housing benefit

kentboy7510

Hi everyone ,
Just been hit with a CSA weekly payment of £75 a week , i am the only one working in my home as my new wife was seriously ill two years ago , i had set up an agreement with my ex to pay £50 a week which i was doing but she found out she could get more through the CSA so went down that road .
My total income is now £210 a week i have rent , c.tax and shopping to buy and have been told by my local CAB that i am entitled to nothing , is this right ?
I have been employed solid since the age of 17 and am now 35 , i have never ever claimed anything in my life but the first time that i need a little help i get thrown back , i just find it unfair that my wife and i are expected to live on nothing whilst my ex has the CSA payments plus full benefits paid to her without any deductions , she doesnt even let me see my children who are now 400 miles away from me and i am having to find a solicitor who can give me legal aid to sort this out .
Any help would be gratefully appreciated .
Thanks :-(

Oldernotwiser

Do your weekly payments include arrears?

Does your wife receive any disability benefits?

kentboy7510

My wife receives nothing at all was on DLA but has been passed fit to work due to doctors letter etc , wrong in many ways but dont want to delve to far into that right now , i reckon in four weeks time i will be in a bit off arrears with rent and council tax as i am having to pay my bills as well which includes some of my ex's debts which i stupidly took on before we split , a lesson learnt though which has made me stronger :-)

sunnyone

kentboy7510 wrote: »

My wife receives nothing at all was on DLA but has been passed fit to work due to doctors letter etc , wrong in many ways but dont want to delve to far into that right now , i reckon in four weeks time i will be in a bit off arrears with rent and council tax as i am having to pay my bills as well which includes some of my ex's debts which i stupidly took on before we split , a lesson learnt though which has made me stronger :-)

Im sure ONW meant is any of the CSA payment arrears, any other arrears dont come into it.

kentboy7510

oh sorry , didnt realise it could have been about that , am currently £300 in arrears as the CSA havent set up the deduction of earnings order yet as i instructed them to do so a month ago so that i wouldnt miss any payments , sorry for the confusion .

Oldernotwiser

DLA isn't an out of work benefit - many people work full time and claim it.

So, are your CSA payments that high because they include any arrears you're paying off?

Marisco

kentboy7510 wrote: »

as well which includes some of my ex's debts which i stupidly took on before we split ,

If the debts are in your name, you have to pay them, but if they are in your ex's name, kick them back to her!!! Go over to the DFW board (debt free wanabee) put up a statement of affairs (SOA) and they will show you how you can cut back on your outgoings. Make sure priority debs are paid first, rent, CT, CSA utilities etc, then try to negotiate with other creditors to possibly pay less, until the CSA comes down to a manageable amount (after the arrears are paid off)

Darlyd

Have you tried working tax credits? Has your new wife tried to claim DLA IB ?

I do feel for you, must be a horrible situation to be in.

kentboy7510

yeah the debts are in my name , stupidly i took out things such as house phone etc when i got back together with my ex , wanted to try and solve all the money problems and get my family back together , but at the end of the day i have learnt a harsh lesson i guess , my wife is going to try and reapply for dla but i dont hold out much hope just peeved that the laws in england and scotland are so different and that nobody seems to want to help the fathers who do not see their kids , i dont begrudge paying for them but the mothers seem to get all the powers , am hoping to get legal aid for a solicitor which is a good start then will see what options i have , very hard right now though but with my new wifes help and understanding we shall get there :-)

kentboy7510

by the way the CSA are wanting £119 a week for 6 weeks until the arrears are paid off then it will go back down to the 25% of £75 a week thereafter , just wish those evil !!!!!!s would take into consideration my outgoings etc but hey ho we cannot have it all ways i suppose !!

FBaby

How old are your children? Your ex won't be able to claim benefits for ever, she will have to go on JSA when the youngest hits the age of 7 (5 soon I believe) and rightly so. As for the cursing the csa, they are not doing anything wrong. The rules are that you should pay 25%, that's what is considered acceptable and what your children are entitled to. It's difficult with your wife not being well, but if her doctor think she is fit to work, maybe she could try a few hours, that would right away help with your situation.