CSA

[Meg888]

If the non-resident parent works and pays this over to the CSA, does the resident parent actually receive all of the money? What is the set up for the resident parent if they work/don't work? The CSA have sent a letter through requesting a crazy amount of money on a weekly basis that will literally cripple us, and we were just wondering if it would be worth coming to a direct arrangement with the ex. Could be difficult though, as she's not the most reasonable of people.

Thanks in advance

[hc4361]

Yes, the other parent gets all the money now, whether they work or not.

[whiskeysheri]

No, they don't. My sister gets a small percentage of what is taken from her ex because she gets a lot of help in benefits.

[hc4361]

Well it shouldn't be. She should get every penny.

If you claim income-related benefits, the amount of child maintenance you receive no longer affects the level of these benefits.

http://www.csa.gov.uk...ntenance-changing.asp

[pink-kittens]

From that link hc, it appears to me that a single mum on benefits can now keep ALL the money the child's father gives them with no loss of benefit? My God!

Best I keep the rest of my op to myself

[maclarencat]

Wow that seems unfair. So theoretically If a person is not working and is on benefits their ex could be paying £500 per week csa and they would still be getting benefit!

[pink-kittens]

yep, maclarencat, that is exactly it! I am still dumbfounded. I spoke to my sister about it yesterday and she couldn't see why I was up on my soapbox about it

So, there's you, me and the gatepost working hard to pay our bills, our rent/mortgage etc etc and there's single parent Jane or John getting benefits that WE pay for alongside the £XXXX a week or month they get for maintenance - defies belief, doesn't it?

[Meg888]

This is just crazy! My partner has always paid his CSA (direct to them, they've never had to take him to court or anything). But now, because they have miscalculated what he should have been paying all the way back to 2007, they're wanting in the region of £150 per week. The majority of this being what they say is paying off arrears. Yet his ex lives in their marital home, under mortgage, receiving benefits (whilst doing various cash in hand jobs) & now has a partner living with her who also works. I'm sure she probably hasn't declared half of this to the DSS or whoever. It's ludicrous, that CSA is not capped per child - it's a percentage of income; so basically the marriage ends, and the resident parent benefits more from the NR parents income than the second family. I'm not saying NR parents shouldn't pay for their kids, because they absolutely should, but taking all that money off us puts us on the poverty line (I also have a daughter) whilst she rakes the money in from all angles! there's absolutely no incentive for her to go to work getting that sort of money. Would it be worth taking this up with the Citizens Advice, as the CSA are having none of it. This means that I am also going to work to pay the CSA, even though my income is not taken into consideration, but he couldnt possibly afford this if he lived alone, whilst trying to run a house also. Between us, our work travelling costs are in the region of £50-70 per week, but they will not take this into consideration either. PS He has his kids (2) every weekend without fail. The past two years she has refused to allow us to take them on holiday and last Christmas she would not allow us to see them until Box day, previous to this, he always saw them for at least a couple of hours at tea-time. So while the CSA & her demand all this money, there is no-one, looking out for the NR parents rights - it's disgusting. It's not even worth him looking for a better paid job, because he ha

[Meg888]

Because he has to declare his income, so they'll benefit from the difference more than he will!

[ummmm]

Funny old world isn't it....

I got in touch with the CSA because my ex doesn't pay a penny. They said they'd look into it. It seems to me that because I don't claim benefits they are not interested...