Paying for mistakes made by the CSA
I am an 'Absent Parent' in the eyes of the Child Support Agency. I guess this is true when I live in Cambridgeshire and she lives in Tyneside. My ex and I split when I was still serving in the Army and wasnt prepared to leave before I had served my full 22 years. The ex remarried 6 days after the decree absolute was finalised overnight I became 'Old Dad', he became 'Big Dad'.
I have to say he's a nice bloke, it just his wife who I can't stand. I have been dealing with the CSA since then, paying what they ask regardless of whether I think it is the correct amount, easy life is better than fighting them and running up masses of arrears.
I now no longer serve my country and am no longer earning the same income. The CSA paid me a visit asking why I hadn't paid for 3 months, I said "How can I pay when I'm not working?" It wouldn't appear to matter to them. She took away my last 3 payslips and the latest copy of my mortgage statement. Meanwhile I crossed my fingers and hoped that I would still be able to afford the nice house my new wife and I had bought three years previously.
Somebody within the CSA couldnt read...
Unfortunately, somebody within the CSA couldnt read and typed the wrong address into their system. I heard nothing until a bailiff popped a demand through my door 12 months later asking for over £4,000. I had been taken to court without my knowledge and found liable for that amount.
Twelve months further on, I am still fighting what is their mistake, not mine. I have eventually cleared the amount owing to the bailiffs but now face arrears for the 12 months during which this dispute has taken place. One step forward, feels like 20 or more backward! Yet again the Child Support Agency make a mistake but somebody else has to pay for it.
When will the Government finally put the useless thing out of its misery? Probably never, they couldnt afford the redundancy package for all the staff no doubt! Hopefully the CSA complaints team will look into this. I finally spoke to someone in the Agency who was helpful and explained the correct steps to take.
I wait with baited breath for the outcome, although deep down I'm so sceptical about the whole thing that I probably get stung for even more cash than I am already lumbered with. Here's hoping.
By: Fostered Gaz
Comments from visitors
i am also a father of two, i dont see them as there mother has packed up and moved with no forwarding address, the past 12 mths i have recived 4 payment break downs, im paying what they say i should pay, and today 19-12-11 i recived a phone call from them saying i oew them £204, ive gone through banks statments and in 2010 they were taking the wrong amout from my wages, almost 2 years on there saying its there mistake , but i have to pay the bill.
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it seems to late for me but here is just a little thing i would like to share with all the parents out there, especially the male ones !!
I am a resident parent who thanks to the csa`s fantastic regulations have to pay them as well as supporting my kids living with me at the same time ....... why because dispite providing the csa with all the evidence they have asked for my ex denies i have my kids 4 nights per week therefor i am not telling the truth, but to quote the csa " we are here to collect on behalf of the non resident parent and not to carry out an investigation into fraud"
I am a resident parent who thanks to the csa`s fantastic regulations have to pay them as well as supporting my kids living with me at the same time ....... why because dispite providing the csa with all the evidence they have asked for my ex denies i have my kids 4 nights per week therefor i am not telling the truth, but to quote the csa " we are here to collect on behalf of the non resident parent and not to carry out an investigation into fraud"
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THE REAL RESIDIENT PARENT - 16-Aug-11 19:26
John surely you cant just wipe a file and there not be any enquiry?? the resident parent would just kick clean off and demand a new claim??
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apparently there is someone who works within the CSA who for £500 will delete your records from there files . a few people already have had a weight lifted out of desperation by this method...
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John (oxford) - 13-Aug-11 17:31
The csa are evil, inconsiderate bullies! They claim my husband owes £25000 in arrears, they don't care a jot about our 2 small children, they want their money and thats that! They are claiming letters that we sent have not been received! They have even written to the mother saying that she will be getting the £25000 soon, and like so many others she is one of these delightful people that has always lived off the state and never worked, whilst my husband works all the hours god sends to keep a roof over our head. But thank the lord, we are getting proffesional help with it all now, as I am very sorry to say that running away from this company does not help, they will catch up with you eventually one way or another!
