CSA1 - can anyone tell me if this assessment seems right please?

pepper76

Hi,

My monthly net earnings are £1700. I am on CSA1 and paying £506 per month for two children. I live alone so no partners income taken into account. Is it correct that 30% is taken off before they take into account the mortgage / council tax etc?

The assessment letter I received is really no help as it's full of errors / contradictions and my two requests for them to send a correct one has fallen on deaf ears.

DUTR

Depends on the living costs also I guess, the formula is not for general release, but if as you suggest there are errors and contradictions, then there could be an error. Are there arrears you have forgotten to consider?

pepper76

Hi, thanks for reply, no there are no arrears, I was reassessed after starting a new job in January. The assessment they sent me has my weekly income after deductions as £423 and my disposable income as £423 with a column of £0's for things such as income tax, housing costs, pension etc which they agreed was wrong but told me not to worry as the final calculation of what I had to pay was correct anyway (£118.65 per week or £506 per month).

pepper76

I thought they deducted your housing costs / council tax / half of pension payments from your net income first and then what was left took 30%? If anyone can clarify that would be great thanks.

HoneyNutLoop

pepper76 wrote: »

I thought they deducted your housing costs / council tax / half of pension payments from your net income first and then what was left took 30%? If anyone can clarify that would be great thanks.

This is incorrect. There should have been a booklet enclosed explaining how the formula works, and that the 30% is an absolute maximum that you will pay, should the standard formula result in a calculation that is more than 30% of your net income.

You are entitled to receive a letter that outlines the actual figures used and not just a line of zeros. Call them again or write to them explaining either they need to send an accurate notice, or you will be forced to ask for mandatory reconsideration of the amount (as you have no way of checking the calculation yourself without the figures) and forced to complain, due to their service failure by not providing the info.

Of course, it's quite possible the figure is correct. If you live alone and don't have particularly high mortgage payments, it could be accurate.

pepper76

Thank you, I've been looking through the figures again and the assessment is probably correct as monthly allowed expenses are quite low: mortgage is £448 and C/T £112 and pension £45 which is all they take into account. Anyway, I will take your advice and write to them this time I think, I just want an accurate notice for my records.

Crellow4

Hi,
Your income of £1700 would equate to £392.31 weekly. One of the calculations under. CS1 is 30% of this figure - this is the maximum regular maintenance you'd be assessed to pay. I make that £117.70 per week, which is £510 per cal month. If you pay £45 into a pension, half of this would be allowed before calculating the 30% figure. This would reduce your monthly payments to around the £505 mark - near enough what you've been assessed to pay.
Looking at your mortgage payments, I would say that the 30% figure is likely to be correct.
I do feel like knocking my head off a brick wall sometimes - partners income does not increase your liability UNLESS the PWC applies for a Departure to apportion housing costs between both people in the house.

13Kent

Hi pepper76 have sent you pm.