CSA Arrears and !!!! ups

barmaid2010

My partner is the NRP. There are a number of things that have gone wrong.

1) He lost his job in January. The CSA have been writing to him saying he is in arrears for the Jan/Feb/Mar payments. Despite regular telephone calls, they do not seem to accept that they sent an assessment in January assessing him at nil because he is on JSA. Where he is going to get nearly £5k from when we are living on the breadline is anyone's guess.

2) They have now sent an updated statement (which differs from yesterday's!) which states that over the last year he has underpaid by £1500. We have no idea why. It is just a statement with no explanation as to how these "arrears" have arisen. He made regular payments.

3) In January 2009, he wrote to the CSA to explain that he was left with loan payments for furniture and a car that he had taken out for his ex - she took the furniture and the car. They made the adjustment, then the ex appealed. The appeal was dismissed because she didn't bother to turn up, but the adjustment appears to have been taken off anyway!

4) In October, his ex tried to reduce his contact to nothing and took him to Court. In the event, the Court extended his contact and a court order was made. Largely it has worked (with a few problems from his ex). My partner understood it was her obligation to tell the CSA about the new contact arrangements. She didn't. He did. She is now denying that the contact arrangements have changed - despite the fact that there is a court order in place, she is saying that it doesn't work (it does). The CSA just accept her word for it. Their attitude is that it is the PWC's word goes and nothing my partner can say will change that. In any event, even if they DO accept his evidence they will only make the adjustment from today.

5) They persistently deny he has called them (he has, I have witnessed the calls). They deny the letters he has written.

Where can we go for help? We are absolutely at our wits end with these people.

786

Put everything in writing and send it recorded delivery.

Contact your MP.

ballsonyournose

barmaid2010 wrote: »

4) In October, his ex tried to reduce his contact to nothing and took him to Court. In the event, the Court extended his contact and a court order was made. Largely it has worked (with a few problems from his ex). My partner understood it was her obligation to tell the CSA about the new contact arrangements. She didn't. He did. She is now denying that the contact arrangements have changed - despite the fact that there is a court order in place, she is saying that it doesn't work (it does). The CSA just accept her word for it. Their attitude is that it is the PWC's word goes and nothing my partner can say will change that. In any event, even if they DO accept his evidence they will only make the adjustment from today.

Very interested to hear how you get on with this, i will be in a similar position, despite having a court order for contact for three nights a week. Cant imagine my ex volenteering that info when her CSA payments go down.

missmontana

As 786 says, put it all in writing, send it recorded deliver. Also you can request your Data Protection file so you can see what information they have on the NRP.

Good luck in getting it sorted.

borders_dude

As the phone calls are recorded you should also ask for them on CD. That way you have evidence they took place in case you need them in the future when they may have been wiped because they only retain them for so long.

samhuzz

I would also try CAB, they have been helpful in the past with my CSA issues. Although I'm the PWC not the NRP though.