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I have been consistently overcharged by the Child Maintenance Service. The amount deducted from my income exceeds the calculated maintenance liability as per the CMS guidelines. Despite providing all necessary documentation and communicating with your team on multiple occasions, the overpayments have not been rectified.
Timeline of Events:
- 5th December 2024: I received a notification of the calculated maintenance amount of £700 per month (from £550) which I believed to be incorrect.
- 6th December 2024: I contacted CMS to dispute the calculation and provided supporting evidence, including the Birth Certificate of my youngest child which has never been factored in the calculation.
- 6th December 2024: I was informed that the matter would be reviewed, but no response has been received.
- 14th March 2025: I am yet to receive a reply to my change of circumstances I submitted via the App. But I now noticed CMS have mentioned my child has been in the calculation and the amount has instead gone up to £800 per month, and I raised the issue again with CMS.
Impact:
The overcharging has caused significant financial hardship, making it difficult for me to meet my own living expenses and support my children adequately. It has also caused unnecessary stress and frustration, as I have made repeated attempts to resolve this matter without success. I have 3 other children in my care and I am struggling to keep the roof under our heads not to talk of feeding my children. After car loan payment, car and family insurance payments, mortgage payment, council tax payment, utility bills, transportation costs including for my 15 year old, I struggle to make ends meet and this cannot be fair for my other children. There is no incentive to carry on working, as I will be better off being on benefit at this rate.
I have recently emailed local MP who is willing to act on my behalf and write to them, It's all a bit of a joke how CMS work. I have gone through my employers predicted years earnings but when I have worked it out its like £20000 down. I have also since speaking with CMS and they advised apply for either shared child benefit or full, I did not know you could do both.
Hope this helps.
Also apparently there a new thing for GCSE kids to do an in house something works out 3 hours a day 5 days a week?? Is there something stating that you have not to pay child maintenance if child under 16 hours. Don't get me wrong I am all for paying for my child but when she sat claiming when nothing wrong with her, i have our child living with me and she still is reporting me to pay maintenance even though I cannot afford it. The benefit fraud from her goes on. has partner living with her but he happens never to be there when they visit or question. Its all wrong. Sorry for my rant but now I'm getting charged late payment,
I have been constantly overcharged even though I have been paying from my account to hers. They have sent me a sorry letter for their mistake but figures still do not add up. She should be paying me for my son living with me, also they say that if I have overpaid and the receiving parent on benefits I wont get my money back. So I have stopped all payments.
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