child maintenance advice

photoworks

hello, wonder if you can advise.
Got a friend who is on benefit (income support). she got two kids, one is 12 and the other one is 14. last year there was a change in which child maintenance was operating. Until then, her ex-husband was paying child maintenance to the csa. Last year , advised by the CSA, my friend reached a private agreement with her ex-husband so that he will start paying directly to her £80 a month. however, after the first month, her husband went abroad, left no contact address or phone and stopped paying her the monthly payment agreed. This situation has been going on since february 2009 and she reported it to the CSA as soon as it arised. she was told by the CSA that since her ex-husband left the country there is nothing they can do. She is a Brittish national and her husband is also a Brittish national .
Now her husband (he is still abroad and he still has not given any contact address) contact her and offer her to start paying again the montlhly amount agreed, i.e: £80 and add as well and additional £80/month for a duration of 12 month, to makeup for the money he did not sent her last year. In effect, for 12 months, she would receive £160 a month. Now she believes that if she agrees to that scheme, she will get in trouble with the CSA or the benefit agency as it is her understanding that, as far as the benefit agency or the CSA are concerned, that money her ex-husband did not pay her is lost and cannot be recovered by her.
Not sure if i make myself perfectly clear as my english is not as it should be, but would it be possible to get advice on this and/or get the right agency or government body to contact to get clarification on her situation.
Any help would be appreciated as she is at her wit's end .

Pimpslider

:silenced:

enemes

The CSA do have agreements with some reciprocal countries, so it is immaterial if he is out of the country or not. Do you know where he is?

http://www.csa.gov.uk/en/setup/remo-countries.asp

CSA_Debt_Bod

Not strictly true; the CSA is actually nothing to do with REMO and won't get involved with cases where the NRP lives abroad. The PWC would have to go to court to get maintenance through REMO.

I would advise the PWC to speak to someone at the Citizens Advice Bureau.

photoworks

but what about her her husband offering her to start paying again the montlhly amount agreed, i.e: £80 and adding as well an additional £80/month for a duration of 12 month, to makeup for the money he did not sent her last year. In effect, for 12 months, she would receive £160 a month.If she agrees to that scheme, she will get in trouble with the CSA or the benefit agency as it is her understanding that, as far as the benefit agency or the CSA are concerned, that money her ex-husband did not pay her is lost and cannot be recovered by her ?

enemes

I think it would be best to inform the CSA, and especially, the Benefits Agency if payments are made. I am not sure if any back-payments will be considered retrospectively, but I would let the BA deal with that.