CSA asking for details although no claim with them

Lizzieb151

Just after a bit of advice really. My husband has a child and used to pay through CSA however several years he moved from the CSA to an informal arrangement with the mother so he has no dealings with CSA since them. Their relationship became a lot more amicable.

They recently phoned him asking for his last 2 years income details.

Why would they do that if my husband and ex have no case anymore with them. I thought the CSA was being abolished anyway so even if he did provide details would that then open a case and be transferred to the other child maintenance option?

shoe*diva79

Did he ever get a letter confirming case closure as it sounds like his case is still open to me. If a new case was opening now then it would be with CMS and they wouldnt be asking for 2 years income details.

DUTR

Lizzieb151 wrote: »

Just after a bit of advice really. My husband has a child and used to pay through CSA however several years he moved from the CSA to an informal arrangement with the mother so he has no dealings with CSA since them. Their relationship became a lot more amicable.

They recently phoned him asking for his last 2 years income details.

Why would they do that if my husband and ex have no case anymore with them. I thought the CSA was being abolished anyway so even if he did provide details would that then open a case and be transferred to the other child maintenance option?

Who OK'd the move from CSA to an informal agreement?
It sounds like your partnet took it upon himself to not continue agreed contributions through the official channels, so the system is showing increasing arrears.

Cally_Smart

I hope I'm wrong but I can hear alarm bells ringing here.We believed the pwc in our case when she said she'd told the CSA she was closing the case & taking payment direct.Despite having every detail on statements ordered from the bank payment paid from our bank to hers they asked the pwc if she took the money as CM and she wouldn't admit it! We had to pay it all again!

bll78

DUTR a lot of people cancel CSA claims why would you do it through them and have a time lag if the other person has always paid on time? Before my partners ex contacted the CSA she received every penny by transfer on the 1st of the month without fail. After she contacted the CSA they spent months messing about when she got no money then applied to have it straight from his wages which I never understood given the fact he'd always paid the full amount on time before they messed it all up.

I hope you did check that the claim was cancelled though. When my other halfs ex wanted to cancel the CSA claim (which she only started because she thought she'd get more money through them than through the private agreement but was wrong) he refused to pay her on my advice until the CSA confirmed it was cancelled. They did, he paid her direct (plus the arrears caused by the CSA mess) and then another months payment went out of his wages afterwards. The CSA washed their hands of any responsibility for getting it back to him. So he was left to sort it out with his ex, which thankfully he did (all credit to his ex)

It all went smoothly without their involvement then until he stopped payments when the boy went into full time employment and wasn't even living at home and she went back to the CSA claiming he owed money. On this occasion the CSA was actually really good and looked into it and stopped her child benefit claim and closed the case, but I've seen on here that actually they aren't always so great at stopping CSA payments when the PWC is still claiming child benefit when they shouldn't be.

My advice is always be wary and ensure the CSA account is shut, as the CSA doesn't take evidence like money going into the PWC bank account of evidence of CS payments, and don't seem interested in reclaiming the money when PWC gets too much for whatever reason.

DUTR

bll78 wrote: »

DUTR a lot of people cancel CSA claims why would you do it through them and have a time lag if the other person has always paid on time? Before my partners ex contacted the CSA she received every penny by transfer on the 1st of the month without fail. After she contacted the CSA they spent months messing about when she got no money then applied to have it straight from his wages which I never understood given the fact he'd always paid the full amount on time before they messed it all up.

I hope you did check that the claim was cancelled though. When my other halfs ex wanted to cancel the CSA claim (which she only started because she thought she'd get more money through them than through the private agreement but was wrong) he refused to pay her on my advice until the CSA confirmed it was cancelled. They did, he paid her direct (plus the arrears caused by the CSA mess) and then another months payment went out of his wages afterwards. The CSA washed their hands of any responsibility for getting it back to him. So he was left to sort it out with his ex, which thankfully he did (all credit to his ex)

It all went smoothly without their involvement then until he stopped payments when the boy went into full time employment and wasn't even living at home and she went back to the CSA claiming he owed money. On this occasion the CSA was actually really good and looked into it and stopped her child benefit claim and closed the case, but I've seen on here that actually they aren't always so great at stopping CSA payments when the PWC is still claiming child benefit when they shouldn't be.

