Welcome to the DAD.Info forum: Important Information – open to read:
Our forum aims to provide support and guidance where it can, however we may not always have the answer. The forum is not moderated 24 hours a day, so If you – or someone you know – are being harmed or in immediate danger of being harmed, call the police on 999.
Alternatively, if you are in crisis, please call Samaritans on 116 123.
If you are worried about you or someone you know is at risk of harm, please click here: How we can help
Hi,
I have a child with my ex-wife who lives in Australia.
I agreed to pay maintenance - firstly as a private arrangement between the two of us and then via the Australian CSA. I was then contacted by a Court in Bury St Edmunds who informed me that all payments must go via them and that my payment each month should be £71 (2013).
I have paid £71 each month from then until late 2018 when I became a single parent and my payments were difficult. Admittedly, I didn't contact anyone and just let my payments lapse.
I am now unemployed thanks to the events of 2020, living off UC and still remain a single parent. I've just received a order letter from the court in Bury-St Edmunds (xmas eve - awesome) asking me to confirm my earnings, telling me that I should be paying £226 a month (when they stated my payment was £71 previously) and telling me I have backdated underpayments owing to £15,000AU.
Very distressing indeed. What is my next move? it's al l very confusing, very worrying and stressful. I'm concerned that if I complete the forms, I'll be part of a system that seems against me.
Any advice welcome. Merry Christmas.
hi,
if anyone is living on benefits like UC, then they would be paying £7 aweek through child maintenance service. Not sure about the court ordered papers. you should declare that your unemployed and claiming UC. may also be a good idea to try get a free consultation with a lawyer about the court order and your situation with the arrears.
They may well have done an annual review and the increased payments factor in the underpayments.
I would suggest you contact them and explain you are unemployed and on UC. They can confirm this real time with DWP and will set your payments at £7 per week.
When you do find employment, as you have missed payments they may try to deduct payments directly from salary (plus fees) but I'd suggest keeping them informed and agreeing to pay directly and hopefully they won't deduct directly and instead allow you to pay how you were previously.
Thank you.
Welcome to the DAD.info forum.
We don’t like to set ‘rules’, but to make sure that you and the other dads are kept safe, we have some requests. When engaging with the forum, please be aware of the following:
- The forum is not moderated 24 hours per day.
- Many of the moderators do so on a voluntary basis. Whilst they may be able to provide some guidance, advice or support, they may not be able to deal with specifics.
- We are not an emergency crisis service so if you or someone else is in immediate danger, please call emergency services.
- If you are concerned about the safety of a child, please click here to find the support you can get for them (link to new page)
- If you are in crisis, please call Samaritans on 116 123. They are open 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.
We hope you find this forum a supportive environment and thank you for joining us.