csa

[blackfish]

My son has to pay 30% for two children when he queried this they said he was on the old system and could not be changed this seems very unfair. Any advice anyone

[daffy654]

He would be paying more if he still lived with them. He had the kids so he should be paying to support them.30% seems a small amount to me.

[blackfish]

I agree with you but why 20% of take home pay for some fathers and 30% for others
If you are on low income of say �250
30% is �75 Could you rent a flat pay electricity gas water rates community charge tv licence feed and clothe yourself and entertain your children on �175 per week.There are no credits for Fathers.
I agree with you in principal but it is quite hard for a single Father to manage

[plowter]

The CSA has tried three different methods of calculating maintenance so it's important for him to find out when he was assessed and under what method.

The current guidance is to charge 20% of net weekly income.

Ask for a re-assessment and get your MP to support your case.

[daffy654]

Getting a reassessment is not as easy as you might think though.Your son will definitely need to stand his ground if this is what he decides to do.My nephew was assessed at the highest rate for a child he disputes is even his.The mother also told him on more than one occasion that the child wasn't his, but he still had to pay as his name is on the birth certificate.He tried getting DNA tests but it has to be done through a solicitor to make it all legal and binding and he couldn't afford the fees.So he is left paying for a child that probably isn't even his.

[Le Chat]

30% is not unfair. It may feel unfair as it puts a certain amount of 'hardship' on your son...but they are his children. he is responsible for them and surely the CSA wouln't have been involved if he had been willing to pay a fair amount in the first place? The CSA was designed to chase 'errant' and payment dodging fathers (generally) was it not?

[Louisa 69]

daffy if your nephew is certain that the child is not his then wouldn't it be better for him to scrape together the money needed for the DNA tests, rather than pay 16 years of maintenance. I'm not sure if it's still the case now, but it used to be that if he's not the dad he gets the money for the tests back.

[daffy654]

Its not just the tests cost louisa.You have to pay solicitors,private nurse to take the test and then the lab who tests it has to be court appointed.He started proceedings but as the money for CSA was already being stopped from his wages he couldn't afford to keep paying the solicitor etc. If he could have got the CSA to defer payment he could have proceeded but they insisted he carry on paying(the mother was/is on benefits).

[LOX]

My ex paid nothing towards my two kids when they were young so i had to pay 100%. but i would have given them my last breath if they had needed it cos 'THEY WERE MY CHILDREN' { Thank god for mothers!!!!} Whats unfair about 30% ? Are'nt they your grandcildren????? They are in their early twenties now and they make me proud. They give me 100% and their father gets what he deserves-Nothing ! My daughter did'nt even want him at her wedding HIS LOSS, Think about it. They will be adults one day!!!

[banjobabe]

Unfortunately the CSA was not brought about FOR the children as they so often try to tell us!

At the time there were so many single parents claiming benefits the government had to find a way to claim back all those benefits - hence the CSA.

I pay child support since my daughter decided to go and live with her father 150 miles away. Unfortunately he still owes me from when she lived with me but trying to get that money is something else!

Her father will not let me have the home phone number (coz he's a prick) and I have to travel 150 miles to collect her 150 miles home and then repeat the journey to take her home.

:Last year I was paid by advance payment the full amount my ex owed me. I received a letter from the CSA last month telling me that I did not receive this amount as it did not meet the criteria! That was �6,000.

I wonder if I will be able to claim it again.

They are rubbish and I know more of their rules than they do.

Let me know if you want any advice!

BB xx

[christina81]

30% is nothing.Between two children it wouldn't get you very far.He should be happy to pay it.Us mums do the hard work.Its a 24/7 job.when you become a mum practically everything you have after you gas,rent etc goes on your kids.Whats the big deal.You should let hom sort his own problems out.but I got to give him credit.He does actually pay for them unlike some fthers or even mothers