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The csa are taking £160 a week from me a week and I earn £420 a week my gf works part time and they now want her national insurance number to get more money off me even if I don't give it to them they will assume she has a full time job and charge me for that.It is an unfair system and no father should pay more than the mother gets from the social like my ex does.So your not safe they always win.
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Unfortunatly no, there is no help out there! as you will see from other posts and comments the CSA are a law unto themselves. They really don't care, even if you threaten suicide. The best thing you can do is accept that they're going to take every penny they threaten to. You could, of course, contact your MP because after all the CSA doesn't work and they all know it. I am a fellow victim so I know what your going through and you have my sympathys.x
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Miss Grimreaper - 31-Mar-11 20:25
my husband has been contacted again by the csa to say he has to pay £118 a fortnight out of his £274 wages a fortnight, he is paying for a kid that is not his but they wont let him see the copy of the birth certificate that he has meant to have signed, he is paying for his own four kids that he doesnt get access to, now the csa are demanding this extra money, he is considering going on unemployment benefit, hes losing the will to live or he'll have no life cause he's got no money left by the time he contributes to the rent and council tax and other bills, is there any help out there?
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I have a son that lives with me full time and a daughter that lives with her Auntie. The Auntie was devious and went to CSA after I went to court with her, on her side, and allowed her to get a residency order.
I had a letter from the CSA saying that they were going to attach an order on my earnings to the tune of £300 a month. It's a lot but I don't mind paying for my daughter. Then coming up to Christmas I did a load of overtime so I could give my son the best Christmas ever. Strait after Christmas I did even more overtime so I could save for us to go on holiday for my boys birthday in May.
Now for the second month running they have taken £422 out of my earnings, leaving me just £830. That means they have taken their 300 plus all my overtime! My rent alone is £600. After Council Tax and bills we will again be living off the child benefit for the month. No holiday for us. I dread something happening to the car because how could I afford to fix it. No car, no job (I live out in the sticks) and to top it all, my daughters Auntie is complaining because she hasn't received ANY money from the CSA yet. I spoke with CSA and they said she will get £150 this week. So where is the rest of the money going??? Am I paying for other children with absent fathers that don't pay?
I don't know how we will survive. I have worked out that with petrol costs and deductions of earnings, I would be £160 a month better off on benefits. How is this country ever going to get better? I'm one of the lucky ones to have a job...or so I thought. I get £5 a week from my son's drug addict mother who is and always will be on benefits. Compare that to the £422 I am paying every month.... Can you believe, when I said this to the CSA they told me to stop doing overtime!!! I just don't know what to do. Can anyone help?
I had a letter from the CSA saying that they were going to attach an order on my earnings to the tune of £300 a month. It's a lot but I don't mind paying for my daughter. Then coming up to Christmas I did a load of overtime so I could give my son the best Christmas ever. Strait after Christmas I did even more overtime so I could save for us to go on holiday for my boys birthday in May.
Now for the second month running they have taken £422 out of my earnings, leaving me just £830. That means they have taken their 300 plus all my overtime! My rent alone is £600. After Council Tax and bills we will again be living off the child benefit for the month. No holiday for us. I dread something happening to the car because how could I afford to fix it. No car, no job (I live out in the sticks) and to top it all, my daughters Auntie is complaining because she hasn't received ANY money from the CSA yet. I spoke with CSA and they said she will get £150 this week. So where is the rest of the money going??? Am I paying for other children with absent fathers that don't pay?
I don't know how we will survive. I have worked out that with petrol costs and deductions of earnings, I would be £160 a month better off on benefits. How is this country ever going to get better? I'm one of the lucky ones to have a job...or so I thought. I get £5 a week from my son's drug addict mother who is and always will be on benefits. Compare that to the £422 I am paying every month.... Can you believe, when I said this to the CSA they told me to stop doing overtime!!! I just don't know what to do. Can anyone help?
