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My ex wife (separated 15 years ago) has recently taken a new job with the CSA and low and behold has told me that our case will now be reopened.........
Our daughter is 16 on 20 April and I understand that I will continue to pay maintenance as long as she is in full time education to the level of A level and have obviously always paid my way for the last 15 years without issue. I am married again with 2 children living in my household and all of my children treat each other as full siblings. The problem that I have is that my former wife has told me that she has looked into our case and has been advised to ask for more more. Until she took the job at the CSA the amount that I was paying was never a question and is not a small amount of money. I also pay all of my daughters pocket money, phone bills and half of every school trip and club etc. I am also very aware that I will be the only one paying for my daughters university education. My daughter stays with me most holidays and every weekend that I am in the UK (I work overseas for three quarters of the year) and have never asked for any money back or deductions in what I pay.
Surely it is not legal for someone working within the CSA to deal with/look into their own case?
I will be sitting down with my former wife in the coming week and try and come to some family based arrangement but i would like to give a portion of the money directly to my daughter as I believe that this is possible, given her age. Basically my former wife has always been greedy and wants something for nothing and has frequently threatened access to my daughter if I haven't played ball and now working for the CSA has given her another stick to beat me with but due to my daughters age.....enough is enough.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hello Steviechal
Child Maintenance Options are a separate organisation to the Child Support Agency (CSA), so you may wish to speak to them directly to discuss your concerns regarding your case or the policies they hold. You will find their details on any letters they have sent you or you can find the telephone number your nearest office by clicking on the following link and entering the first part of your postcode into the search box: https://www2.dwp.gov.uk/csa/v2/en/setup/apply-by-telephone.asp.
Paying parents are legally responsible only for the amount worked out by the CSA and are not obliged to pay for anything extra, unless they wish to do so. Child maintenance has to legally be paid to the receiving parent, however, if a family-based arrangement is in place both parents can decide that payments are made to the child, as family-based arrangements are not legally enforceable and there are no strict rules r formulas to stick to.
For more information on the different ways to set up child maintenance and for a more personalised service, you can visit the Child Maintenance Options website at http://www.cmoptions.org.
The DWP have a sorting out separation web-app that you may find useful. It offers help and support to separating and separated families. The link is: www.dad.info/divorce-and-separation/sorting-out-separation.
Regards
William
Is this with the CSA or CMS? Either way, I would check exactly what you are due to pay according to their calculations, and pay that only - your ex can pay for school trips from the money she receives, that's what it's there for. Also work out how many nights she stays with you and make sure that you are getting the reductions necessary, and also for you having 2 other children. She may find that she comes out with less money, and is therefore happy to leave matters as they are now - but make sure that you get that in writing from the CSA. If you think she is then abusing her position to get more than she is entitled, then I'd tell her that you intend to make an official complaint - that might make her think twice, as I would imagine that it would be a disciplinary offence if her conduct isn't what it should be.
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