[Solved] On the old csa system can we change to new system?

Hi there

The good news is your income cannot be taken into account. If your children are living with you then you could ask for a reduction of maintenance because of this.

There's a sticky at the top of the Legal Eagle section called "how does the CSA calculate payments". There are two links, the first which is the older scheme is the one that applies to you at the moment. All claims will eventually be moved over to the new scheme but it will be a slow process that is going to take years...I think 2017 is the target to get it all sorted out by. The second link is for the new scheme so you can have a look to see what you can expect in the future.

Any pension your partner pays into will be taken into account, the amount is deducted before they make the calculation to work out the amount of maintenance. If your partner wanted to be awkward he could increase his pension payments to reduce his maintenance payments!

Best of luck

Hi morganlee,

You can find the calculator for the new Child Maintenance Service here . To get the maintenance for the old 93 and 2003 schemes reassessed then he would need to speak to his CSA office that is handling his case.

All cases will move over to the new Child Maintenance Service but the process is going to be carried out over the next four years. The CSA will write to your partner to inform him in advance of his case closing. The only way to move to the new system (i believe) would be for your partners ex to close her CSA case, then wait thirteen weeks before starting a new claim which would fall under the Child Maintenance Service (any claim opened before the 13 week period has elapsed would cause the old CSA case to be reopened).

I will ask Child Maintenance Options to pop by and offer some wise word regarding your query.

Cheers

Gooner

I am really hoping that your partner is on the 2003 scheme which came into effect on 3rd March 2003... If his payments started before this date then he is on the '93 she e also known as CSA1.

Unfortunately if he is on the 93 scheme then the way they calculate it does take your income into account. They do this by saying that as you live together and contribute to the bills this allows him to have more disposable income and so they recalculate on that premise. At least that's how Ive read it.

I feel awful about possibly giving you the wrong information,it all revolves around which scheme he is on. I have sent you a PM.

Hi Morganlee

Thank you for your post. I am William the Child Maintenance Options consultant. We are unable to comment on Child Support Agency (CSA) cases as we are a separate organisation and do not have access to your partner’s case information. Therefore, your partner may wish to contact the CSA directly to clarify if your income will be taken into account when they do their re-assessment. Your partner can find their contact details on any letters that he may have received or by visiting Gov.uk at https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance/contact.

The online administrator mentioned your case will be moved to the Child Maintenance Service at some point in the future – this isn’t correct, and I’ve provided an explanation below.

Beginning in 2014, the CSA will begin the process of ending all CSA child maintenance arrangements. All affected parents will get a letter between then and 2017 to let them know that their arrangement will end. Most clients will get 6 months’ notice and will be offered support from Child Maintenance Options to put a new arrangement in place. You don’t need to do anything until the CSA contacts you.

When your case does close, Child Maintenance Options is there to provide free and impartial guidance and support to either make a new arrangement or agree a family-based arrangement. If you need to set up a new statutory child maintenance arrangement, you will be able to apply to the Child Maintenance Service.

For more information on the ways to set up child maintenance, please visit our website at http://www.cmoptions.org. Alternatively, you can call us free on 0800 988 0988 between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday or 9am and 4pm on a Saturday. We 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