New (man) to Claiming from the CSA

N71

Hi - i've just read through the posts and thought i'd point out that in my opinion the CSA don't descriminate againt male or female pwc's. In my experience i'd say up to 40% of cases are from Dad pwc's - theres a lot of them out there.

But, one of the major problems with the great CS2 computer system, is that it gets very confused when for example mum claims as a PWC first, then the situation changes and dad then claims as a PWC. The case usually fails and has to get dealt with clerically, which is a simple process that takes a stupidly long amount of time. I'd say 80% of clerical cases are due to this problem.

Good luck anyway - it will get sorted in the end.

missile

Thankfully, I have no experience of the CSA, but they do seem to be a complete shambles. I feel it might be better to pursue a claim for maintenance against your ex through a solicitor. Most offer a free consultation, so it could cost you nothing to find out where you stand.

kelloggs36

I don't think you can do this actually, that is why the CSA is there.

enemes

I did actually consult my lawyer about this, and was told that the Family Law (in Scotland anyway) is against a court making an order to provide for the children, unless it has been through the CSA first. An order can be made against a NRP only if they stay with their current employer. Once they change to employment, the order ceases to be effective. Crap really!

enemes

Just to update ... Having not received any acknowledgement form my initial complaint email, to which they have ten days to contact you according to the Client Charter, I subsequently wrote another one to them stating their failure to get back to me.

I immediately got on to the phone to my MP, who told me that they had an MP's hotline number straight through to the CSA, and would get back to me within 24 hours.

Alas, this very night, finally - and for the first time - someone called me from the CSA. The head of New Clients Complaints Team at last acknowledged my emails and said an investigation was underway internally, and that she would take on my case personally.

She has 15 days to resolve the issue, and if at that time I am not satisfied with the outcome, I can then go to stage 2 of the complaints procedure, to a Martin Conner? in Washington.

Meantime, a full letter explaining to me the circumstances is on its way to me ... and an ex gratia payment for my troubles (though no figure was mentioned) .

So, the moral is ... just go straight to your MP when you are having problems.

I'm not counting any chickens yet, but finally i feel that something is being done about it. Unless, of course, someone here is going to say "yeah, yeah ... hard that one before" ... PLEASE DON'T!!

Richie_asg1

Just my 2p worth -
As the 'non-resident parent' as they put it, I complied fully with their whims. The figures went up and down almost monthly. They sent me forms saying "you must pay X from date n1 to date n2" for which I set up standing orders from n1 to n2.
Then they seemed to forget about me. This was during the "CSA to be abolished" time. I presumed that I would receive a letter about payments, but none came.......untill 4 months later I received a telephone call saying I was over £500 in arrears.
I explained I had not been requested to pay the money, so how could I fortell the ammount required?
No matter, they surgically attached an attachment of earnings to me, which has now landed me in debt.Reclawing every penny.

I was assaulted at work about 2 months ago, police called, guy sacked etc, which left me off work for 2 weeks.
Upon my return, my first wage packet for a 42 hour week was £121. When I asked why? My employer said it was because of the arrears! - what arrears? I pay 25% of my earnings right? -
But I didn't earn anything for 2 weeks ?
- Doesn't matter - they still take the £94 a week off, as there was no pay for those two weeks, the £188 is devided over the next seven weeks pay.
Seven weeks at £121.

My hours got smaller - I lost all motivation to work.
I worked for 3 days one week, and got paid the same.
My employer said the system was rediculous - but they faced prosecution if they didn't comply. They didn't take the £1 fee for admin, which was good of them.

Aparently, you have to inform them of the future possibility that you are going to have to take time off due to illness, as they can only process events starting from that day you inform them.
Unless your circumstances change, and they then backdate it to the date of change if you end up owing them something - like when the kids stayed with the EX for a few weekends months ago.
Even then there is a get out clause of not affecting your payments by over a set percentage, or even better the "non-typical work pattern" which is discredited if you think you have a chance.

Rant over,
My main reason for the post, is that I needed to talk to them one day, and Phoned as soon as I got in from work - at 4.45. I ended up talking to a Nigerian cleaner, who said that they'd all gone home as the computers had crashed! - This seemed to be the third time it has happened.

Why can't I work for one of those government departments that don't have enough to do?

enemes

enemes wrote: »

My first post here, and hopefully you will all be as helpful as ever!

So, my first question is : How bad is it really? ... and is there any hope for me at all?

Well ... six weeks later, and I'm still waitng for encouragement and positive vibes answering my initial question.

Obviously, it really is THAT bad. Give them their due though, I do have a Complaints Resolution Officer who phones me every Friday, usually to tell me that nothing further has happened since we last spoke. I suppose that is better service than what most of you get ... but we'll wait to see how long it lasts.

tsstss7

hi enemes

just read your thread and thought I'd add my bit!

In my opinion the CSA are not biased against male NRP just parents in general. Mycase with them over the years had been terribly managed and caused me serious stress at times.

In the beginnning it took them near enough 2 years to get any sort of payment from the ex......I however was on benefits then so not too bothered but if I'd had an older child and been ready to work them I would have been b********d (very disadvantaged!!!!)

They eventually got payment through an attachment of earnings but dispite the fact his employers take the money off him each month I dont always get it .....they have missed or been late with payment at least 6 months out of 12 this year....I do now work so this is a significant problem for me!!! Plus they are effectively borrowing" that money off my ex for up to 2 months at a time.

The CSA however do nowt about this ....just stick a £40.00 per month back pay on the regular monthly amount and so I will see this money after months. How can this be acceptable when the employers have already taken the money from my ex?

Sorry rant over....hope your claim progresses but if I was you I wouldn't be mentally spending it yet ...even if the ex has been served with assessment papers any backlog will come to you in dribs and drabs.

enemes

tsstss7 wrote: »

2 years to get any sort of payment from the ex......I however was on benefits then so not too bothered but if I'd had an older child and been ready to work them I would have been b********d (very disadvantaged!!!!)

Excuse my ignorance here, but what is the difference whether you are on benefits or not? Am I to assume from what you have said, that a PWC on benefit would be worse off if receiving Maintenance through CSA, i.e. what you get from CSA would be offset against benefits.

I'm completely new to this shabang!

tsstss7

enemes wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance here, but what is the difference whether you are on benefits or not? Am I to assume from what you have said, that a PWC on benefit would be worse off if receiving Maintenance through CSA, i.e. what you get from CSA would be offset against benefits.

I'm completely new to this shabang!

hi enemes

Yes that is basically it ...not worse off as such.......

I have not been on IS now for a few years but when your ex is paying CSA you do not see it, it just gets offset against your benefits (unless it exceeds them which it generally wont)

Apparantly now it is actually counted as income (as if from a job for example) and IS, and housing benefit are calculated around it ...this delays applications while they check everything and also of course if the ex misses a month you are basically f*****ed!! As this is now your main income apart from HB (not a big fan of the new system me) apparantly you would however be £10.00 a week better off but if this true I do not know.

hope this helps