CSA wanting new partner details?!?!

blaise802001

This year in February I gave birth to me and my OH's 4th child. He currently pays maintenace for his 2 other children to the CSA. The CSA are aware of our other 3 children and this has been taken into consideration regarding his monthly payments. However when we rang in February to inform them that we had another child they said they would send us a form out to fill in. So I thought ok that's fine. Well the form arrived, and on it they wanted me to fill in my childrens' child health benefit number (no problem, as they need to confirm that I've had another child with the CHB office) However the thing I was annoyed about were that they were wanting to know MY personal details i.e National Insurance Number etc. I refused. I mean what have my details got to do with my OH's ex's maintenance payments!??! They also wanted my D.O.B etc. When we rang to query the CSA they said they couldn't recalculate the maintenance until I provided my details. I refused obviously. So basically I'm just wanting to know if the CSA are right in doing this, or not. Incidentally the other 3 children were taken into consideration on CS1 and now my husband is on CS2. We were never asked for this information on CS1 so is this a new thing on CS2 and if so, why do they NEED my details??

TIA

slscarborough

I would assume they would need your details to check your earnings as your joint income is used when calculating how much maintenance your partner can afford to pay.

blaise802001

But I haven't worked for 5 years and they know this, and even if I did, why do they take into account my wages. They're his children not mine!! That's hardly fair if I were to be made accountable for children he had with someone else, surely??

NACSA_CHAIR

They appear to have this one mixed up. Whilst you were on CS1 they can ask for your details, although cannot demand it and you are under no obligation to supply the details. In most cases disclosure or non disclosure of NRPP income does not affect the payment, its only in cases where the NRPP is at home looking after children will disclosure of income be helpful to you/NRP.

Under CS2 they cannot ask for your details. Are you sure you are now under CS2? Just because you have had a review, it does not mean that you are under CS2. If you are definately under CS2, reply on the form stating that this information is not legally required under CS2 calculations processes.

Oh, and yes, they can still calculate the maintenance to include the new child even if you were on CS1 and your details were not given.

aMeLia'S~MuMMY

I am not sure as to why they have not asked for your details previously, however I assume ( I could be wrong) that you are under old rules but just had the case transferred to the new computer system but not converted to new rules ( middle option below) . In this case they would ask for your details, however you do not have to supply them.

The CSA currently operate on:

old rules on CSCS (child support computer system) ~ your details would be asked for
old rules on CS2 ~ your details would be asked for
new rules on CS2~ your details would not be asked for

You will need to clarify this.

:A

blaise802001

Hi. Thanks for your replies everyone. Just to clarify. We have definitely been transferred to CS2 as a new case. Husband's ex wife was currently on CS1 but was advised to close her case as she wasn't entitled to receive any money due to the calculation being that husband couldn't afford to pay anything. She was on benefits at the time, but then resumed work which is why she wanted husband to start paying. So CSA advised her to wait 13 weeks and then re-open a new case, which she did and is now under new-rules CS2 and husband now pays £178 a month. I am presuming that this is a new case and they won't have just transferred her case over or will they?? Even still am I right in assuming that if we are on CS2 that the new baby will reduce payments slightly and I am not legally obliged to provide any details??

Thanks for all your help guys

iluvfreebies

I would imagine they just want to verify that the child is in your houesehold as i assume the child benefit for ure children is paid to you so it will be your details that come up when they do there chid benefit check. Under new rules your details arent taken into account at all. So thats the only reason i can think of that they are looking for your details. This is because occasionally ppl try to say ppl are living with them when they are not. so now child benefit must be in pmt for the children to be considered.
hope this helps

aMeLia'S~MuMMY

deffo sound like new rules to me, I do not think that there is any neccessity to have your details, the fact that you have supplied your child's CRN number should be sufficient for them to make a trace with the CHB office, however as the previous poster stated it might just be for double checking purposes

You can also make a calculation on the CSA website for what the review should change to once your new child is added, check here

:A

blaise802001

Hi Amelia thanks for that. It looks as though when you have any more than 3 children that after the 3rd child any subsequent children aren't taken into account. It says 3 or more. I suppose I should get DH to ring up to check. I can't see that they wouldn't take any more children into consideration. What happens if someone had 5 or 6 kids to a 2nd partner. Would only the first 3 be considered for a reduction in the maintenance paid to the PWC?? It's so confusing and when you call no-one ever really wants to help.

aMeLia'S~MuMMY

yeah I think it is a 25% off net wage for 3 or more children before maintenance is calculated, I understand that this won't help you though being your 4th together. they do not make any further percentage cut above 3 kids

:A

kelloggs36

That's right, so the assessment won't change except it COULD increase if your household gets extra child tax credits as it is counted as his income. Just to warn you.......if you get working tax credits and your hubby is the higher earner, then that will also be added to his net income.

Slscarborough - you are completely wrong when you say they use joint income to calculate maintenance, they don't and never have, even under CS1 - under CS1 the partner's income was used to calculate the protected income to ensure that the household did not fall below a certain income level. the maintenance payable was calculated using only the NRP income.