CSA percentage

timandkay

Sorry if this has been asked before, im new!

My wifes ex partner is due to pay maintenance for their 3 children, who live with us, after not paying a penny for the past 3 years! We have contacted the CSA and he now says he wants to pay my wife directly as the CSA will take a percentage (as their fee) of his payments. I have tried to find out if this is true but had no luck. I am worried he is just using that as an excuse to pay less.

My wife and I get child tax credit and working tax credit, I was told this would not be affected by maintenance payments, is this true?!

Can anyone advise on these two issues? Many thanks

13Kent

As far as I know the CSA do not take a percentage, and our PWC still gets tax credits.

timandkay

13Kent wrote: »

As far as I know the CSA do not take a percentage, and our PWC still gets tax credits.

Thanks, sorry but whats PWC?!

pinkpig08

PWC is Parent With Care - in this case your wife. No the CSA do not take a fee, the maintenance calculated is the amount which should be paid to her. As it's for 3 children - assuming he has no other children living with him then it should be 25% of his net wage.

Prudent

It sounds like he is making excuses. You will also be arrears which are due from the time this CSA contacted him. I get payments for my daughetr and this does not effect my tax credits. As stated it should be 25% of his net pay.

timandkay

Thanks for the help, I think he is trying to pull a fast one! He does have a new partner who has 2 children so the CSA told us he would only have to pay 20% which seems correct judging by the CSA calculator.

Myamoth

He's definitely trying to pull a fast one - as stated above the CSA don't take a fee, and child maintenance won't affect tax credits etc. I know as I'm still friends with my ex, and the money he pays is the same as the money received. I also claim child and working tax credits, and maintenance is not included in their calculations. Good Luck!

Donedoingdebt

timandkay wrote: »

Thanks for the help, I think he is trying to pull a fast one! He does have a new partner who has 2 children so the CSA told us he would only have to pay 20% which seems correct judging by the CSA calculator.

The formula is: he will receive a 20% allowance for his partner's 2 children off his salary before the assessment is made.

Example: Net pay per month.................................................£1000
20% allowance for Partner's (NRPP) 2 children.............£200
Income used for assessment....................................£800

Assessment amount will be 25% of £800

Therefore, the CSA are correct in stating that the maintenance payable will work out as 20% of his net pay, ie - £200 per month.

The NRP should also receive an allowance of one seventh off that figure for each overnight stay per week that the children stay with him up to a maximum of three sevenths.

As others have stated, there is no fee charged by the CSA. The only possible charge that may be levied is £1.00 per payment that may be taken by his employer if he is paying by Detachment of earnings order (DEO). If he pays by Bank D/D or S/O, then this charge will not apply.

DX2

Although there has been rumours that the CSA will be taking a fee in the future.

kingfisherblue

If he has to pay the arrears, the amount he pays can be increased to 40% of his pay, after the 20% allowance for the two children that live with him. My ex avoided paying for four years and now has to pay the arrears, so he has 15% allowance for one child living with him, then 20% of his net pay is regular maintenance, then another 20% to pay off his arrears