csa underpayments help needed please

k_777

Hi was wondering if anyone could help me?
My childrens father pays child maintenence direct but calculated throught the csa. Last september there was a change in circumstances and the children were no longer able to stay at their fathers house. In october I notified the csa and they recalculated and wrote with their decision in December, that payments would increase by £270 pcm. Januarys payment did not take this increase into account and I questioned their father and he said he would try and pay the extra £270. Feb, march and aprils payment were incresed by £100 but still £170 short. Today I notified csa and have been told that will not be able to claim the underpayment that now has reached around £1500 as i should have notified them sooner. I was just trying to sort this out between ourseves, hence to delay in contacting csa. Does anyone know if this is right? Many thanks k

PreludeForTimeFeelers

As far as I'm aware it's correct, when a case is maintenance direct the CSA are essential just there to calculate the assessment, however I'm sure I read somewhere that there were circumstances where they could look at up to two months underpayment when switching back from maintenance direct to CSA collection. I'm not really sure how they'd do this, and don't remember anyone successfully doing it, but could be worth pushing it with a team leader.
Is there no way the NRP would pay that missing amount directly, in order to avoid the CSA's intervention?

kevin137

Just out of interest, how many nights a week did the kids stay at there fathers before, and how many kids...

To be fair, £270 a month more sounds an awful lot for reduced contact being that even if they stayed 3 nights a week and there are 3 kids, then that is 3/7ths of the assessed amount, but more likely only 2 nights so 2 7ths, which would mean CSA of around £700 a month...???

I'm just curious, not judging, as it does seem a big jump in my eyes...!

And try remembering, that your ex will still be paying the extra for housing, assuming they had there own room/s even though he now doesnt' need it... So if this has been a long term arrangement, and he had housed accordingly, it may well be possible he can't find the money. It is not always as simple as just paying is all i am saying...!!!