Can the CSA insist on being involved?

IndiaRose

Bit of advice please.

I have 2 children by my ex they are 6 & 5. He has a baby boy of 7 months by someone else who he split up with earlier in the year.

Their maintenance/access row has turned a bit ugly and the CSA are now involved. They wrote to me asking how much he paid to me and when for our 2. I assumed this was to verify amounts that he had given them and replied not really thinking much of it.

I got a letter this week telling me that the CSA will be taking over MY maintenance payments and asked me for all sorts of details about my income. I rang them up and spoke to a really, really rude woman who said that basically if I did not allow them to handle my maintenance payments then they would not take them into consideration when sorting his other case and therefore he'd probably be too skint to pay me anything!

She also did something that I think was very, very wrong and said that given his salary was over X amount it was ridiculous what he was paying me and I should be pleased they are involved because they'll "get" me more money.

Now firstly I really don't think she should have mentioned any figures about his salary to me (although since he works for my father I'm well aware of his salary anyway!) and secondly I don't want them to "get" anymore money.

We have a very good agreement in place and always have done. He doesn't pay as much as they think he should because he looks after the children a lot when I'm at work which saves me a fortune on childcare, he buys all their shoes (which isn't cheap as 1 of them wears special shoes) and with my salary our arrangement works for us. I'm not out to take all his money from him. I am paid well and between us our children have a good life - I don't need anymore cash, and if I did he'd give it without the CSA involved.

Can they really insist on sorting my maintenance? If I say no I want to continue our private arrangement will they really not take the maintenance for our 2 into account and assess him for the baby as if he only has 1 child? I realise he can't tell them he pays £1million for my 2 so can't pay the other child anything, but surely they can't discount my 2 just because we have stayed amicable?

kelloggs36

It isn't that they are discounting your 2, but the money he pays you will still be counted towards his income when calculating what he pays the other PWC. i have answered more fully on the other thread,

scooby1001

I think because obviously the other PWC has either claimed maintaince or is on benefits they have to do yours as well otherwise the calculations would not allow him any money to pay you and he would proberly stop giving you money as he could no longer afford it. Let them do it and just say to him that when it comes back if it is more he can either pay it as it is or just carry on with your arrangement. as long as you arnt claiming JS or IS you can accept none or some of that amount should you wish you are in control.