advice needed for income support and backpayments form csa

bonnit

my ex partner owes me £3,799 for the period for28/03/2007 to 23/12/2008 (the rest is still being calculated apparently) it has taken until now to trace him so thats why it has accumulated. they have sent me through a schedule stating that he should pay £44 a week and also £72 a week on top of this to address the arrears, this is not for an awful long period of time, in fact the amount doesnt seem to add up (grrrr!!!)

i am on income support and have been since march this year, before that i have always worked 18 hours a week around my sons nursery/school.

my question is what will be the impact of the back payments from the csa to my income support, bearing in mind i was already owed that money for my son way before i even started claiming and was working not claiming anything at that time. i am aware that i will not recieve the full amount of any money paid or owed since i started claiming income support, i can only recive a maximum of £20 without it affecting my claim but with regards to the previous debt for the csa will this be taken off my benefit too? i am terrified that it will? i doubt he will even pay it as it has taken this long to trace him due to the fact that according to all official companies "he doesnt exist" lol but i need to know either way just in case pigs should fly lol

any advice would be very much appreciated.

Kimitatsu

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Kimitatsu

Hiya

You should get the arrears paid in full to you as they should have been paid at the time. The fact that they are now being paid should make no difference.

As you are aware anything over £20 a week you will not get from the time you signed onto IS.

bonnit

do you think it may be worthwhile calling them or will this notify them of a change that dont even know will happen or not?

DX2

bonnit wrote: »

do you think it may be worthwhile calling them or will this notify them of a change that dont even know will happen or not?

No don't inform them (IS) until there is actually money in your bank account! Although the CSA have made up a payment schedule doesn't mean he will pay it, then your IS is all mucked up.

bonnit

no sorry i mean to ask them about the situation not to decalre a change in circumstances?

DX2

bonnit wrote: »

no sorry i mean to ask them about the situation not to decalre a change in circumstances?

Expect a few different answers from the IS call centre Can you get in contact with your local CAB first and ask them for advice. I know IS shouldn't use CSA arrears but some aren't as clued up as others.

kingfisherblue

I was in a similar situation until recently. I have been on IS since my ex left and he wasn't paying any CM for our three children. I am able to keep the full amount of arrears as he is paying the amount owed to me separately from the amount owed to the Secretary of State. I was entitled to receive £10 a week before the end of October 2008 and £20 a week since then. My ex is paying this first, then the remainder of the CM owed will be paid to the SofS.

IS first told me that I would not be entitled to keep the full amount of arrears 9and I posted on this forum for advice), but after eight weeks, I was told that I can keep it as I am entitled to it.

The amount owed to me didn't add up either, and it wasn't being paid over a long period of time. I pointed out on several occasions that it didn't add up - eventually a supervisor told me that the schedule I had been sent was only for a year, and that I would receive a new schedule the following year. I was owed almost £2000 in total, so when the first schedule showed arrears of around £800, you can see why I queried it!

In the meantime, my daughter left full time education, so my ex doesn't pay anything for her now, but I still get the arrears for when she was a dependant.

It is now sorted out (at last!) and I have a healthy payment coming in each month for the next few months. I hope to decorate my sons' room shortly (we're sorting toys and clothes first!) and some of the money will pay for this and for new beds. My daughter has a new TV. the rest will be saved in my Credit Union until the kids need something.

Good luck x