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My husband of 9 years slept with this woment 4 years ago and she got pregnant, he has done an dna and it turns out its his. He knew nothing of this women being pregnant and she contacted him after she was born. He has being paying hush money to keep it quiet but I found out. He had no choice on this baby and doesn't want anything to do with it. We he have to pay manintenance?
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Aa grandparent I have witnessed the damage a vindictive ex can unlease. the csa always take their part. the are like a dog with a bone they won't let go until their is nothing left or have destoyed you in doing so. Unfortunately they have no interest in you or your childs welfare in their eyes you don't really count.if your child has to be brought up in poverty to give money to an ex then so be it. This has been going on for years and the government is just turning a blind eye to all the heartache they cause and lets them do just as they think fit. This sounds harsh but you need to know what you are dealing with. I sincerely hope you and you partner come through this so try and stay strong for each other. The csa will do everything they can to get the money they want, they will backdate any payments and you will end up with arrears from the time the claim was made. they have in the current economic climate got far worse they will take up to 40% from you partners wages if they think he is trying to avoid paying. It about time something was done to keep them in check. Good luck with the baby and don't let all this spoil what should be a magical time for you both. Take care of youself.
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my boyfriend slept with this girl back 5 years ago, she was a one night stand and the biggest mistake he ever made looking back. after that night he didnt hear from her again until 2 and a half years later when she wrote to his mum and claimed to have had his baby, at first she said she didnt want money just someone to childmind the baby on weekends, but when my boyfriend denied the child being his she took him to csa. We have been fighting csa for 2 and a half years now (give or take). We cant afford the DNA test as it is too expensive and as we have our own little girl on the way to worry about. But when the CSA asked for the DNA test in the first place, his granddad was in hospital dying and he was a full time carer for him. With these circumstances in mind the CSA didnt care and still persued the case, my boyfriend has said he isnt refusing to do the DNA as he would like to know aswell, however, we simply cant afford it and if they were willing to pay then he would more than happily do it. Now we have a baby due in 7 weeks and my boyfriend is stuck in catch 22, he begrudges paying a penny to this woman as at the time she was sleeping with 6 different men. does anyone have any advice that they can give? thanks
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StressedMummyToBe - 16-Mar-11 14:49
the CSA policies absolutley stink, my story starts a few months ago when a woman contacted me on facebook saying I was the father of her 16yr old daughter and I needed to step up an take responsibility, the daughter also contacted my 2 children aged 17 and 11 on facebook telling them she was their half sister!! the mother also contacted my wife!! my wife told her in no uncertain terms to never contact her or our children again, she threatened to make me pay and blocked my wife, fast forward to january an I recieve a letter from the CSA asking me for my income details to pay for this child, obviously I denied being the father and was told I had to take a DNA test, which if positive I was too pay for and for the mother and daughters too...£258 x 3!!! I done everything I was asked to do and each time I spoke to them made sure they documented my frustrations and concerns and how it had effected my relationship with my wife and 2 children, yesterday I recieved the results and I was NOT the biological father to this child, I was told oh sorry about that the case will now be closed!!! I was furious and called a helpline about what I had been through and was told they had done nothing wrong and too add insult to injury the CSA will foot the bill for the DNA tests because they were negative, no investigation into this woman and her claims I cannot believe a woman can just call them an have any mans world turned upside down and have expensive tests paid for knowing full well that man is NOT the father, does anyone think what happened to me is in any way right??
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my ex left in 2000, clearing the house of everything apart from my clothes. Refused me access to my daughter which I haven't seen in 10yrs. Earning £200 awk the CSA demand £100awk 50% of my wages for 1 child. As this got my back up I bluntly refused to pay until my accountant filled out forms. this went on for 12mths or more to and fro the CSa who do not listen to any one might I add. Now with backpay they reckon I owe £10,000 to someone who works for cash, gets single parents tax credits, drives a 4x4 jeep, as 3 horses and rents fields. No i'm not cheesed off much!!!!!!!!!!!!
