Q&A with Work and Pensions Minister Maria Miller on child support changes

DX2

Do people seriously think this consultation will make one itoa of a difference? Seriously the money that has already been put into the new system isn't going to be wasted No point fighting something that is going to happen regardless what a few people on the internet think.

Many, many different organisations will have been used already to get the new system to where it stands now.

Orson_Cart_2

Even so, no need to debunk the thread.

mutley74

I am very shocked that the goverment wants to apply a charge for using the CSA. People use the CSA becuase of circumstances requiring the fair payment of money to be used to bring up a child.
Will the goverment start introducing a charge when anyone calls 999 for help?
Will the goverment charge other Countries when the UK military forces assist in anyway?
Will prisoners be charged/liable for their own bed and food?

When will this end?:mad:

I have written a letter to my MP through the ginger bread letter scheme. I have experience of being an NRP and now as PWC.
The system is a bit unfair and does have many loopholes, and the system does need more organising and better management, but NOT the introduction of a charge. This is basically an hidden tax for children of divorced/separated parents. This is the lowest of the low, and i cant believe this Goverment is even considering such charge.

In summary what the MP needs to consider is
-better management of the CSA
-Improved training of the CSA staff.
-Recognising that NRPs can be both male and female.
-CSA should have direct and faster access to the HMRC NI and tax system to enable easier viewing if a person is working.
-Make NRPs prove income and working arrangments by tax records and bank statements rather than accepting information verbally over the phone.
-A system that recognises a non paying NRP with a fast track to identify why non-payments are made and what can be done to minimise debt accumulations.

I would be interested in the response from the goverment and welcome that MSE is taking an interest in this matter. Maybe MSE can invite the Goverment to actually join this thread and reply back directly to some of the issues raised by MSE'rs.

PreludeForTimeFeelers

mutley74 wrote: »

In summary what the MP needs to consider is
-better management of the CSA
-Improved training of the CSA staff.
-Recognising that NRPs can be both male and female.
-CSA should have direct and faster access to the HMRC NI and tax system to enable easier viewing if a person is working.
-Make NRPs prove income and working arrangments by tax records and bank statements rather than accepting information verbally over the phone.
-A system that recognises a non paying NRP with a fast track to identify why non-payments are made and what can be done to minimise debt accumulations.

It only takes about 3 or 4 days for the info to come back from Inland Revenue once the CSA request it, however the info that comes back isn't always that up to date, as it is reliant on HMRC, and I'm sure their info is only updated every 6 to 8 weeks...it also relies on the employer sorting the NRPs tax contributions out straight away, so if there is a delay there then it knocks everything back too.

It'd be a rare situation where the CSA would accept an NRP's word over the phone regarding his or her info, if he was employed they would send a form off to the employer. If he was self-employed they would ask for tax returns or profit-loss sheets, use of 'best evidence' would only ever be a last resort, and such cases would be flagged for a review in 3 months or so - if a self-employed NRP didn't send anything at all in then he or she would be assessed using ASHE.

mutley74

PreludeForTimeFeelers wrote: »

It'd be a rare situation where the CSA would accept an NRP's word over the phone regarding his or her info, if he was employed they would send a form off to the employer. If he was self-employed they would ask for tax returns or profit-loss sheets, use of 'best evidence' would only ever be a last resort, and such cases would be flagged for a review in 3 months or so - if a self-employed NRP didn't send anything at all in then he or she would be assessed using ASHE.

Maybe a rare situation but in my case the CSA accepted the NRP word over the phone "sorry i am not working" and decided to close my case on that basis. Despite the NRP being in work! i had to make numerous complaints to the CSA about this and some other matters.
Also i had experienced where the CSA said it taken several weeks to get any info from HMRC, and life you said sometimes it can be out of date.

Not all NRPs are MALE. Probably the reason why the CSA did not take me seriously as male PWC despite all my legal documents to prove my PWC status.

whats ASHE?

PreludeForTimeFeelers

mutley74 wrote: »

Maybe a rare situation but in my case the CSA accepted the NRP word over the phone "sorry i am not working" and decided to close my case on that basis. Despite the NRP being in work! i had to make numerous complaints to the CSA about this and some other matters.
Also i had experienced where the CSA said it taken several weeks to get any info from HMRC, and life you said sometimes it can be out of date.

Not all NRPs are MALE. Probably the reason why the CSA did not take me seriously as male PWC despite all my legal documents to prove my PWC status.

whats ASHE?

Was that on CS1/'old rules' or CS2/'new rules'? In my own personal experiences (CS2 only), the case wouldn't be closed just because someone said they weren't working, it may be 'nil-assessed' where the NRP didn't have to pay anything but I don't understand why they would close the case. If the PWC was getting cash in hand, then the CSA wouldn't be able to trace an employer via HMRC.

I think the current figures are that between 5 and 10% of NRPs are female.

ASHE is a table of average wages from the National Statistics office;
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/product.asp?vlnk=13101

mutley74

PreludeForTimeFeelers wrote: »

Was that on CS1/'old rules' or CS2/'new rules'? In my own personal experiences (CS2 only), the case wouldn't be closed just because someone said they weren't working, it may be 'nil-assessed' where the NRP didn't have to pay anything but I don't understand why they would close the case. If the PWC was getting cash in hand, then the CSA wouldn't be able to trace an employer via HMRC.

I think the current figures are that between 5 and 10% of NRPs are female.

ASHE is a table of average wages from the National Statistics office;
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/product.asp?vlnk=13101

This was last year on CS2 rules. Yes they def closed my case as they did not bother even replying to my calls or letters. But they did keep getting me mixed up on their systems as NRP each time:rotfl:

But i recommend anyone if they dont have success with CSA directly to write a letter to their MP - one gets results within weeks, miracle what the special complaints department can do:T

PreludeForTimeFeelers

Have you put in a complaint about them closing your case? It certainly sounds like they've done something wrong, may be worth requesting a copy of your papers as I really can't see why they would close the case rather than just nil-assessing it, so it would be interesting for you to see their reasoning behind this.

When you phone the CSA after having already been an NRP then it will often show that case on their screens, especially if the same child/children are involved, so if a member of staff wasn't paying any attention then they would probably presume that you were still an NRP, rather than the PWC in a newer case.

amberjade_2

PreludeForTimeFeelers wrote: »

The aim is for this new 'future scheme' to start in the Autumn of this year, for at least the first six months it will only be open to new applicants, and then after that the CSA will look at closing existing cases and offering their clients the option of either coming to a private agreement with their ex or put an application in under the new scheme. I think that the application charge is a one-off, although if you choose to use the CSA for the money collection service as well as the calculation then there will be a certain percent of the maintenance amount charged which will go direct to CSA/CMEC every month.

£100 admin fee and then 7-12% of what we receive- this was i my local paper. I am gobsmacked.

mutley74

PreludeForTimeFeelers wrote: »

Have you put in a complaint about them closing your case? It certainly sounds like they've done something wrong, may be worth requesting a copy of your papers as I really can't see why they would close the case rather than just nil-assessing it, so it would be interesting for you to see their reasoning behind this.

When you phone the CSA after having already been an NRP then it will often show that case on their screens, especially if the same child/children are involved, so if a member of staff wasn't paying any attention then they would probably presume that you were still an NRP, rather than the PWC in a newer case.

yes i made a complaint, regarding when they did close my case without even informing me and also they based this on verbal information from my ex!
I made many complaints and even won some compensation for all the headache and chase i had to do!