Q about calucation in advance/arrears + 4 previous 7 years?

Missauk_3

History first! so you know why Im asking

My partners long standing CSA case was changed from payment direct to assessment, payment and enforcement (I think thats the correct terminology?) on the 6th November by request of his ex.

We received a request for £456 based on the last time an assessment was done, which was done about 7-8 years ago. This is for 2 children, which is now wrong as only one child is now living with PWC, the other is with us, plus we have a child of our own. So my partner asked for re-assessed and the assessment came through for X amount per week with effect from 2nd November - we agree with this assessment and presumed it would over-write the existing £456.

However the CSA are claiming we STILL owe them this amount, so my partner has spoken to them again and they are saying this amount is STILL due because CSA payments are taking in arrears, not in advanced. So £456 is for the period of 6th October to the 2nd November. But the PWC didnt change the status of the case until the 6th November.

Can they do this? It does not seem right to me..

My partner has always paid the PWC in advance, but they say this is irrelevant. And the amount they are asking for is for a period prior to the case being changed, when it was on payment direct. Surely this cannot be right?

Plus they have now said that if my partner does not pay this amount by Monday they will investigate the previous 7 years, during which time the case was on payment direct, but they say that my dh was still legally obligated to pay PWC the original assessed amount and if he has not they will then claim this amount from him. Well he has been paying PWC over this period but not at that amount because he was made redundant from the job which they assessed him at and is now self employed and does not earn anywhere near the same amount!

Again, can they do this? To me this is boarding on bullying.....

Any help would be appreciated.

Please note we are happy to pay the CSA, but have spent the last 6 weeks trying to get them to confirm exactly what the figures are for. And now they have I think its terrible they can ask for money for a period of time prior to being asked to by the PWC!

Thanks if you got this far, I am NOT happy!