Deduction of Earnings

SP1979

Hi everyone this is my first post.
I have just been hit with a deduction of earnings order from the CSA. They have reopened my case from the period 1997-2001.
I received a letter from them out the blue around 3 months ago saying I owed in excess of £20,000 from a period beginning 16 years ago!! (I have not heard anything from CSA for 12 years previous to this)
I have tried Citizens advice, welfare rights and my local MP but the CSA are unrepentant and will not even look at my case properly.
They are asking me to provide proof of income for the period June 1997 - January 2001 before they look at my case again but I am finding it impossible because the case is so dated.
I have wrote to HMRC requesting income records but have heard nothing, I dont think they could help me anyway.
The amount the CSA are demanding is around 90% of the total earnings I made during the period in question but I cannot prove it because I have no records only what I know in my head!
As it stands I can appeal but the process takes months and until they look at it again they will continue taking 40% off my wages. (£504+ every month)
Help me please someone!!

DUTR

It seems you are just telling us the part you want us to hear, as the old saying goes, you can run but you can't hide, somewhere along the lines you know the monies were due and it simply won't get forgotten about, arrears are often worse than the actual contribution, so it's best to opt for the contribution, saves all the heartache later, and just think the liability may have been over now.

SP1979

No DUTR the case was closed 12 years ago. On 26th may 2001 I received a letter from the CSA saying I owed £0.00 pence and that was the last I heard, I remember the day very well as it was my wedding day. This has came out the blue. I don't have any arrears I do not owe this money, this is a figure the CSA have pulled out their backside and stuck with it.

DUTR

Stephen_Pagan wrote: »

No DUTR the case was closed 12 years ago. On 26th may 2001 I received a letter from the CSA saying I owed £0.00 pence and that was the last I heard, I remember the day very well as it was my wedding day. This has came out the blue. I don't have any arrears I do not owe this money, this is a figure the CSA have pulled out their backside and stuck with it.

Fair enough, I hope you kept that letter, it seems odd that you are searching for old p60s if you already know there is no liability due, if you are 100% sure then, this sounds like a case for your MP to look into.
Good Luck.

IIRC they have to prove you owe the contributions, not that you have to prove that you don't.

SP1979

Thank you but what is odd is not the fact I'm looking for old P60s but the fact the CSA still have this case on file but do not have the financial records I gave them at the time which allowed them to come to the £0.00 figure in the first place.
My Local MP is already looking in to it

Crellow4

Were you unemployed when you received the letter advising no arrears? It could be that the arrears were suspended and have now been re-instated. I would suggest you ask for an account breakdown to show where/how the arrears accrued - this would be the starting point for any dispute.

justontime

My husband was faced with a similar demand out of the blue a couple of years ago. He had also had statements showing that he owed nothing and he'd had large overpayments paid back to him, so there was never any hint of arrears. I will not go into all the details of my husbands case, but he was also faced with proving his circumstances for a period of time close on twenty years ago. Don't give up, it will take a lot of work, but it can be done.

If the bank says they don't have records going back that far persist, go into the branch and explain your predicament, there may be someone who can help. It took my husband several attempts before he found someone who could help him to get copies of his bank records. Do the same with ex employers, tax records, pension records, anything you can think of to help to prove your case. Also request a copy of all your case records (you have to pay but it is worth it) go through them in detail as they may contain evidence which has been overlooked/ignored, getting my husbands records helped us to work out what had gone wrong and some of the evidence that helped to prove his case was contained in the old records.

Persist with your MP and stay in regular contact with his/her office, our MP was a big help. If CSA keep rejecting your evidence don't give up, keep on looking for more. We went through months of fear and worry, but in the end my husband did not owe them almost £17,000 they owed him money!!

Good luck

dannyneil

All you can do Stephen when they start taking 40% from you and leaving you with not enough to live off is simply quit your job and live off benefits until you can find a self-employed job.

Sensemaya

dannyneil wrote: »

All you can do Stephen when they start taking 40% from you and leaving you with not enough to live off is simply quit your job and live off benefits until you can find a self-employed job.

Never heard such stupid advice in my life. Besides the OP could not claim benefits as he would have 'resigned'.

Stephen: Everything must go through your MP. You need a paper trail. Don't communicate with them on the phone.

I would be asking for a complete account breakdown from Day 1.Your MP- rather their assistant-should be phoning them via the Parliamentary hotline whereby someone much more senior than your case officer should take a look at your case. Hopefully this will lift the DEO.

Have you provided your MP with a copy of the case closed letter?

The CSA are liars, incompetent, make figures up on a whim and make your life a misery. But never give up. They will reply to your MP's letter(s) with bulls*hit and never give a direct answer.

Use your MP. It will take a bit of pressure off you. I also suggest a big box of biscuits ( Xmas coming up too) as the case unfolds because the MPs assistant is your best friend.

I speak from dealing with the CSA over a period of 18 years. 14 years with my MP.

SP1979

your right sensemaya.
My MP's assistant has got the ball rolling and my case is finally being looked at properly. The CSA have contacted HMRC for my earnings regarding this period in question and I can't wait to find out what they come back with!
I think the CSA will be owing me money soon
I'll let everyone know.
Thanks for the advice everyone

SP1979

Well thanks everyone for the support. I have just received word that my case (now that my MP has made them look at it properly) has been deemed a "Null Assessment" which means I owe them nothing, which I have known for years.
It turns out they now owe me the money they deducted from my earnings, a grand total of £1500+ which will come in handy for xmas.
It really does show that the CSA take incompetence to another level.

Whooppee!!