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Hi
new to the forum so go easy on me. My ex has decide that she needs more than the 400 I give her currently (for 1 child )and in June filed with the CMS.
When she filed the application they called me and told me to stop all future payments until they had reviewed the case and come up with an out come. Now the outcome has happened and they state I have to pay 470.
That's fine as I can suffer the extra money but the CMS say to me I do not have to pay anything more for my daughter and that all other costs are for her mother.
My question is this actually true? i.e child care? I have my daughter 3 days a week and she is currently in pre school until august ad then full time school on September. My ex is claiming that although I pay CMS I still have to paid for after school child care with a child minder separately and in addition to my CMS payments as I the child minder will need to look after my daughter until I get home from work.
Does any one have any advise on this please.
Regards Stuart
The CMS are absolutely correct, the maintenance you pay covers everything, and you don't legally have to pay anything else (assuming no private school, or disabilites) - you can of course, choose to do so, so sounds like she's shot herself in the foot.
If she suddenly decides she prefers it as it was (and you agree to it), make absolutely sure the case is closed before you do - though if I were you, I'd stick to using CMS now. Also make absolutely clear in your standing order that the reference is child maintenance, otherwise she may claim she hasn't received it, which can cause problems.
Hello Stuart
If an application has been made with the Child Maintenance Service and they have set up a Direct Pay scheme for you and your ex-partner, you are legally responsible only for the amount worked out by them, and are not obliged to pay for anything extra.
As actd has posted, any further contributions that you may decide to make would be done by you on a voluntary basis. The Child Maintenance Service are available to answer any further questions that you may have about your arrangement with them and you can find their contact details on any letter they have sent you.
You may also be interested to know the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have a website, 'Sorting out Separation'. It aims to make it much easier for separating and separated parents (and childless couples) to find the support they need, when and where they need it, and encourages them to collaborate on a range of issues. The link is http://www.sortingoutseparation.org.uk/
For more information and for a more personalised service, you may wish to visit the Child Maintenance Options website yourself at http://www.cmoptions.org.
Regards
William
Hello Stewart
You have had some good advice there.
Please make sure you request regular statements from the CSA every few months so that you can ensure they are recording the correct payments being made and the same goes out to your ex-partner. They have a habit of pulling fictitious amounts from they air and and making false allegations that you have £x amounts in arrears. Keep tabs on things if you decide to go down that route and challenge every discrepancy.
If you need help I can recommend some very good people who helped me over the years.
All the best.
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