Csa

Noozan

I'd like to ask for some advice on behalf of a very good friend. Please bear with me..... He currently lives with the mother of his 22 month old daughter in a house that is in her name. The mortgage is also in her name. She is SAHM, but was working at the time they purchased the house, when she was just about to give birth. The reason why it's all in her name is because he was declared bankrupt after a failed business.

He has a 9 year old daughter and a 13 year old son from his previous marriage who live with his ex wife. The ex works and refuses to take a penny off him in the form of maintenance. He donates a percentage of his income to his church on a monthly basis in lieu of maintenance that the ex won't take.

He has confided in us that he does not think they will be together for much longer as his current partner has a real problem with accepting his two children from a previous relationship. The children stay every other weekend from Friday night until Sunday afternoon, but she thinks that is too often. She is also very spiteful and cruel to the 13 year old; both my husband and I have picked up on this. The 9 year old seems terrified of her and has very little self confidence.

Our friend has come to realise that if she can't accept him and his children, they have no future. He is worried that if they split, she will prevent him from seeing his 22 month old daughter to hurt him. In the past, she has told me personally that she won't allow him to have his daughter as if he has another relationship, she doesn't want another woman taking care of her child.

He has said that although he has put sweat and tears into making their home the way it is, he is happy to relinquish any right to it and will also give her half their savings. However, she would be unable to keep up the repayments on the mortgage alone. She would not want to get a job as she does not like leaving the child with anyone (as a result if this, the child has terrible separation anxiety)

If and when they split and she was to claim income support, this would trigger an automatic assessment from the CSA. Would the CSA take into account that he has 2 other children? He says that he thinks the CSA would take 15% of his income for one child and 25% for 3 children. So, would they take a straight 15% from him for his youngest child as there is no evidence of the maintainence paid for the elder two? Or would they take 8% for the youngest?

At the moment, he is worried about whether he could afford to rent somewhere for himself if the worst came to the worst.

Any advice appreciated, thanks.

Voyager2002

What an awful situation!

I must say, the CSA would seem to be a minor part of the problem. I suggest focussing more on the human relaionships involved.

Scarlett1

Noozan wrote:

If and when they split and she was to claim income support, this would trigger an automatic assessment from the CSA. Would the CSA take into account that he has 2 other children? He says that he thinks the CSA would take 15% of his income for one child and 25% for 3 children. So, would they take a straight 15% from him for his youngest child as there is no evidence of the maintainence paid for the elder two? Or would they take 8% for the youngest?

as there is no maintenace paid to the ex for his other 2 children then they wont be counted, so he will pay his partner now (if she becomes his ex), 15% of his net pay but she will only receive £10 of this if she claims income support

Noozan

Voyager2002 wrote:

What an awful situation!

I must say, the CSA would seem to be a minor part of the problem. I suggest focussing more on the human relaionships involved.

I wholeheartedly agree with you His youngest daughter worships her big brother and sister which annoys her mum Our friend's main concerns are that he couldn't afford to rent somewhere to live and enable him to still have his children to stay overnight. He's adamant that he wants to see his children together so that they can all have a relationship with one another.

Noozan

Scarlett1 wrote:

as there is no maintenace paid to the ex for his other 2 children then they wont be counted, so he will pay his partner now (if she becomes his ex), 15% of his net pay but she will only receive £10 of this if she claims income support

It seems a bit unfair that the other two children are not taken into consideration. :rolleyes: Above his donations to the church, he gives the children pocket money and buys them bits and pieces etc, but this has to be done on the sly, so to speak as his current partner begrudges every penny that isn't spent on their daughter.

I have no doubt that even if the CSA deducted 15% of his pay and she only got £10 of it, he would never see his child go short if he could help it.

EasilyAggravated

just been on the phone to these about a claim that should have been closed due to reconciliation. theyre still taking money from me and its going nowhere.
takes the biscuit when even these people admit that the system is failing parents. the computer didnt close the case because just like the tax credits, the IT systems are nothing short of crap. when is this stupid government going to stop wasting money and get this sorted?

Scarlett1

Noozan wrote:

It seems a bit unfair that the other two children are not taken into consideration. :rolleyes: Above his donations to the church, he gives the children pocket money and buys them bits and pieces etc, but this has to be done on the sly

money given to the children wont be included in a CSA assessment because it isnt given to you're friend's ex as maintenance (if you see what I mean) , proof of maintenace for his first 2 children would be needed if he wanted the CSA to take less off him

Sensemaya

I was going to reply to this post before,but decided against it.

I do find it really strange he prefers to donate money to a Church rather than setting up ,say,a couple of accounts for his kids,but it's not my place to comment about that.

Scarlett is correct in what she has told you.His ex would be better off getting the CSA involved.

Hope this helps a bit re:CSA

http://www.csa.gov.uk/new/calculate/

Noozan

Sensemaya wrote:

I was going to reply to this post before,but decided against it.

I do find it really strange he prefers to donate money to a Church rather than setting up ,say,a couple of accounts for his kids,but it's not my place to comment about that.

Scarlett is correct in what she has told you.His ex would be better off getting the CSA involved.

Hope this helps a bit re:CSA

http://www.csa.gov.uk/new/calculate/

Thanks for the link, I'll forward it on to him.

My DH and I also find the donating to church thing a bit strange, but then, we have no interest in religion. His religious beliefs are very important to him and we're there for him as friends, not to judge him.

This actually all came to a head because his son has his heart set on a chosen profession which they have researched together and discovered it will involve studying at Uni for circa 6 years. Dad wanted to get something put in place to financially help him through Uni and partner hit the roof. :rolleyes: