Please Help, confused and anxious

maz_rina

I have just got off the phone to the CSA my head is spinning and didnt get a reply to my question , so I am hoping you can all advise me.

I recieved a letter last week to say I have to pay CSA ( not a problem) I do not understand thier workings out .... I am happy with the assesd monthly amount of £63.79 the letter says that it should be paid from july 2009 (again not a problem I work that out as approx £500) I recieved another letter yesterday with a schedule of payments ....... regular payments £63.79 plus arrears of £92.86 Total=£167.53 untill feb 2011 !!! unless im mistaken the arreas total £ 1,113.32 ????

so on the phone they spoke to mw like a total idiot and just kept repeating that I ony have 2 years to pay of arreas and thats the law !!
please someone give me some advice ...............

What is the most they can make me pay , the paperwork confuses me, im not the sharpest pencil in the box, obviously if I was id be better paid and have to pay more !
Is there a certain amount I have to left with to live on , It says " the income we have included in this assessment is £73.69 ??? what does that mean ????

Like I have said please dont get me wrong I have no issues of paying for my child, but with payment of rent ect I really dont have enough at the end of the month to pay it , whats next ?

shell_542

Right I worked it out that if you've been accruing arrears of £63.79 from July 09 and start making payments in Feb 10, you will have accrued arrears to a total of 7 x 63.79 = £446.53

Paying arrears of £92.86 a month from Feb 10 to Feb 11 is 13 x £92.86 = £1207.18

Obviously something is clearly wrong there.

If they are banging on about the "law" being arrears being repaid in two years max, a) they're giving you 1 yr and b) your arrears of £446.53 ÷ 24 months would be £18.61 a month.

I'd get back on the phone with all your figures in front of you set out clearly with an answer to every flawed suggestion they propose. If you don't get a satisfactory answer ask to speak to someone senior and tell them you won't get off the phone until you speak to them.

Follow everything up in writing, sent recorded delivery and keep a copy yourself.

If you get nowhere, contact your local MP who may write on your behalf or alternatively NACSA who can help, but they charge a fee.

This should be a simple query to clear up. Someone has got their maths screwed up. Its not hard to work out.

Good luck x

maz_rina

Thank you , so i am not going mad thank christ ! will do as you sugessted
Many thanks

shell_542

maz_rina wrote: »

Is there a certain amount I have to left with to live on , It says " the income we have included in this assessment is £73.69 ??? what does that mean ????

No idea what this means. Someone who has a CSA case or someone more knowledgeable might know. It can't be weekly income you get as that would mean you would be paying £5 a week.

How many children are you paying maintenance for and how many do you have living in your home? (If you don't mind me asking)

maz_rina

ok here goes this is whats on the letter, at any time feel free to explain as I am totally lost....
"We worked out your child Maintenance from 25-7-2009"

Maintenance needed £ 101.64
This includes
x total child allowence £ 56.11
Carer Allowence 48.23
Premiums £ 20.00
less child child benift £20

Your weekly income

Income after deductions £275.99
less income tax £44.48
less NI £ 26.63

Exempt income £202.30
this includes personal allowence £63.30
Housing costs £ 138.00
Income that we count towards your assessment £73.69 Amount due £ 14.93
" We have worked out that £14.93 a week should be paid from 25-07-09"

THEN A LETTER RECIEVED 2 DAYS AFTER
Schedule
Monthly 6/2/10-6/2/10= £74.67.plus arrears £92.86= £167.53
Monthly 6/3/10-6/1/11 = £63.79 plus arrears £92.86 = £156.65
Monthly 6/2/11-6/2/11= 0.00 plus arrears £ 92.86

The Maintenance shouldnt stop in feb 2011 ! and the arrears from july to now cant amount to this much ??????

Confusd yet? yep me too,
I am onlu paying maintenace for 1 child as the other are all now grown up I currently have no children living with me , If they have assesed me at paying only 14 odd a week, is that because im a low earner ?? so how on earth can they expect me to pay that amount in arrears , I did ask if the arrears can be spred longer but they refused
please please advise

kelloggs36

they haven't changed the arrears schedule - you need to chase this up.

NACSA_CHAIR

Maz-rina....You do need to be in touch with them again about the arrears charges, but to clarify - yes they will give upto 2 years, but they would prefer to collect at maximum level to have the debt cleared in a shorter period where possible. Some NRPs have to push to get the debt repaid over 2 years (NOTE - there is NO law that says debt has to be repaid in 2 years!!!)

Also - to explain the phrase "the income we have included in this assessment...."

When CSA look at calclulating maintenance, they have to consider your "exempt income" ie the income that cannot be included in teh calculation of maintenance. This consists of allowances that you would be entitled to receive if claiming Income Support, plus you would be entitled to a certain amount of housing costs. The combined total of these allowances are "exempt" from calculation - thus is deducted from your net income. The amount left, is the only amount that can be included in the assessment.

In your case - your net income was £275.99 and your exempt income was £202.30 - take your exempt income from your net income - which leaves only £73.69 income for calculation purposes.

Hope that helps to explain...