declaration of parentage forms

madman12

The CSA has told me I have signed a declaration of parentage form.
I have just found out this form needs witnessing to sign it.
I have not signed any declaration of parentage forms.
Where do I stand on this matter? is this fraud??
If it is signed who signed it and how did they sign it.

DUTR

madman12 wrote: »

The CSA has told me I have signed a declaration of parentage form.
I have just found out this form needs witnessing to sign it.
I have not signed any declaration of parentage forms.
Where do I stand on this matter? is this fraud??
If it is signed who signed it and how did they sign it.

Then simply ask for a proof copy of the form. The rest of the post can only be answered after you establish the facts.

HoneyNutLoop

Normally, at the beginning of the case the CSA will either send you a MEF (maintenance enquiry form) or complete it with you over the phone. In that form, it asks if you accept you are the parent of the child or children named in the application. See page 2 of the attached.
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20070905115613/http://csa.gov.uk/en/PDF/forms/pen/csf002_print.pdf
By completing that question and signing the form (which does not need any witness) you are making a declaration about parentage.

A Declaration of Parentage is made by the courts. See the attached links:
https://www.gov.uk/adding-fathers-name-birth-certificate
http://www.fnf.org.uk/law-and-information/paternity-law

Neither process fits precisely what you have been told elsewhere - "I've just found out this form needs witnessing" - so you may want to go back to your source and clarify what they mean, perhaps asking them to direct you to their source of reference.

galangm8

Thank you for your link Honeynutloop for the Form: foo2... brill

I've been searching for ages for one of them....under Maintenance Enquiry Form (MEF), when it's not really the correct term, is it.

Have you any idea where you can get the same form but for CSA1 (pre 2003).

Thank you very much

PreludeForTimeFeelers

HoneyNut, is that the most recent version of the MEF? I remember trying to push a few changes through a couple of years back, but then changed roles so kinda lost interest in whether the changes were made or not...I can see that particular version is from July 2006 though.

madman12

Neither process fits precisely what you have been told elsewhere - "I've just found out this form needs witnessing" - so you may want to go back to your source and clarify what they mean, perhaps asking them to direct you to their source of reference.

familylives.org.uk told me the form needs witnessing

HoneyNutLoop

galangm8 wrote: »

Have you any idea where you can get the same form but for CSA1 (pre 2003).

Galangm8:
Here is a link to a copy of one version - to bring in Prelude's question, I don't know if it's the most recent version. As you've experienced, it's hard finding any version!!
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/claimforms/csa3_print.pdf

Prelude:
This is a newer version of the form:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@benefits/documents/digitalasset/dg_198871.pdf
Have no idea if it's the latest, but certainly the parentage question and signature bits seem the same as the 2001 copy.

Madman
I would ask familylives which form they are specifically referring to. Most government letters and forms are assigned a form number for easy reference. Ideally, that's what familylives should be able to tell you together with the form's name/description.

The likelihood is that the CSA are talking about their own form - the CSF002/CSA3 dependent on scheme. This asks about all the info they need to put a maintenance calculation in place, including whether or not you accept you are the parent, and does not need witnessing.

Familylives are most likely talking about a different process - the most obvious one being the Declaration of Parentage process through the courts, but the final decision on parentage would be made by a Judge. This is the application form for that process:
http://hmctsformfinder.justice.gov.uk/courtfinder/forms/c063-eng.pdf
Which you can see also doesn't need to be witnessed. I think as familylives gave you the advice, they are best placed to clarify it.

galangm8

HoneyNutLoop wrote: »

Galangm8:
Here is a link to a copy of one version - to bring in Prelude's question, I don't know if it's the most recent version. As you've experienced, it's hard finding any version!!
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/claimforms/csa3_print.pdf


Honeynutloop

Thank you very, very much for finding the pre 2003 Child Maintenance Enquiry - brilliant, I have been looking for years to no avail as the NRP's on here call it a MEF when it's not.

Thank you again.

PreludeForTimeFeelers

Cheers, was just wondering if it had changed much over the last few years.