CSA have made contact

jon6743

Hi all


I have just had a letter from the CSA telling me i have arrears of 20k and this must be paid. I informed the CSA 5 years ago that my ex wife had moved away without informing me of her new address, i informed the CSA of this and told them that i would not be paying my ex wife nothing until i get to see my daughter. That was 5 years ago and i have not seen her for all that time, recently i found out where she was living. The CSA have now got wind of this and want me to start paying again as well as the arrears for the past 5 years. I am still waiting to see my daughter, but hopefully soon.

I was told that if my ex wife stopped me seeing my daughter then i should not pay. Can anyone help me as the CSA are now asking me for almost £700 per month payments without even re-assessing me, as my circumstances have changed quite a bit since my last assessment 6 years ago.. They say if i dont pay the amount stated they will just go to my employer and get a detachment of earnings. ARGGGHH. HELP

dtc04

the csa is not intrested in contact it has nothing to do with maintance, being told to stop paying was really bad advice and since you werent paying thats where the arrears came from.

Have you told the csa of the change in circumstances?

DX2

jon6743 wrote: »

Hi all


I have just had a letter from the CSA telling me i have arrears of 20k and this must be paid. I informed the CSA 5 years ago that my ex wife had moved away without informing me of her new address, i informed the CSA of this and told them that i would not be paying my ex wife nothing until i get to see my daughter. That was 5 years ago and i have not seen her for all that time, recently i found out where she was living. The CSA have now got wind of this and want me to start paying again as well as the arrears for the past 5 years. I am still waiting to see my daughter, but hopefully soon.

I was told that if my ex wife stopped me seeing my daughter then i should not pay. Can anyone help me as the CSA are now asking me for almost £700 per month payments without even re-assessing me, as my circumstances have changed quite a bit since my last assessment 6 years ago.. They say if i dont pay the amount stated they will just go to my employer and get a detachment of earnings. ARGGGHH. HELP

Who told you this?
The CSA aren't interested in parents withholding contact, they are there for NRP to support their child/ren.

I doubt very much they will re assess you back five years, it was your job to inform them of any changes in circumstances and since you didn't the assessment still stands.

Kimitatsu

All of the above posts are correct, contact and maintenance are not linked so regardless of whether you have seen your daughter you are responsible for the maintenance.

You are also responsible for informing the CSA of any changes in circumstances, if you have not then they will only reassess you from the date they were informed. They will not backdate it for you.

serbask

I used to work for CAFCASS and can confirm that there is no link between child support and maintenance. I think you need to treat the two things seperately. Contact the CSA and inform them of your circumstances and try to find a payment schedule that works for both of you.

Also, try to negotiate with your child's mother regarding access. If this does not work then start legal proceedings. Assuming that there is no good reason why you shouldn't see your daughter, once CAFCASS is invloved a Family Court Advisor will be assigned to you and will place a recommendation with the court as to what access arrangements should be in place. If your childs mother ignors this she will be in contempt of court.

jon6743

I have not been re assed yet as this is the first contact i have had from them for 5 years, they say they want payment today. I will phone them later and ask to be re assessed.

marksoton

jon6743 wrote: »

I have not been re assed yet as this is the first contact i have had from them for 5 years, they say they want payment today. I will phone them later and ask to be re assessed.

Problem is though Jon the reassessment won't affect the arrears, only future payments. Assuming the arrears have been calculated correctly ( which you need to check ) the figure will stand.

Sorry to say whoever told you to stop paying was an absolute idiot. The worst thing you can do with the CSA is sever contact.

PlayingHardball

The advice above all sounds like the arrears will stand. Would the CSA not recalculate the arrears if the OP's income had changed or was sporadic or non existent throughout the 5 years? I think the OP will need to know this, and I'm not knowledgeable in this area.

Kimitatsu

PlayingHardball wrote: »

The advice above all sounds like the arrears will stand. Would the CSA not recalculate the arrears if the OP's income had changed or was sporadic or non existent throughout the 5 years? I think the OP will need to know this, and I'm not knowledgeable in this area.

The onus is on the NRP to inform the CSA of any change of circumstances as he has not done so and has ignored all contact with the CSA then they are not obliged to recalculate the arrears.

Whilst we are giving bad news, as has been said contact is not linked to maintenance. How old is your daughter? As you have not had contact for such an extended period of time then the court may decide that you can have limitied contact (initially by letter to reintroduce yourself to your daughter) or if your daughter does not want to have contact then there may be none awarded at all. The CAFCASS officer will decide what is in the best interests of the child.

If you can come to an arrangement with your ex wife either on a one to one level or through mediation that would be better for you where contact is concerned (I do appreciate that may not be possible)

kelloggs36

PlayingHardball wrote: »

The advice above all sounds like the arrears will stand. Would the CSA not recalculate the arrears if the OP's income had changed or was sporadic or non existent throughout the 5 years? I think the OP will need to know this, and I'm not knowledgeable in this area.

No, it is now too late. NRP knew the CSA were involved but chose not to pay so the arrears are entirely down to the NRP. As far as taking account of changes is concerned, also no. As he knew of the CSA involvement he could have told them of any changes, but again chose not to so it is too late. If he informs them and provides evidence of his current circumstances, a new assessment may be done from now, but it depends on how much it affects the assessment by.

blimey40

Kelloggs 36, is spot on. You'll have to pay it and they will do a DEO and it will probably be 40%.