CSA advice needed

pippamannequin

Hi,
Could you, if you don't mind give me your opinions and experiences if they are relevant to my situation.

I have never had a penny child maintenance for any of my 3 children. My eldest dd 21 however my 2 sons 14 and 11 have been 'nagging' me to 'get their **dad to take some responsibility'!!
I previously 8 years ago made a claim through the csa, this was never persued due to serious domestic violence issues and there being too greater risk to me.
Now, many years have passed and the boys have convinced me to go through the csa again.

Today I rang them. They said they have to close the old claim and open a new one. I was told this would 'take a couple of days' :rolleyes:

I am definately sceptical that they are going to be as efficient as i was told today.

I provided their dads address name dob and work details.
He has to be earning in the region of 40k as 8 years ago was 35k, he's been with the same company for over 20 years and is now a senior buyer for this company. He definately CAN afford to pay towards his childrens upkeep even if he doesnt think he should!!

My main question i suppose i want to know, the problems that are occurring with the csa, and excuse me please if i seem ignorant lol i dont mean to be, are they generally caused by people who arent in regular jobs and dont have permanent adresses etc, ie the ones who can make themselves slip through the net, or is it generally just a complete shambles??!!!

Many thanks

millyali

HI yes you are right to be concerned, my first question would be are you claiming benefit, if so the rules change a lot as to what you will get. i would recommend you always get names and write them down and length of calls, i say this as if your case does drag on which i would say it most likely will then when you get your claim looked at by a complaints team, they can make a claim for compensation for you. I know this as i finally was told in october my daughters father would have to start paying, yippie i thought exta cash oh no, i am still waiting, and get more and more frustrated they say its the computers but who knows it is a mess so deff document everything best of luck .

N71

Hi - a lot of the delays in getting money are due to the NRP job-hopping, so the CSA has to start the chasing all over again.

So long as your old case closes ok, and the new one is able to open, and he stays in his job (which he prob would after being there so long), fingers crossed you shouldn't have a problem. Even if he doesn't reply to the correspondance, his employer is legally obliged to provide his income details, and after assessment, if he doesn't pay, his employer must make the deductions.

Once the new case is open, they should call you to let you know, then they'll try and contact the NRP. If you haven't heard anything else in a couple of weeks, give them a ring just so you know where they're up to.

Good luck - keep us informed of how its going.

kelloggs36

Yes, they will either write to him or try to phone him to obtain his details. If he refuses to give them, or delays giving them the CSA can approach the employer direct and give them instructions to deduct the relevant amount from his salary preventing him from failing to pay. Nobody knows whether he will pack in his job except him - it is a chance you have to take - if you get nothing now, you aren't losing anything by taking that chance. As the old case was open under the old rules, the usual way round is to have that case closed for 13 weeks before opening a new one under the new rules - have you confirmed that the case will be dealt with under the NEW rules, which are much easier. He will have to pay you 20% of his net income (gross income less tax, national insurance and pension contributions), which on 40k will be approx 479 pounds per month - provided he pays no pension conts or has no other children in his household now? It is impossible to say whether your case will be one of the unlucky ones which ends up freezing on the computer and having to be calculated clerically. Hope it works out.

pippamannequin

Thankyou for your replies, it was confirmed the new claim will be under the new rules, so fingers crossed if that's better!
He does have a pension, one that he started paying into when he started with this company at 19, thinking now he's been there 24 years so i doubt he'll pack the job up, unless he's thinking of early retirement with a pension that old!
Whatever they manage to get from him (if they do) will be better than the zero that my kids have had up to now and if it will pay for things they need and have to go without now then good!
Thankyou again, will keep you updated.

kelloggs36

Is the risk now gone?

pippamannequin

kelloggs36 wrote: »

Is the risk now gone?

To be honest kellogs, i doubt it,less than a year ago he managed to locate an appeal i made on a website for relatives of mine due to an inheritence.
Nothing linking the surname with my kids and lo and behold, an email was sent via the website to me with very 'hidden' threats in its wording..basically threats saying keep looking over your shoulder im watching you.

But the idea is i should live my life terrified of him, and i do feel very nervous, but refuse to let myself ever be beaten.

This is for my kids and I believe they shouldnt keep watching me struggle just to provide them with not very much!!

They are growing up fast and know their own minds and the older they are the more protective they become of me, it wont be long as the eldest keeps telling me, before 'he'd teach his dad a lesson if he ever came near me again' bless.

Im not going to let him intimidate me any longer for the sake of the boys.

Suited and booted, in a fantastic job, amazing what kind of man lurks beneath.

Thank god it's a long time ago now. :T

pippamannequin

Just a quick update, I rang the csa today and they said the case is ready to be handed to somebody for them to make contact with the boys dad. I asked then that i take the old case was closed and she said it must have been because it wasnt on the system.
Confusing, but hopefully theres movement!

pippamannequin

Another update.
Just spoke to csa as I wanted to be aware of when they made contact with him as Im a little nervous. I was told by a really nice guy that he had actually spoken to my ex'es employers this morning and a form is being sent today to my ex.
I was then told he then has 5 days to reply and if he doesnt they will go straight to the employers to provide the wage details and from then it should be about 3 weeks for them to prepare a maintenance calculation.
Hopefully all will be well and there wont be any nasty repercussions, all seems to be moving a lot faster than I expected!
One thing I thought was very good was that every time Ive phoned the csa theyve phoned me straight back, wish more organisations would do the same!

pippamannequin

Yep, he's not happy :rolleyes:
He's now phoned my sons school to say he demands to know when sports day is ...so the school ring me and Im now thinking he's going to be there on sports day. Funny how he's never been to a sports day in his life. He even had the nerve to tell the school the csa have been onto him. !!!!!!??????!!!! :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

kelloggs36

Now he wants to frighten you and feels that he ought to get value for money!!! lol