he was. He was also paying the mortgage and household bills such as insurance and tv licence etc not to mention a loan in joint names. Other than the bank statements for bills by DD he had no proof that he had paid her as the money he gave her was cash. Bad move you might think but he had no choice as she ruined him financially spending all in their joint account - having seen the bank statements some of that spent on train tickets, hotel bills and restaurant bills to see the person she was having an affair with. As a result he was left with just a cash card - no cheque book, so he could not prove that the cash withdrawn from the account went to her.
Some of the bills paid by direct debit were taken off the arrears (only half of each bill) but only after the CSA had contacted the ex for her agreement.
In the last 10 years the CSA have put the arrears up and down almost every year. Often they have increased due to our CSA payments increasing, but the CSA omitting to change the payment amount until one or two months later. We were paying the arrears at the lowest possible figure, and have done so for years - but after a 'threatening' call from the CSA recently wanting to up the amount, threatening to increase the monthly amount significantly or take it directly out of his pay if he didn't agree to the change, have increased it so that the arrears are paid off within 2 years.
The reason the CSA are chasing up the arrears at the moment is that the government are putting pressure on them to claim them back within a time period, which is making life difficult for those that are paying - galling when in some cases the arrears were not necessarily their fault in the first place.
- Just a note about our circumstances we are on the oldest system and pay nearly £600 a month for 2 children. We have 2 of our own, my wages are counted as part of our household income as well as hubby's, as are our child benefit and child tax credit.
The ex has also remarried. Her husbands wages are not taken into account as part of her household income. Neither are her child benefit, child tax credit or working families tax credits. Although she works in a building society her income is deemed as NIL as she is on a benefits - working families tax credit is deemed as a benefit. So in the last few years I have had financial responsibility for her children, she hasn't.
They have had expensive foreign holidays (Disney Florida being one) and had the whole house refurbished (carpets, bathrooms, kitchen etc).
We have tried to tell the CSA that she is living beyond her income - NIL - but to no avail.
We have tried to apply for transport costs as my other half always picks up his kids and drops them back when they visit - this has sometimes been a round trip of 4 hours on a Fri and the same on a Sun. (she has not attempted to get the children to us or even meet us half way at any time). The CSA's answer to that is "It doesn't change the amount by£*** a week/month (pick a a number - it changes every assessment!!) so we won't change the amount you pay!
To add insult to injury we have been told by a member of the CSA staff who was shocked at the amount we were paying based on our circumstances, that if we were on the new system we would be paying only £288 a month (not £600!!!). :mad: thanks for that!!
I have a lot of sympathy for the PWC who have been left high and dry by partners refusing to pay, and dodging paying by any means.
Unfortunately there are others like us who pay regularly and always have done, and the CSA is making life miserable for these people as it can't get to the others!
After years of fighting talking to MP's trying to get put on new system, etc we are resigned to just keeping quiet and paying - we were fed up with ruining our lives by constantly getting upset about it. We are just waiting for the next few years to go by when we will stop paying and then we will have more money to treat our two children as well.
And if I am completely honest sadly that leaves me torn also as much as I would like my step children to be successful, there is a little part of me that hopes that they do not go on to further education so that we can finish paying the CSA sooner, an have more money to spend on my children who are not getting the opportunities I would like to give them as we can't afford too many luxuries - A horrid way to feel - I hate it!
So best of luck those of you involved with the horrid CSA - keep fighting, and others please don't judge too harshly until you know the circumstances - it's not always as cut and dried as it seems!!
(Rant over!!!)
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Comments
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I can totally sympathise with you on all aspects. Don't you think it is madness that if you were to seperate you would probably be better off financially!! Also if you were then to make a claim to the csa for your two children against your oh you would be put onto the csa2 which he would then stay, of course there is always the problem with phasing though!!
there is just no justice second family kids second class citizens!!!
the csa are just so unorganised, we requested all data, we received a letter today to say that our address does not match theirs on their system, this is the system that they have been sending eveything to and receiving everything from for the past 7 years. Delay tactics me thinks!!0 -
The CSA has a failure that is not fit for purpose, thats why we have the new CMEC. The government need to put the final nail in the CSA coffin by transeferring all old rules cases onto new rules on the new system. Then close the CSA down and have it all run by CMEC. Putting lots of money into staff training and getting working procedures in place that are fit for use.
Alot of peope think a case just needs to be put onto the new computer system to get lower payments etc; Thats not true, Im on the new computer system but on the old rules. If I was new rules I would pay about £30 a week less.
I pay my money every week without but still pay for uniforms holidays etc ontop. I dont grudge my daughter anything but its hard to pay for xmas etc when they csa take soo much money from me. Her mum is on benefits as she has two younger children. Im only paying for her benefits really!When dealing with the CSA its important to note that it is commonly accepted as unfit for purpose, and by default this also means the staff are unfit for purpose.0 -
borders_dude wrote: »The CSA has a failure that is not fit for purpose, thats why we have the new CMEC. The government need to put the final nail in the CSA coffin by transeferring all old rules cases onto new rules on the new system. Then close the CSA down and have it all run by CMEC. Putting lots of money into staff training and getting working procedures in place that are fit for use.
Alot of peope think a case just needs to be put onto the new computer system to get lower payments etc; Thats not true, Im on the new computer system but on the old rules. If I was new rules I would pay about £30 a week less.
I pay my money every week without but still pay for uniforms holidays etc ontop. I dont grudge my daughter anything but its hard to pay for xmas etc when they csa take soo much money from me. Her mum is on benefits as she has two younger children. Im only paying for her benefits really!
From what i have read the new CMEC system will be set up to take DEO's from your gross earnings along with tax and insurance so for example 15% csa for one child avg 23% tax 9% national insurance a total of 47% of wage gone, how can that be a better system? its gonna be great for the PWC's but tis time for the NRP's to put there heads between there legs and kiss there A R S E goodbye. in my oppinion its gonna be the same if not worseI only speak of my own experiences. and research that i have carried out whilst dealing with my own case with the child support agency0 -
Well I will be happy because I will be paying less! which means I can still afford to pay for her horse riding etc, school uniforms, sports gear etc;When dealing with the CSA its important to note that it is commonly accepted as unfit for purpose, and by default this also means the staff are unfit for purpose.0
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My daughter is 24, case closed in 2005. Paid my ex and daughter directly, then would you believe it in 2008 after 11 years since the first letter (no other letter sent in that time, from Data Files), a nice large sum to pay within 14 days arrived.
the system for some is a joke.0 -
Yes I would beleive it. But since you have recieptsm bank statements etc to prove you were paying direct there should be no real issue unless money is owed to the SoS.When dealing with the CSA its important to note that it is commonly accepted as unfit for purpose, and by default this also means the staff are unfit for purpose.0
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Good luck trying to sort it out though because knowing the CSA like I do nothing is simple that should be.When dealing with the CSA its important to note that it is commonly accepted as unfit for purpose, and by default this also means the staff are unfit for purpose.0
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