Csa?

LauraLou1982

Does anyone know if this is right - my ex partner seems to think that because I have put in a single tax credit claim the CSA get notified automatically and get in contact with him to arrange payments through them?

He has another child with a different person who he pays £200 monthly for (a personal arrangement, not through CSA) but he is saying he might not have the money to pay me anything...someone has now told him that because I have made a single person tax credits claim the CSA are going to force him to pay me, even though I havent contacted them, does anyone know of this is right or not??? x

justontime

I don't think the information your ex has been given is correct. He has two children and has a duty to contribute to the support of both of them so if he is saying that he can't afford to pay anything towards the support your child perhaps you should ask csa to open a case for you.

LauraLou1982

I didnt think that sounded right! Its all been quite amicable until now, I didnt really want to get CSA involved, he is going to have our child two days a week and because he only has his other child two days every other week he doesnt think he should have to pay me. Plus I am probably too nice and his other ex is a right cow and will give him grief if he said it was going to be 50p short! I am probably the soft target to not pay as he is going to be very short of money now I have finally left him and stopped subsidising him!

RAS

Hi

If he has two children by 2 different mothers he needs to pay both of them maintenance.

CSA for one child is 15% of his income (assuming CSA2). CSA for two children is 20% of his income and since the children have different parents with care, he will be expected to pay 10% to each parent.

The link between benefits and CSa was cut some years ago. Prior to that CSa payments reduced the amount of benefits the PWC received.

Which begs the question whether he paid her outside the CSa for years because they both thought that she could have the maintenance and not have her benefits reduced (benefit fraud).

I suggest you explain that unless he pays the 10% voluntarily, you will be going to the CSA. Given that the new scheme starts soon, I might even be inclined to go to the CSa anyway, as shortly you will have to pay to claim via them.

justontime

He nees to understand that it is not about paying you and not about which of his ex partners are more difficult, it is about his responsibility to contribute to the support of both of his children. The money may be paid to you and his other ex but it is for his children. In the circumstances it sounds as if csa would probably be the best option.

Honest_broker07

He has the money to pay you.

Or let's put it another way he has the money ( at least £200 a month ) to support his children.

As a taxpayer why should I pay to support one of his children, because you are reasonable and his other ex partner isn't.

One question to ask yourself is does he really only take home £1000 a month. if so the £200 is correct if it's more then he should pay more.