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Last year I got the usual letter through stating how much I would be paying for the one son still eligible for payments due to the type of education he was in due to his age. As he had got to school leaving age, on inquiry I had been told that as long as his mother was in receipt of child benefit, then I would still have to keep up payments - no problem! In March this year I became unemployed, rang up CSA to explain that I would need to reduce my payments.
At this stage I was informed that my sons mother had not been in receipt of child maintenance for 8 months. As a result of this I had overpaid by a considerable sum. When I asked about some money back the answer was - 'over the previous few years I must have had a pay rise and as such they would pay nothing back unless they first saw all of my pay slips etc. and they assumed that the overpayment was probably what I owed'??
Anyone able to suggest anything please?
Peter
That's a real cop out answer on their part. I would normally tell you to raise a complaint, however you are obliged to tell them if there is any change in the amount they base their calculations on, so strictly speaking, if you have had pay rises, you should have told them. I would do a quick calculation on what you think you would have paid with any pay rises you had and whether that does cover your overpayments, and if not, then I would go back and claim the money.
Bear in mind also, in your favour, that over the last couple of years, the CSA wouldn't consider recalculating the payments unless it would change the payments by more than a certain amount (I can't remember the percentage off hand), so it depends on how much your pay has increased by, and over what period.
Hi Peter unfortunately I am of no help at all about your situation but my advice is to speak to them again,i do actually find them very helpful but then again I wasn't asking for any money back,sorry I couldn't be of anymore help.
actd the percentage is if their is a 25% difference either way with salary but that's under Child Maintenance Service guide,i would be ecstatic to to get a 25% pay rise,i would run around in a Mankini for that which would not be a pretty site haha,back to it though I do think its unfair that if my salary decreases lets say for example 20% I would still have to pay the figure they worked out on my original salary until the next case review.
Thanks lewy - I had 25% and 10% in my head, and couldn't remember which it was - I was hoping someone on here would remember, and you did π
Ok Peter, with that in mind, if your pay hasn't gone up by 25% since you were last assessed, then I'd go back and tell them that you weren't obliged to tell them as it wasn't over this threshold. I'd also have a word with your MP, who can raise a complaint at a higher priority than you can.
No problem actd,i cant forget the 25% as I am hoping that maybe I will get a 25% pay rise but not holding out much hope for it haha.my recent one was 1.75% so I am way off but every little helps.
Peter are you working at the moment? Reason I am asking is that if you are on Job Seekers Allowance since being made Redundant then I am pretty sure that your sons mother is only entiltled to Β£7 per week.
Now your memory's slipping Lewy π Peter isn't liable for anything now as his ex isn't getting child benefit any more.
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