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PETEE...this sounds so familiar! I, like you informed the CSA that I was changing job in May 2007 (starting new job in June 2007). I sent them all the info they asked for but surprise suprise, they lost my payslips and all the info!
By their incompitence I ended up in arrears as they took no money from me for 10 months and when I contacted them I got the same story as you did with similar threats.To try help with your problem have you been paying your ex cash or through the bank? If its through the bank you should have proof that you have paid regular payments and therefore these would be taken into account. Unfortunatley this means owning up that your ex has been receiving the money, its time to bite the bullet my friend as you or the ex will have to pay it back. The CSA can only ask you for monies from the date your ex put in her claim. If you can't pay,dropping the ex in it may be your only option. Problem is as it stands the CSA will slam a Deductions Of Earnings Order on your pay direct before you even receive it and will your ex still be expecting the £100 on top??
If I were you, demand a full account breakdown of what you owe and what you have paid and compare what you have paid to your ex with this. This will give you a better idea of what you owe.
I'd say that the problem you are now in is because your ex is claiming benefits which the CSA is duty bound by law to reclaim from the absent father. I may be wrong so best get some advice from CAB.
Good Luck!
By their incompitence I ended up in arrears as they took no money from me for 10 months and when I contacted them I got the same story as you did with similar threats.To try help with your problem have you been paying your ex cash or through the bank? If its through the bank you should have proof that you have paid regular payments and therefore these would be taken into account. Unfortunatley this means owning up that your ex has been receiving the money, its time to bite the bullet my friend as you or the ex will have to pay it back. The CSA can only ask you for monies from the date your ex put in her claim. If you can't pay,dropping the ex in it may be your only option. Problem is as it stands the CSA will slam a Deductions Of Earnings Order on your pay direct before you even receive it and will your ex still be expecting the £100 on top??
If I were you, demand a full account breakdown of what you owe and what you have paid and compare what you have paid to your ex with this. This will give you a better idea of what you owe.
I'd say that the problem you are now in is because your ex is claiming benefits which the CSA is duty bound by law to reclaim from the absent father. I may be wrong so best get some advice from CAB.
Good Luck!
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AT THE END... Sorry to hear of your predicament,there are a few things to consider which could help your situation:
1. If the child is working part time but not in full time education, payments should have ended when they hit the age of 16 (usually the monday after their 16th birthday). If in education as well, they have to be attending a minimum of 12 hours to be eligible for child benefit/maintenance.
2. If the child is not living at home and is residing with a partner then the mother cannot claim to be their primary carer. (I know this as I have just won a tribunal case)
3. Your earnings should not be taken into consideration if your husband has paying all along. CSA took my wifes personal employment details as said it was relevant when the claim was first made but it was later leaked to me by a CSA advisor that these details were never relevant or needed.
4. You should only be liable if you had adopted said child thus admitting parental responsibility.
You could contact C.A.B and make enquiries, also there is a CSA helpline but their advice is limited. Any complaints please persue them logging times, names and any info they give you as some advisors aren't consistent. If you feel you have exhausted all complaint avenues contact your local MP and follow up a complaint with the Independant Case Examiner.
I hope this helps a little, I spent 4 yrs fighting the CSA and still find them incompitent.
1. If the child is working part time but not in full time education, payments should have ended when they hit the age of 16 (usually the monday after their 16th birthday). If in education as well, they have to be attending a minimum of 12 hours to be eligible for child benefit/maintenance.
2. If the child is not living at home and is residing with a partner then the mother cannot claim to be their primary carer. (I know this as I have just won a tribunal case)
3. Your earnings should not be taken into consideration if your husband has paying all along. CSA took my wifes personal employment details as said it was relevant when the claim was first made but it was later leaked to me by a CSA advisor that these details were never relevant or needed.
