Help with the CSA please!

blondchicken

Hello All,

I have been trying to cliam child maintenance through the CSA since January 2008. My childrens father lives very close to us, is self-employed and sees the children.

He has ignored all correspondents from the CSA and has not paid any money. The CSA doesn't appear to be doing anything about it.

Every time I ring I am told a different story, the conflicting information I have been given has got soo ridiculous that I am now keeping a diary of all the conversations between me and the CSA. My case began in Ireland and was sent to Plymouth last month and now I'm told the case is Pontyfract!

I have emailed in a complaint via their website, but have not heard anything. I have also drafted a letter to my local MP. - I intend to send this later today so any pointers would be great.

To top it all my ex-partners step mum, dropped my children home yesterday, she told me that her husband pays him (although he is self-employed) and she will take the money out of his wages and give it to me before she gives him his money - thats if I dont persue through the CSA! And apparently he is moving Friday.....

I dont want to stop my claim through the CSA as I know down the line he will stop paying again (its happened countless times) and I will have to start all over again.

Is there anything else I can do? All help would be much appreciated!

speedster

as he's SE you could be in for a rough ride with the csa.

main reason is because anyone SE isn't scared of the csa. they cant DEO you for 40% of your wage and net profits are generally considerably lower than paye net.

also, it sounds like his father is a LTD company, in which case dividends cant be used either. they'll only assess him on his paye wage from that company. tenner says it's about 6k a year.

if a private arrangement is on the table, it may be worth going for it, for 2 reasons.

1. you will end up being consumed by the system as SE can play it better than most.

2. if he is paye for a third partys ltd co then you're only gonna get a fiver a week anyway.

i hope you get it sorted ok.

smoothassilk

Why will she only take the money if you stop it with the csa? what are they worried about? surely if they are happy to pay you money it shouldnt matter if it gets passed through the csa before you get it.
I say dont stop your claim, like you said hes stopped paying before so why will this time be any different? you will just go back to square one again.

Found_true_love

blondchicken wrote: »

Hello All,

I have been trying to cliam child maintenance through the CSA since January 2008. My childrens father lives very close to us, is self-employed and sees the children.

1 is he allowed (by you) to see the children overnight or as much as he wants?

2 Does he look after the children as much as you or they would like? (overnight)

LizzieS_2

It sounds like your ex father in law is self employed, and your ex is an employee of his. As an employee he will be subject to PAYE, not SE.

Good to see contact continues.

speedster

LizzieS wrote: »

It sounds like your ex father in law is self employed, and your ex is an employee of his. As an employee he will be subject to PAYE, not SE.

Good to see contact continues.

i reckon ex FIL is LTD.

ex is paye on 6k a year.

dunno until confirmed, but that's what it looks like.

blondchicken

Thank you all!!
I am definitely going to continue my case with the CSA as I know if I stopped it, then any money fomr him would very quickly dry up!
It is my understanding that both him and his father are self-employed, his dad gets paid for the 'gang' and he distributes the money out.

As for the children Sunday is his day, although he never seems to manage two Sundays in a row and the passed two visits I have had to collect the children early as he got a 'call out' and had to work. So the only time they are let down is by him.

I wrote a letter to my MP today, so fingers crossed, I also attached a copy of my diary of phone calls I have had with CSA so fingers crossed.

Someone said that I could see a copy of my file from the CSA - someting to do with data protection act, does anyone know the best way to request this?

deedee71

You can put your CSA application on hold and reinstate it at any time. PPs are right, on paper SEs can look as if they are on the bread line. I would take the cash offered through ex MIL and have your application on hold should the payments stop.

Good luck.

Kimitatsu

You can request your file using this letter from the NACSA website:

http://www.nacsa.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=61

Good luck!

speedster

blondchicken wrote: »

Thank you all!!
I am definitely going to continue my case with the CSA as I know if I stopped it, then any money fomr him would very quickly dry up!
It is my understanding that both him and his father are self-employed, his dad gets paid for the 'gang' and he distributes the money out.

As for the children Sunday is his day, although he never seems to manage two Sundays in a row and the passed two visits I have had to collect the children early as he got a 'call out' and had to work. So the only time they are let down is by him.

I wrote a letter to my MP today, so fingers crossed, I also attached a copy of my diary of phone calls I have had with CSA so fingers crossed.

Someone said that I could see a copy of my file from the CSA - someting to do with data protection act, does anyone know the best way to request this?

still doesn't add up. he's either SE or he is PAYE. if SE then step mother cannot give you cash out of his contracted money as it hasn't gone through to be asseessed for profit and loss.

the discrepencies would show up immediately when he files his tax return.

it may be worth doing a check with companies house to see if FIL is a director.

pd001

blondchicken wrote: »

Hello All,
Every time I ring I am told a different story, the conflicting information I have been given has got soo ridiculous that I am now keeping a diary of all the conversations between me and the CSA. My case began in Ireland and was sent to Plymouth last month and now I'm told the case is Pontyfract!

Is there anything else I can do? All help would be much appreciated!

Yes there is something else that you can do.

Stop dealing with the csa on the phone and they will then be unable to give you a different story each time that you contact them.

Deal with them in writing only
Send each letter recorded delivery.
Print out a copy of the delivery report from the Royal Mail website
Start a paper file
Do not lose anything...keep copies of all you correspondence
Never send original documents if you can help it

and one more thing...did i say?

Never ever deal with the csa on the phone

It works!!