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HI,
When my son was born in 1999 my ex opened a Child support case against me. At the time they calculated that i was to pay £80 per month. This was payed via direct maintainance as we both decided that the relationship was good enough for us to do this.
In April this year i took a short term seconded post at work and my ex wanted to go back to the CSA to recalculate. The calculation was £388 per month. I also had around £2,000 of arrears as she went to them in April and i recieved the new calculation in September. This is on a salary of £20,500. I receieved no shared care allowance as i 'only' take my son 4 weekends from 6. The other 2 weekends are spent working.
There is no way that i can afford to pay this amount. With arrears i must pay £440 per month. I clear approx £1279 after i pay my student loan and pension. In honesty i would be better off not to work but have been told it is an offence to give up work!? As i cannot afford to pay the amount, they have informed me that they will arrest my wages from next month.
I have written to my MP and although she has admitted the new rules are fairer, i am unable to be calculated under the newer rules as my case wasn't closed back in 1999.
Does anyone have any advice on if its possible to be transferred to the newer rules, or any other useful advice?
Kind regards
Hi
I'm afraid it isn't possible to be transferred to the new rules - it's something which I think is extremely unjust in the system. I think when the new system comes online, CSA1 cases (which is what you are) may be given some priority and may be transferred to the new system, so there is a glimmer of hope for you ahead, but unfortunately that isn't going to help at the moment. You say you have your son 4 weekends out of 6 - is this overnight stay and is it 2 nights? If so, you are having him for more than 52 nights per year, which would be 1/7th reduction in maintenance.
HI,
Many thanks for the reply.
It is rather unfair. Hopefully this will change soon but the Govenments I.T systems dont exactly have a good reputation, so i wont hold my breath. Crazy thing seems to be i have contacted my M.P, in her own words the old rules are 'a disgrace' yet there is no attention drawn to this matter through meda outlets. Before this i wasn't aware there were two different criteria.
Has anyone considered an F.O.I request to CSA about the legal advice they recieved on possible challenges to having differering criteria assessments? Would be intersting to know if anyone has challenged the rulings on fairness grounds?
Anyone probably not one for me the STATE is too big.
Regards
J
Hi I agree my child was born 1997 and it seems under the old rules we dads suffer the most )not that ones on the new rule dont) . Although now i am asesed either on the 6.80 a week to pay for my child via CSA or nil for the last 5 years, however they say I still owe them over 12 thousand pounds for the period 2001-2007, I tried to fight this back in 2007 but got no where and they took out a liablity order out. even though I have always given money for my child to my ex and have him every weeken and all the school holidays (when she allows) and give him money for bus fare e.t.c clothes csa still say I have to pay the arrears as my ex wont say I paid her back then and cant prove the money or clothes I brought or having him stop with me. the system always have on a whole favoured the parents normally the mother and dads are just not valued and thats how a child grows up thinking about his/her dad, I know mine always lets me know things last and always cares more what his mom says than me. But the point I want to make is its about time media gets involved and a petition going because its not fare the mother gets all the say and the money, i didnt even have a say in what school my child goes to because the law says she is the main carer, although CSA just told me that they believe I have shared care now, but I always have!!!
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