4. You should only be liable if you had adopted said child thus admitting parental responsibility.
You could contact C.A.B and make enquiries, also there is a CSA helpline but their advice is limited. Any complaints please persue them logging times, names and any info they give you as some advisors aren't consistent. If you feel you have exhausted all complaint avenues contact your local MP and follow up a complaint with the Independant Case Examiner.
I hope this helps a little, I spent 4 yrs fighting the CSA and still find them incompitent.
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my husband had a affair and this women asked him to leave his family and two children both under 2 at the time, she got pregnant on purpose. I know this because she told me, her words were, I AM GETTING OLDER (SHE WAS 40 AT THE TIME) AND IF I CANT HAVE HIM AT LEAST I WILL HAVE HIS CHILD. ITS MY ONLY CHANCE.
This evil piece of work has hounded my family ever since, we stayed together and my husband paid maintance for the child, my husband and myself decided we did not want this child in our lives and for seventeen years it had been this way.
However it does not stop this evil piece of work hounding us, asking questions about things my family does to anyone that will listen. she even asked my friends childrens which she teaches personal details about my family she was reported, I could go on and on. my husband paid for this child every month for 17 years and he is now seriously ill, and been kept alive by a machine. however this has not stopped this evil greedy female now wanting me to help support her and her child and the csa help her do this. I have a good job, my husband cant work. my two children are filled with disgust at what is happening. I will not disclose my personal details and will consider leaving my husband as I feel enough is enough. my husband says he just wants to die. This women has no mortgage, works full time and her child works part time. she is not on the bread line. we will be if she has her way but thats what she wants.
This evil piece of work has hounded my family ever since, we stayed together and my husband paid maintance for the child, my husband and myself decided we did not want this child in our lives and for seventeen years it had been this way.
However it does not stop this evil piece of work hounding us, asking questions about things my family does to anyone that will listen. she even asked my friends childrens which she teaches personal details about my family she was reported, I could go on and on. my husband paid for this child every month for 17 years and he is now seriously ill, and been kept alive by a machine. however this has not stopped this evil greedy female now wanting me to help support her and her child and the csa help her do this. I have a good job, my husband cant work. my two children are filled with disgust at what is happening. I will not disclose my personal details and will consider leaving my husband as I feel enough is enough. my husband says he just wants to die. This women has no mortgage, works full time and her child works part time. she is not on the bread line. we will be if she has her way but thats what she wants.
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Hi
In 2006 I started working and rang the CSA to tell them my change of circumstances,because I didnt want to get into arrears!LOL, they said they would send out forms asking for the information. I never recieved them. So I rang again, the CSA worker asked me the situation........ I was paying benefits rate through CSA, £21 a month, and paying direct maintanence £100 month, Plus 1 night a week shared care. He said to me that if both parents were happy with that arrangement it was ok to continue as we were, as the law now allowed that. NOT TRUE
NOV 2010, a letter arrives requesting my wage slips from 2006, because theyve just found out my circumstances have changed. I send them off and then get told I owe £11000 arrears. They then say this has to be paid off within 2 years, with ongoing maintanence payments of £200, thats £597 month.
Within 10 mins of being told this on the phone, I was threatened with legal action!
Because my ex is on benefits, she can only declare £10 a week in direct maintanence,I cant tell them she has had £100 or she has to pay it back, so all that money I paid to her has been written off, and they have reduced the arrears by the £10 a week which took it down to £8000.
They have been considering my claim for 1 nights shared care, because I told them about this in 2006, to be backdated, but today they told me this has been declined. Surprise surprise! They say they only have record of one phone call in 2006......the one in which, they say I ignored their request for information and no other calls.
i have spoken to different case workers about this and they all give different answers, but my case worker is taking the hard line, by the book approach, She has every angle covered.
I cant afford to pay £597 a month. Is there anyway to negotiate this these people?