My advice is always be wary and ensure the CSA account is shut, as the CSA doesn't take evidence like money going into the PWC bank account of evidence of CS payments, and don't seem interested in reclaiming the money when PWC gets too much for whatever reason.

Every case is different, for me I favour paying via the CSA that way there is no dispute about the correct amount not being contributed or on time. I'm one of the 'lucky' ones that gets an annual schedule which shows me that the correct amount has been applied for the previous 12 months and no arrears showing.
I don't have to get into any dialogue with the PWC and I don't see the CSA as a punishment.

Cally_Smart

More alarm bells ringing !The Child Benefit being paid to pwc= CM must still be paid! We got caught by that too! We are still waiting to hear of the outcome of this yet CSA 'arrears' still having to be paid when on going CM finished several years ago. Because of the Data Protection Act we aren't allowed to know how the investigation is going either!

DUTR

Cally_Smart wrote: »

More alarm bells ringing !The Child Benefit being paid to pwc= CM must still be paid! We got caught by that too! We are still waiting to hear of the outcome of this yet CSA 'arrears' still having to be paid when on going CM finished several years ago. Because of the Data Protection Act we aren't allowed to know how the investigation is going either!

My QC will be 18 this year, so next year is the time I will start questioning any further annual schedules unless of course I get some letter to say the case is now closed.

Lizzieb151

Thanks for your replies, As far as I am aware the PWC cancelled the case with CSA and we have had statements over the past few years which don't show any building arrears so I am assuming that is the case.
Unfortunately my husband tried to phone the CSA but failed one of the security questions and now they won't speak to him over the phone unless they call him.
He doesn't want to deal through the CSA as had many problems right from the start so would rather go direct which he doesn't have a problem with just wondering if he does actually have to provide the details that CSA are requiring or if he can continue to go directly through the PWC.
The CSA are saying that they are in contact now because they have been reported a change in his circumstances but won't say by who. If it was the PWC then we would have to question why she didn't just speak to us like normal.
So do we HAVE to deal with the CSA or can we refuse?

shoe*diva79

Lizzieb151 wrote: »

Thanks for your replies, As far as I am aware the PWC cancelled the case with CSA and we have had statements over the past few years which don't show any building arrears so I am assuming that is the case.
Unfortunately my husband tried to phone the CSA but failed one of the security questions and now they won't speak to him over the phone unless they call him.
He doesn't want to deal through the CSA as had many problems right from the start so would rather go direct which he doesn't have a problem with just wondering if he does actually have to provide the details that CSA are requiring or if he can continue to go directly through the PWC.
The CSA are saying that they are in contact now because they have been reported a change in his circumstances but won't say by who. If it was the PWC then we would have to question why she didn't just speak to us like normal.
So do we HAVE to deal with the CSA or can we refuse?

If statements have continued to be received then the case has not been closed.

He may not want to go through the CSA but if it was his ex partner that opened the case then he is stuck with it. He can pay direct to his ex but the CSA will work out the assessment.

He cannot refuse. Well, he can but if he does then they will just apply to have a deduction order on his wages and start taking upto 40% (if there are arrears) of his salary each month.

Lizzieb151

Thanks again however you were right - the case was not closed and we have now received a letter claiming for arrears. They are asking for £750 a month!!!

Also claiming that info has been received stating my husband earns over £2 a month when he only earns £12k a year!

No mention anywhere of all the money we paid to PWC directly either.

They are saying that they use an estimated calculation tool to get his current earnings.

I just can't believe it!!