[Solved] Travel expenses

I can't find anything how much the pence per mile would be, unless they use the same price per mile as a business vehicle which is 45p per mile, they should of told you on the phone really.

Here is the link to the regulation but it doesn't mention the price per mile

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/156/regulation/10/made#text%252525253DTravel%2525252520expenses

I'm not convinced that information is correct - I'm pretty sure that you could claim for the cost of the fuel only, not a fixed amount per mile. As Huxley says though, they should have told you, so I'd call back and clarify that.

Thanks to you both.

I have found on a number of government web pages that show I should get something for it. It's over 7500 miles a year and the woman I spoke to was clear I would get credit for it.

I will call them back today and try to get a better answer and let you know.

Thanks again guys.

Please do let us know, if it's a fixed amount per mile, that could help a lot of dads on here. The only concern I would have if it is a lot is that I think the CSA expect you to travel in the most cost effective manner, so if coach/rail is cheaper (including advances fares) then they may reconsider mileage - worth checking.

Hi okay I got back on the phone and had it cleared up not 100% but it's better.

It's NOT pence per mile as I was first told sort of, explanation to follow. If the father travels for access to the child then it's up to him to bear the cost up to the first £10 of travel costs. After that the cost Is looked into and the CMA will give you a pence per mile going on how many miles you travel.

In my case bus/train can't be used I do over 7500 miles a year. It costs me about £35-£40 per weekend to see my son just in travel costs. The CMA said they will give me a reduction in what I pay is mother I should be told this in the next week. Will keep you posted!

Thanks for your help.

This will help me a lot too thanks for the advice.

I have contact with my son now in a contact centre weekly (once a week), which means i have to travel 100 miles (one way) every week just too see him. In total in one month that's 800 mile around trip.

Do they take into consideration the one way journey or the round trip.

I pay a further £40 to the contact centre just to see him. Do they take this into consideration too?

I will give them a call too as they have just started to chase me wanting to pay them, as previously i was giving her directly a sum once a month as a standing order.

The CSA guidance (probably updated now, but I can't imagine it would change in this respect) is that costs involved in maintaining contact with your children are taken into account - normally that means travel, but that £40 to the contact centre certainly should be taken into account - without paying that, you don't get contact. The journey is the whole cost, and as stated, you are expected to pay the first £10 or £15 each week (depending on maintenance level) of costs and it's only anything above that that is taken into account - it's not a straight deduction though - the easiest way to work the deduction out is to work out the weekly cost of travel/contact (depending on how the CSA agree to calculate this) etc, knock £15 off this, and then take 15% of what is left - that will be the deduction.

Hi i submitted my expenses to the CSA, which included wage slip, pension, fuel and invoices to the contact centre. I got a call from them saying they will assess the payment and said that they do not take into consideration payment to contact centres.

I was astonished but not suprised asking why they ssaid it does not come under child support law..wth is that all about i have to pay for the contact. Is this true or are they misadvising me???

Ask them to which part of the legislation they are referring to that doesnt include contact centres because it doesn't stipulate contact centres are not included

· Certain costs of travel (such as where the non resident parent travels to visit the child or vice versa)
Travel costs are limited to:

The cost of a ticket on public transport;
If travel is by private vehicle, the fuel costs and other incidental expenses of the journey such as toll fees; and
Taxi fares, if the disability or long-term illness of the non-resident parent or child makes it impractical to use other forms of transport.

been through the same thing, I travel around 5600miles a year to see my kids, and my CSA payments were reduced from £513 to £501 a month ???? absolute joke

Just to update with this. I kept asking the question regarding why contact centre costs are not considered and they simply kept replying it is just not considered by the CSA. Shocking. I have to pay £20 a week just for collection and handover aswell as £40 week in fuel to see my son for 6 hours.

Contact centre costs were ignored and fuel costs amounted to only £20 off for the month. Because this was calculated on a variation it meant that if i were to recieve £20 off, i had to provide the other party my new address (which i didnt want ) - i dont understand why they need to do this either ridiculous. For the sake of £20 i stuffed it.

If you travel and have overnight contact, you can only recieve the one deduction and not both. So i will be focusing on getting overnights and then get the correct deduction.