How do I get the CSA to look into Ex's CTC and WTC?

ACon

My ex has asked for a reassessment as hes has a baby with his new gf, and yet again has stopped paying his maintenance for his 2 kids with me. Im pretty sick of the endless problems I get with him, and the lack of payments, it seems Im forever chasing it up.
Anyhoo, since he's stopped paying, and wants a reassessment, Ive decided that I should inform them of his CTC and WTc, which I wasnt going to, for the sheer faff, but since he started the ball rolling...
I've worked out that he'd get around £5 knocked off the original amount, but once CTC and WTC are taken into acct I'll prob get about £15 extra back.
Sooo, how do I prove hes getting WTC and CTC?? And how do I get them to look into that as well as his wages?

kelloggs36

Just tell them he's getting it - they have the access to see if that is correct.

ACon

They never took his WTC into account before, is that just because I didnt ask them to? Does he have to declare it by law? I will deffo tell them about it if and when they ring back, or when I chase it up again.

Meg67

ACon wrote: »

My ex has asked for a reassessment as hes has a baby with his new gf, and yet again has stopped paying his maintenance for his 2 kids with me. Im pretty sick of the endless problems I get with him, and the lack of payments, it seems Im forever chasing it up.
Anyhoo, since he's stopped paying, and wants a reassessment, Ive decided that I should inform them of his CTC and WTc, which I wasnt going to, for the sheer faff, but since he started the ball rolling...
I've worked out that he'd get around £5 knocked off the original amount, but once CTC and WTC are taken into acct I'll prob get about £15 extra back.
Sooo, how do I prove hes getting WTC and CTC?? And how do I get them to look into that as well as his wages?

I totaly sympathise with you regarding lack of payments and chasing the CSA to get anything done etc, evey NRP should be have to contribute towards the upkeep of their child/ren. (I'm a PWC in the same boat). However I personally think it is morally wrong that the CSA use CTC when making assesments..... WTC, Yes that should be included as it is a top up on earnings BUT CTC is normally paid to the mother towards the upkeep of her children and IMO it is wrong to take what is meant for one to give to another.
Kind regards

Meg x x x

kelloggs36

They should have asked him and if he lied, then he has broken the law - but if they didn't ask and he hasn't told them, then he hasn't done anything wrong. However, when they ask him, he HAS to tell them.

JulietAmber_2

I agree with Meg67 and of course NRP must pay for their children. But the CSA using tax credits and stealing from the children of the NRPP causes heartache and pain - as I know first hand.
Your gripe and resentment is towards your ex and not the children of his new family who will be the ones to suffer.
But yes, he will have to declare CTC and WTC and as he has declared a new child - the CSA will automatically check. You will not only get a percentage of your ex's earnings, as is only right, but you will also get a share of the new babies CTC. WTC is only used if your ex earns more than his new partner.
J

ACon

I also agree its wrong how it works, and wasn't interested in their tax credits. I know he received WTC before but never bothered to ask them to look into it as I was happy once we got any payment going... I wouldnt have asked them to look into his tax credits now either, but hes stopped paying AGAIN, (even though CSA guy says he was told to continue payments until its calculated) and he himself has asked for a reassessment (and has ignored countless phonecalls since from the CSA) because he begrudges every penny he is forced to give to his two children. He doesnt see them, and avoided paying for a long time. The CSA eventually paid over him, and he does not have to pay any of this back!
He gets away with plenty, so just the thought of the look on his face when his reassessment, that he thinks will take his payments down, shows that he infact owes more, is utterly priceless!

clearingout

what a nightmare! I can see the 'moral' side of things, taking from the new baby and how wrong that feels. However, I do feel very strongly (as a PWC who receives no maintenance) that some of us are forced to fight for every penny and need to think of our own children before considering other peoples. Even the cursory £5 per week paid through benefits would make a huge difference to my current financial situation. Whilst I accept we all have a right to 'move on' following the breakdown of a relationship and that means, for some, having more children, frankly we should make sure the children we already have are appropriately supported. I am of an age where I won't be having any more children with a new partner (should one come along) but my ex could go on to have more if he chooses to. Why should our children lose out? Taking even a small amount away from my monthly budget would have a huge impact on them - why shouldn't I fight for them?

So, Acon, I personally say do what you what you feel comfortable with for your family. No one else is going to look after them other than you!

JulietAmber_2

I agree that NRP should think of their own children first before having a 'second chance'. But what if the PWC had an affair and the NRP didn't have a choice in the matter? Don't they deserve happiness?
Yes, NRP must pay for their children and Acon I do think you should continue fighting for what you deserve for you and your child and he should not be shirking his responsibilities. But not at the expense of children who are innocent and had nothing to do with the break up.
Maybe the threat of using his tax credits will be enough to keep him on his toes in future.
I am a PWC and a NRPP. I don't get maintenance because my husband died. Tax credits and mine and my partners quite low income (I'm a special needs teacher) are our only income and now we are struggling because tax credits are used in the maintenance calculation. My child has special needs and guess what? They lump that money in too.

clearingout

JulietAmber wrote: »

I agree that NRP should think of their own children first before having a 'second chance'. But what if the PWC had an affair and the NRP didn't have a choice in the matter? Don't they deserve happiness?
.

which is exactly why the whole divorce system is 'no blame' when it comes to working out the finances. Marriages dont' break down because people are happy. And people don't have affairs because they're getting what they want from their marriage. When we marry and/or commit to another person by having children, we are all taking the chance that things will work out. Sometimes they don't - no one is an innocent party in that, whatever they may want to think.

Should it be the case that an ex-husband who is 'guilty' by having an affair pays more child maintenance than one who is 'innocent'? That would be madness! So I struggle to understand why the system allows us to go out and create new familes and effectively rewards us for doing so by not having to pay quite as much in maintenance for the children we already have. So like I say, I understand we have a right to move on and create new families, but I don't understand why that should be at the expense of an existing family. We have a right to happiness as adults and children have a right to a childhood free of financial stresses in as much as is possible.

It's an imperfect system, we all know that! I wish there was a way that made us all happy!

JulietAmber_2

Exactly my point. It is NOT at the expense of the existing family, it's at the expense of the NEW family - the children that might not get maintenance at all.
NRP should pay for their existing children - but not at the forfeit of the children in his or her new family. Why use CTC? They are paid to families that are on low-income to protect against child poverty. The PWC gets to keep all CTC and these are not taken into account - so why not the NRPP?
25% of my partner's income is fair and he has always paid this to his ex for his children - aswell as taking them on holidays, buying them stuff etc. Now, however, my own children's CTC are used as income and my partner now pays 65% of his bring home money. The ex still gets ALL her CTC - it's my children that lose out.
Nothing's fair - the whole system is a sham.