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Hi
New here but at my wits end.
I have always paid CSA through deduction of earnings orders. This means I have little contact with them which in turn reduces my stress. I know where I am with the money I pay out, and don't have to fill out reams of paperwork for them.
Occasionally there has been an overlap in the new order being created, causing arrears of a month or so, which I have always contacted them about and paid immediately.
I haven't seen my son, who is now 15, despite being given court orders. I know this is irrelevant! I was not married to his mother.
My wife and long term partner has 2 children. One of which she was getting Child Benefit for, which she cancelled 3 years ago due to him moving to live with his dad temporarily. He returned some 6 months later, and we never reclaimed for the Child Benefit for him.
The Csa have contacted me today to tell me that that they have been informed of a change in circumstances, relating to the Child Benefit no longer being claimed. They have now decided that I owe them arrears of £10 a week from August 2011. I am yet to receive the total arrears but this will be about £1800.
To me this is totally unfair. We informed the DWP to cancel the Child Benefit as soon as he had left, to ensure that everything was legal and above board. Knowing that CSA is part of the DWP, surely it should not take 3 years for them to be notified.
At no time have I tried to not pay maintenance, nor have I tried to cheat the system. I ensure that everything is done correctly so that I know my finances. I am now in a bit of disarray.
Do I have any case for appeal or complaint regarding this. I feel that this debt is not my fault, and am so destroyed by this. £1800 might not be a lot, but when I have tried to ensure I don't get into any arrears this pops up. I spoke with the CSA not 6-7 months ago and nothing was mentioned then.
Please help
Unfortunately the CSA (being a statutory agency) is just like the tax office in this respect.
When they can prove that you are in arrears (even if the administrative error is their fault), you have to pay up.
You can appeal to try and get a sympathetic repayment plan. But you will have to pay back
Thanks for the reply.
I have spoken to the case worker who having done a credit check on me has decided that I can pay the full amount using a credit card and my overdraft. I requested that they negotiate a payment plan that will not cost me more money in the form of interest, to which I was declined on the basis that I have room to pay on my credit card. I explained to them that this would cost me money in interest, to which the response was to borrow from friends or family, or even remortgage!!!
I cannot believe what they are suggesting and how inflexible they are being. The case worker was nothing short of nasty. He displayed no empathy or help, and simply made me feel as if I had done this on purpose, Which is not the case.
They have stated that if I don't make a large payment, which I cannot afford, then they will apply to take 40% from my wages. I feel that they are bullying me to into taking out credit, which in my mind seems unethical. I would go as far to say that this could be deemed as illegal.
at no time have I said I won't pay this, I telephoned them to offer and sort out a payment plan, but this man was was so unreasonable.
Where do I stand on this and who can I get advice from.
Go and see your MP as soon as possible and ask them to put in a complaint to the CSA - your MP can raise a complaint at a higher priority than you can. As far as I can see, if you notified them 3 years ago, you should not be paying arrears for their inefficiency.
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