Single parent benefit, can this be right?

divastrop

Killmark wrote: »

Nothing stops you registering a case with the CSA and then they will deal with the partner, recieve the maintenance and send it directly to the PWC.

What if getting the CSA involved posed a risk to the PWC and children due to the NRP being abusive? Abusers will use any excuse, and being asked for money is usually a good one. They usually start insisting on seeing the children, making threats or claiming the children aren't theirs anyway. Aside from that, the CSA aren't exactly known for their competence and efficiency, how could they be trusted not to reveal address details etc?

DX2

divastrop wrote: »

What if getting the CSA involved posed a risk to the PWC and children due to the NRP being abusive? Abusers will use any excuse, and being asked for money is usually a good one. They usually start insisting on seeing the children, making threats or claiming the children aren't theirs anyway. Aside from that, the CSA aren't exactly known for their competence and efficiency, how could they be trusted not to reveal address details etc?

I have to agree a wee bit here the CSA aren't best known for their data protection.

pupsicola

lovetowinacar wrote: »

He sounds like my brother - he still pays all the bills and she sits on her botty on IS and doesn't have to declare her maintenance - men are treated badly when children involved (financially) and she is out each weekend while he babysits - hope he meets someone nicer next time

The benefits system is a mess. It seems crazy that a couple can split up and be entitled to benefits despite no change in their financial situation.

It helps give a bad name to people who do genuinely need financial help. My ex husband and I split 4 years ago. I got the house which we had worked our butts off to clear the mortgage on. He earnt a fortune, refused to give me any maintenance for the kids and the court decided that as he had given me the house that was enough financial security. He skipped the country a few months later.

I moved into a smaller property and lived off the difference. Once my savings had run out I had to start claiming benefits as my youngest has severe health problems. There is a real stigma to it even in this day and age, mainly from my family and friends.

I agree that some men are treated very badly after divorce, but so are alot of women who are left to raise kids by themselves.

evenstar2009

I hope your brother is keeping an eye on how much/recording how much he is still paying to his ex for child maintenance in case she goes to the CSA and says that he hasn't given her a bean and wants it all backdating. This happened to someone i know and they had to pay a £3k amount even though they had been giving money to their ex but just as cash with no record of it.

If he has any bills etc registered to her address in his name she may come unstuck when it comes to council tax single person discounts because they use company info checks e.g. mobile registered to an address, to check up on people cheating the system.

It sounds a lot like she is getting her cake and eating it!

missbunbury

This sounds like a situation where the newly single dad hasn't really had a chance to sit down and work out what's going to be best for himself and his kids in the long term. I can understand that he feels he needs to keep paying things, but if he is going to build a future as a single person he will need a home with enough space for the kids to come and stay, and if he is currently having to rely on a mate for cheap digs, he's going to have to rethink that at some point.

If he's not happy to keep paying as much as he has been, he ought to get some legal advice about this. It does sound like he is going above and beyond in terms of what he's paying, but there could be other considerations - like who is legally liable for bills, if they're in his name and he wants to stop paying, he'll need to sort that out.

Of course, if he's happy with the situation, there's no problem.