Legal advice for CSA battle...help needed

Twinkle_Mitchell

Hi,
Can anyone advise a good lawyer/solicitor to give us advice and help regarding a battle with the Child Support Agency?
My partner is currently facing an appeals tribunal regarding an appeal against a maintenance decision and we think it is time we took some legal advice as we have no idea about how the CSA system works or what to expect.
Has anyone had any dealings with a good lawyer/solicitor/advisor that they could recommend?
Can anyone advise how much we are likely to be charged for legal advice? Having not needed a solicitor before, we have not got a clue about how much it is likely to cost.
Any advice gratefully received.

Scoflo

An appeal shouldn't need a solicitor as it's only down to income. When we have had difficulties we used the website & my partner taught himself how to do the calculation. I no longer have the web page infavourites but if you try google it will come up. I hope you sort things out without having to spend money

Saint_Chris

forget the solicitor, it is basically 15% for 1 child and then 5% for every other children after that. My hubby has 2 children and we pay 20% of his bring home pay. The only problems that arise is when there are extras like car allowances and bonuses.
On the main page of the csa website there is a place where you can imput your details ie total children and total bring home pay and it works it out for you.

Ted_Hutchinson

Anyone who does require legal advice can find a provider through CLSDIRECT

Twinkle_Mitchell

Hi there,
Its all got a bit more complicated than a normal maintenance decision. Partner's ex has got a departure decision (for 2 children), which has resulted in the CSA wanting 32% of my partner's wages - which we cannot afford. When we disputed this, they have applied to deduct it straight from his employer - hence the appeal and the tribunal. There are a number of other questions that we require answering about the case (the CSA are most unhelpful and we cannot find the answers on the internet), therefore, this is why we have resorted to legal advice!

vale_2

loads of links here...hope they help...in my case I found they will not change their mind once a decision is made...good luck!
http://www.childsupportanalysis.co.uk/information_and_explanation/basics/links_on_the_Internet.htm

BrokeBrokeBroke

what's a departure decision?

Twinkle_Mitchell

Hope I have explained this right...one of the parents (either parent with care or absent parent) can lodge a special application for the normal maintenance calculation to be ignored, in favour of a new assessment to alter the amount of maintenance paid. Normally done where parent believes there is a change in circumstances that warrants the CSA ignoring the original decision and making a special assessment. Look on the CSA website - otherwise called a variation I believe. Hope this answers it!

auntywalker2

Have you heard of nacsa.co.uk, we used to be members, and there were lots of people on the forums with some great advice, for a nominal membership fee. Might be worth a look, and Good Luck.

HTH

calleyw

Saint_Chris wrote:

forget the solicitor, it is basically 15% for 1 child and then 5% for every other children after that. My hubby has 2 children and we pay 20% of his bring home pay. The only problems that arise is when there are extras like car allowances and bonuses.
On the main page of the csa website there is a place where you can imput your details ie total children and total bring home pay and it works it out for you.

The percentages you quote are only for new cases if your case is older then the last few years it is completely different and a total nightmare to work out.

And even if it benefits you to go on to the new system you can't unless you have the ex's persmission. Umm when you are being left with something like £40 a month from one wage between 2 people to pay for clothes, hair cuts, holidays and car tax , birthday and Xmas presents (hope the children are not expecting much or any this year)etc and forcing someone out to work who really does not feel that they can face it and cope with it. Hardly seems fair.

But then of course the parent of care who is normally the mother is always right and fathers who have left sometimes through not fault of there own are made out to be lying and lower and than the lower.

Ummmmmmmmmmm seems a nice fair system to me.

I know how hard it is keep in there and keep plugging away. Remember don't get angry at the people on the end of the phone they are doing a job and being paid peanuts. They are just implementing rules that someone else made.

Wish you all the best.

Yours

Calley

Jazzieboy

Hi
However, please dont believe everything they tell you. We found out to our cost. Its a long story and eventually they apologised but this was after the event and my stepson had been shipped abroad by his mother but maintained they were not living there and we had made no attempt at access, so the payments went up !! (long way to far east) .... so a catalogue of disasters ..... but now he is back and wiser and now lives with us !! ....... which is a good thing I think !! lololol