Advice appreciated

ses6jwg

Hello all.

Need some advice regarding child maintenance.

I have a 2 1/2 year old daughter with ex and we split up 5 months ago.

Since the day we split up I have been paying exactly what the CSA calc said I should be paying via direct debit each week.

However I have since changed jobs and I am now on a lower income and so my payments should be reduced according to the CSA calc.

I am not happy to pay any more than I have to because the EX goes out 4 nights a week and leaves DD with maternal grandfather. I do not want any more of my wages going to support her lifestyle than they have to.

However this is where I am confused.

DD was born whilst I was a student, EX was on income support so CSA came knocking and forced her to get me to fill in forms etc, as I was a student at the time my payments were £0.

I assumed that when I entered employment as I did in June 2009 the CSA would come and find me.

However they did not and as I was still with EX at the time we did not have a formal arrangement set up and hence I have no paper trail to prove I have paid anything - apart from the £50 per month I have been paying into a Childrens Regular Saver each month.

So if I now reduce my payments in line with the CSA recommendations, and then EX decides to go to the CSA, will they chase me for backdated payments from June 2009 to Jan 2010, when no formal agreement was in place?

Help appreciated

alwayspuzzled

my understanding is that as you have an open CSA case then unless your ex confirms that you have paid by private agreement you will still be liable for arrears payments even though you have already paid. However as your liability is currently at an assesment of NIL there will be no arrears and this will not change until the CSA carry out a reassessment and any liability resulting from this reassessment will only start from the date of the reassessment.

Don't think I've explained that very well but I'm sure there will be someone along soon who can correct or explain better:)

kelloggs36

Why would they have a case if you were still together - even though you were a student, you would not have been liable for child support as you were together, regardless of your income situation? I am confused. There should never have been an open case.

Anyhow, you can't be asked for arrears now as nobody asked for your details as your circumstances changed so it is too late so don't worry there.

If she wants to go to the CSA now to get your case updated, then provided that you are paying the relevant % of your income then you have nothing to worry about.

Regardless of what you want your money to be spent on, you don't have any control over that I'm afraid. your money will be for the benefit of your child whether it be directly or indirectly. If she is still on income support then it may well be that she can now afford to have some fun as the law has changed to allow income support PWCs to keep all maintenance PLUS benefits (wrong in my opinion, but then I didn't make the rules). Don't get bitter about it, just do what you need to do, and try and move on with your life. Good luck.

Blonde_Bint

ses6jwg wrote: »

Hello all.

Need some advice regarding child maintenance.

I have a 2 1/2 year old daughter with ex and we split up 5 months ago.

Since the day we split up I have been paying exactly what the CSA calc said I should be paying via direct debit each week.

However I have since changed jobs and I am now on a lower income and so my payments should be reduced according to the CSA calc.

I am not happy to pay any more than I have to because the EX goes out 4 nights a week and leaves DD with maternal grandfather. I do not want any more of my wages going to support her lifestyle than they have to.

However this is where I am confused.

DD was born whilst I was a student, EX was on income support so CSA came knocking and forced her to get me to fill in forms etc, as I was a student at the time my payments were £0.

I assumed that when I entered employment as I did in June 2009 the CSA would come and find me.

However they did not and as I was still with EX at the time we did not have a formal arrangement set up and hence I have no paper trail to prove I have paid anything - apart from the £50 per month I have been paying into a Childrens Regular Saver each month.

So if I now reduce my payments in line with the CSA recommendations, and then EX decides to go to the CSA, will they chase me for backdated payments from June 2009 to Jan 2010, when no formal agreement was in place?

Help appreciated

Yeah, on that score above, do not worry at all. Rather think of it like this, whatever she spends her money on and however many nights out she has, it still costs her X amount of money to raise her child (your child too)

If the child says shes cold the heating goes on for her when she needs new quilt set for her bed it gets bought when winter comes around we are all out buying the kids winter gear as last years doesnt fit etc etc.

Theres loads more I cant think of right now, me and dh were picking up his son (years ago now) and dh handed over the maintenance money and she said something like oh great my nails need doing and i've got an appointment with the hairdressers at 3, :rotfl: if that was for my benefit she was wasting her time, knock yourself out love because the gas electric water bills are on their way at some point.

Always make sure the maintenance money is there though, dont go spending on 'stuff for the child' then not be able to pay the maintenance as thats what this money is for.

We're going away for 5 days soon, we are footing the cost of this trip step son will be bringing his own clothes dont think he needs anything but when we are away we'll be paying for everything we do and eat etc and the CM money for the pwc will be paid on the same day the same amount step son will actually be with us for 7 or 8 days but i'm not fannying about with deducting the CM for that week even though from the looks of it we might be able to:D happy to to pay it in the hopes of the peace and tranquility it brings with it:p