CSA Arrears, Unemployed/Back in Education

Almostamrs

Hello,

I am asking this on behalf of a friend who is staying with us at the moment.

A bit of background :

He has children from a previous relationship and the CSA have been in touch to say he owes them 4 months arrears.
He notified them of a new temping job in June and they said the would re-assess him (he had been unemployed previously due to his business folding).
He called them again end of July and they said they were still trying to assess him.

So this week gone he got a letter from the CSA saying he owes arrears and must pay immediately - he does not dispute this at all. BUT they have assessed him until 2011.
He is going to be leaving his job in 1 week and returning to college Full time, he has already given notice to his temp job.
He has been saving from the job he had to see him through until the college holidays at which point he will get another job to support himself the next term.
He will be living with myself and partner rent free as the college is only 10 minutes away.

So my question is :
After he pays off the arrears which he has set aside anyway, will he have to continue paying the rate they assesed him at until 2011 ?
This will leave him with no means to go to college.

He is returning to FT education to retrain so he can earn a decent wage to support his children.

Almostamrs

Anyone know ?

bdt1

If he has no income and is studying full-time he must inform them in writing, send recorded delivery, keep Royal Mail electronic barcode etc etc.
As said at point he leaves temp job, and goes to College full time, he will have no income for CSA purposes, so he must ask for a re-assessment based on his change of circumstances, if he is receiving benefits at this point the CSA may ask for £5 week or so, if he can afford to pay arrears in full then would advise this as otherwise CSA will just hound him, and start enforcement etc etc.

shell_542

Pay off the arrears. Continue paying the correct assessment amount until he finishes work. Notify them asap, phone and follow up in writing, of his change of circumstances. If he is a full time student, then he will not be liable to pay anything.

They shouldn't expect him to continue paying the higher amount when he is a student. Is it that the arrears have been spread in their calculation until 2011?

If he clears the arrears straight away, it should limit any confusion.

Almostamrs

shell_542 wrote: »

They shouldn't expect him to continue paying the higher amount when he is a student. Is it that the arrears have been spread in their calculation until 2011?

No the arrears end in 2010 - I will pass on the information.
He'll be glad to know he can go the college route as in this job climate retraining seems to be his best option for securing a stable future.

Thanks you very much.