CSA benifit demand

moodymare0198

Hi,
I am posting this for a friend of mine who has recieved a demand for over £8000 from the CSA. He has been paying his maintence direct to the mother. There is no dispute over the payments. However he has now received a demand for £8000 Which the CSA says he owes them because the mother was on benefits.
He has been told that had he paid the CSA direct, the mother would not have received the full amount that he paid because she was on benefits. They now expect him to pay the amount they would have deducted. Is this even legal?
Many thanks. Any info welcomed.

Guest101

In essence yes it's legal, under old systems benefits would be deducted from CSA payments.


They are going after him because they have no hope of getting it from her

Bogalot

I wonder if she is being investigated for fraud by the DWP? If not, she's likely to get an invite to interview very soon.

How far back are they going? It's some years since maintenance has been counted against benefits.

(The change happened in 2010.)

moodymare0198

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately he has not been sent any paperwork just the demand. He is writing to them for them to provide proof that he owes the money. He did speak to them this morning and was told it was because she was receiving benefits.

Rejast

If the CSA were involved they would have advised him how to pay and if the mother was on benefits he would have been told to pay via the CSA.
If he decided to pay the mother direct and go against the CSA's instruction unfortunately he will be liable for the debt.
If the mother does get investigated by the DWP she would have to repay any overpayment of her benefits to the DWP, this would have no bearing on his CSA case and/or debt
All this being said this should not been the first that he knows of the debt though. Surely he has received notifications of the debt accruing