Income support and manadtory fathers information?

Loop

Hello,

My best friend (yes really!) Split from her childs father, and she was claiming income support, today she has had a letter saying that they will stop her payments if she doesn't provide the fathers details for manitanence payments through the CSA.

Anyway in panic she told them she didn't know who the father was, even though she does infact know who he is.

The bottom line is she doesn't want any money from him or he will cause lots of problems for her.

She is worried now that she will not be able to ever get manitanace payments from him in future, after saying this to the DWP.

Where does she stand, does anyone know?

BTW he earns £600 pw.

Zara33

First of all i don't understand why he would cause her problems now and not in the future?

I honestly do not know where she stands especially since she has stated to the CSA that she doesn't know who the father is, how can you retract something like this not like oh i didn't understand the question really is it.

Loop

Exactly, now she has said it she is regretting it as she cant retract it...

Tehy only split recently and its not amicable, so she didnt give his name as just getting him to see their child is a task, but in the future things might change, and now she feels silly, as in a way she has protected him from ever paying maintance.

Anyone else clarify what the best thing to do is?

Zara33

Loop wrote:

Exactly, now she has said it she is regretting it as she cant retract it...

Tehy only split recently and its not amicable, so she didnt give his name as just getting him to see their child is a task, but in the future things might change, and now she feels silly, as in a way she has protected him from ever paying maintance.

Anyone else clarify what the best thing to do is?

Random thought but could she not explain this to the CSA, i know it might look really daft but does it matter :rotfl: not as if your ever going to see the CSA operator.

charchar_3

Her income support will not fully stop but may be reduced by 40%. You friend can choose an option to opt-out but this will only be granted if she is at danger from her ex. The best thing to do is give them her ex's details, knowing the CSA they might not even be able to trace him, all she has to do is say she only knows his name and only give them that info!

Zara33

charchar wrote:

Her income support will not fully stop but may be reduced by 40%. You friend can choose an option to opt-out but this will only be granted if she is at danger from her ex. The best thing to do is give them her ex's details, knowing the CSA they might not even be able to trace him, all she has to do is say she only knows his name and only give them that info!

If she doesn't know the father then how can IS possibly stop the payments like she already has done.

charchar_3

Zara33 wrote:

If she doesn't know the father then how can IS possibly stop the payments like she already has done.

But she does know who the father is. I was only providing the information given in the CSA booklet and that she can retract her statement that she doesn't know the father's information.

Prudent

She should retract her comment and explain her reason as you have done. If she has provable grounds that he is a threat, such a an interdict or police incident numbers, she may be able to get it waived. It is a difficlut one if the threats are non specific or if he is a controlling personality who is just imtimidating her. Do you why she is concerned?

MJMum

Loop wrote:

Hello,

My best friend (yes really!) Split from her childs father, and she was claiming income support, today she has had a letter saying that they will stop her payments if she doesn't provide the fathers details for manitanence payments through the CSA.

Anyway in panic she told them she didn't know who the father was, even though she does infact know who he is.

The bottom line is she doesn't want any money from him or he will cause lots of problems for her.

She is worried now that she will not be able to ever get manitanace payments from him in future, after saying this to the DWP.

Where does she stand, does anyone know?

BTW he earns £600 pw.

Where she stands is she is committing benefit fraud, and she should give them the details of the other parent!

kelloggs36

She should retract her statement and explain why she said what she did. If she thinks that it would cause her problems, then she could try and claim 'good cause' and a CSA officer will come round and take a statment from her and ask her questions about it. Then a Decision Maker will determine whether she has good cause not to pursue him. However, it would look highly suspicious if she later turned round and wanted to claim and they may suspect that she was getting paid directly from him and investigate her. Just advise her to be honest.

Loop

Yes, I knew she was silly when she told me what she has said to them.

She told the IS claim person not the CSA apparently, I doubt she will retract it now though as she is under huge stress and cant face dealing with the benefits agency as it is. I tihnk she only said it to get them off her back, and she panicked.

Hey ho! Thanks for all your advice everyone, as usual MSe is a wealth of info!!

Lou xx