Is it worth paying for legal advice or do I just have to bite the bullet and start paying?
Thanks in advance for any feedback
In 2006 I started working and rang the CSA to tell them my change of circumstances,because I didnt want to get into arrears!LOL, they said they would send out forms asking for the information. I never recieved them. So I rang again, the CSA worker asked me the situation........ I was paying benefits rate through CSA, £21 a month, and paying direct maintanence £100 month, Plus 1 night a week shared care. He said to me that if both parents were happy with that arrangement it was ok to continue as we were, as the law now allowed that. NOT TRUE
NOV 2010, a letter arrives requesting my wage slips from 2006, because theyve just found out my circumstances have changed. I send them off and then get told I owe £11000 arrears. They then say this has to be paid off within 2 years, with ongoing maintanence payments of £200, thats £597 month.
Within 10 mins of being told this on the phone, I was threatened with legal action!
Because my ex is on benefits, she can only declare £10 a week in direct maintanence,I cant tell them she has had £100 or she has to pay it back, so all that money I paid to her has been written off, and they have reduced the arrears by the £10 a week which took it down to £8000.
They have been considering my claim for 1 nights shared care, because I told them about this in 2006, to be backdated, but today they told me this has been declined. Surprise surprise! They say they only have record of one phone call in 2006......the one in which, they say I ignored their request for information and no other calls.
i have spoken to different case workers about this and they all give different answers, but my case worker is taking the hard line, by the book approach, She has every angle covered.
I cant afford to pay £597 a month. Is there anyway to negotiate this these people?
Is it worth paying for legal advice or do I just have to bite the bullet and start paying?
Thanks in advance for any feedback
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Don1... I found this letter template on a forum in regards to the limitations act but whether it will apply to you I really dont know. Worth a try before they slam a DEO on you. Also find out where your local MP's office is and call them or email like I did.. my MP was a GREAT help. This letter below may be a complete waste of time, but you never know. At the end of the day...what have you got to lose? Good luck & i'll keep checking this forum to see how things are going :D
Child Support Agency
Address 2
Address 3
Address 4
Postcode
[DATE]
Dear Sir,
Re: Account reference [REF NUMBER] Your demand of [£AMOUNT]
Thank you for your letter of [DATE] and received by me today,
Unfortunately I an unable to accept your aforementioned demand for money because a period of more than six years has passed since you have communicated with me, and therefore we are now within the operation of the limitation act 1980.
While I appreciate you have to follow legislation known as the Child Support Act 1991, you should be aware that the Limitation Act 1980 was passed before the Child Support Act 1991 became law and therefore takes precedent.
Meanwhile, the matter is now closed.
Yours Sincerely.
Child Support Agency
Address 2
Address 3
Address 4
Postcode
[DATE]
Dear Sir,
Re: Account reference [REF NUMBER] Your demand of [£AMOUNT]
Thank you for your letter of [DATE] and received by me today,
Unfortunately I an unable to accept your aforementioned demand for money because a period of more than six years has passed since you have communicated with me, and therefore we are now within the operation of the limitation act 1980.
While I appreciate you have to follow legislation known as the Child Support Act 1991, you should be aware that the Limitation Act 1980 was passed before the Child Support Act 1991 became law and therefore takes precedent.
Meanwhile, the matter is now closed.
Yours Sincerely.
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Thank you for your reply Mr Tibbs.....as we speak this is Don1 's partner as he is on the phone to the CSA!!!! Arrggggghhhhhh. He rec'd a letter now asking for £750 a month for the one child........how on earth is that feasable?? He might as well just quit work on monday as what is the point of him going as there is nothing left for him to live. This is awful, they say thats the amount is that and nothing can be done it will be taken as an attachement of earnings. We trying to ask regarding the limitations act but they will not make no comment. I need to know how you get to speak with the local MP. We trying to get this reassed to the "current scheme" with his daughter added on but this can not be done over the phone. We just dont know what to do...??
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