[Solved] Maintenance

Hi if she puts in a claim, they don't backdate.

I would check your liability on the calculator;

http://www.cmoptions.org/en/calculator/

You can apply for a variation for travel costs, but the outcome is usually fairly disappointing for most people who have claimed it that I know of.

In what way is she being spiteful? About contact, finances, or both? It's quite common for an ex to play up when there's a new partner or baby on the scene I'm afraid. She might calm down.....

Thank you.

It's actually us that are thinking of doing it through the csa.

She is using everything finances, my son, vicious texts about my new baby. She is married with another child so it makes no sense I'm just sick of her feeling like she has control over me and me seeing my son.

If we go though csa then at least money is legal and as I have him every other weekend and am on the birth certificate I think I have a good case if she did want to stop me seeing him.

I hope she does calm down but I'm not so sure

contact and finances are two separate issues in the eyes of the court, but I understand why you would like to make things official and put some distance there. Sounds very hard work!

Hello Ajs

If you decide to set up a case with the Child Maintenance Service, your responsibility to pay will start from when you make the application. Therefore, there would be no back-dated payments for you to make.

The Child Maintenance Service would calculate an amount for you to pay based on your circumstances such as; income, other children you have and how often you have care of the child in question. Other things can be taken into account in certain circumstances.

Maintenance and contact should be treated separately, so your maintenance arrangement does not affect any rights you have to contact with your child.
You can view detailed information on how the Child Maintenance Service calculate payments here, https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/325219/how-we-work-out-child-maintenance.pdf

The Child Maintenance Options website, http://www.cmoptions.org, contains lots of tools and guides which are designed to help parents who want to set up or maintain their own family-based arrangement. These include a Discussion guide to help with negotiations, a Family-based arrangement form which allows the agreement to be recorded and an Online calculator which will give you an idea of the amount that the Government would consider reasonable for you to pay.

If you would like further information about your options and to receive a more personalised service, you can contact Child Maintenance Options directly.

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 https://www.sortingoutseparation.org.uk/

Regards

William

Hi Ajs I have been having the same problems, I used to have a family arrangement and she lived in the family home which I was also paying for. I have to travel fours there and back to see my two kids, we sold the house and as soon as it was gone she contacted the CMS, it has been my worst nightmare, they just take a percentage of your top line you have no rights, they do not listen they are not helpful, I feel like I am a bad dad even though I have travelled this distance every Wednesday and sunday for ten years. it has gotten so bad now that I can not afford to see my kids. I lost my job and my new job pays £25k less but I had to take it or I would lose my home, the CMS have to calculate a new payment so they need at least two new pay statements, whilst this is going on she wants all payments back dated. I have asked her and The CMS for a family arrangement, if I paid her £400 I would still be able to afford petrol to go and see the kids but both of them have said no way, this means I am paying £590 a month in maintenance and I now cannot afford to see my children. it is so hard and so sad I have been treated like a criminal and no one can help me

It just seems so unfair Dads really do seem to have less rights.

That is also my concern I want to pay csa but I don't want it to affect me picking up my son and I'm not on the best of wages so to pay 160 or what the calculator says it is then petrol money on top I would only be able to see him once a month which isn't good enough.

Feel like I'm up against a brick wall with zero help, my wife has been great but she's pregnant and this taking its toll on her also.