Do we have to inform CSA of new baby?

kittkatt82

Hi,

My partner, who pays maintenance through the CSA for his daughter, and I are expecting a baby next month. Do we have to inform the CSA that we have another child? I know this will result in a deduction in the amount he pays but it will be insignificant and I would rather his daughter had this money and tbh save ourselves the hassle.

When we informed them of the birth of our previous child, we ended up in a twelve month battle with them as they concocted arrears out of no-where which he didn't owe and were never collected from him (all been quiet for four years!). Subsequently the deduction they were supposed to make for our other child was never made and he is now owed roughly £3,000.

This doesn't particularly bother me, I just don't want to have to go through the same thing again and risk a) that they mess up again and say he owes money, or realise that he is actually owed money which would be deducted from his daughter's mother when none of this is her fault. Would rather just let sleeping dogs lie but worried that we will get in trouble for not reporting a change in circumstances if the case is later reassessed.

Any thoughts on this gratefully recieved, many thanks

clearingout

this is one of those situations where no, you're not obliged to tell them. Obviously, they need to know if you want the reduction but if you don't, it's all fine.

I would advise if you have a 'problem' already with the CSA which is sitting there that you get it sorted as it won't go away! If you are now technically owed money as a result of having had a child, you can say that you don't want it back and you don't want your child included in the assessment.

kittkatt82

Hi, thanks for your advice. If I don't have to inform them I won't then :-) with regard to the problem last time, we tried absolutely everything we possibly could our end to get it sorted but after a year of countless phone calls, and letters including formal complaints, we gave up, can't handle the stress of going through it all again!

kevin137

Notify them in writing, by recorded delivery and with a photocopy of the birth certificate and ask for a reassessment to happen with immediate effect from that date...

Wait 6 weeks if you hear nothing, then write again, also recorded delivery... If still nothing make a formal complaint and raise the issue that way...

PreludeForTimeFeelers

kevin137 wrote: »

Notify them in writing, by recorded delivery and with a photocopy of the birth certificate and ask for a reassessment to happen with immediate effect from that date...

Wait 6 weeks if you hear nothing, then write again, also recorded delivery... If still nothing make a formal complaint and raise the issue that way...

I would also telephone when you write to them, to set an effective date.

kevin137

PreludeForTimeFeelers wrote: »

I would also telephone when you write to them, to set an effective date.

I was always under the impression that the effective date of the week you notify them, so if you posted on a tuesday and they received on a friday, the date would still be the preceding monday, that was what i was always told by the CSA...

kittkatt82

kevin137 wrote: »

Notify them in writing, by recorded delivery and with a photocopy of the birth certificate and ask for a reassessment to happen with immediate effect from that date...

Wait 6 weeks if you hear nothing, then write again, also recorded delivery... If still nothing make a formal complaint and raise the issue that way...

Thanks Kevin, we did all of this at the time still to no avail, and still not sorted years later which is why i'm reluctant to go through it all again however due to responses to my other query which you have responded to, it looks like they'll be reassessing us again anyway so may get sorted this time

kevin137

Did you raise a complaint...??? Try doing that for the 1st one, and getting it corrected, it may be worth making an application for your data file and going through it, if they send you it, then they received it and you can get it dealt with, if things go slow then use your MP to help, but try to get through the basics and chronologically order everything that has happened, and you have done, it makes it easier to understand and see where mistakes are and gives you something to work with for incorrect assessments etc...

PreludeForTimeFeelers

kevin137 wrote: »

I was always under the impression that the effective date of the week you notify them, so if you posted on a tuesday and they received on a friday, the date would still be the preceding monday, that was what i was always told by the CSA...

It goes in line with the day your maintenance period began on, so telephoning may generally set an earlier effective date than posting.

jacklink

yes it will be a reduction in amount that has to be paid, whatever grief you may go, go through it for the benefit of the new baby, im sure he/shes worth it, i hope all goes well xx