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hi guys
what percentage is the csa allowed to take from your wages every month, this is primarily info for my daughter as she cant seem to get anywhere with ringing them and i thought i would ask where i may get some sort of answer.
She had an agreement with the childs father to pay £80 a month to him, they were both happy with that, but now he has a new partner he wants more money, so the new partner has badgered him into phoning the CSA and getting more from her, she currently has to pay £200 a month now as they have taken the figure from her gross wage and not from her net wage, half of that money goes in tax and insurance and now she is struggling to pay her own way.
When she contacts them they just say 'well thats the way we work' and hang up. So, is there anything she can do to lower this amount or is she up the proverbial creak...
thank you..
I presume she the case is now with the CMS and not CSA - the CSA worked on Net wage, but the CMS work on gross wage, but a lower percentage - for one child, it's 12% of gross wage. If they are taking £200 per month, then working backwards, she is earning £20k per year, so taking home about £1400 per month. If she's taking home less than this, then there is something wrong with the figures they've used for their calculation.
Yep, it's a very though system, and the lower your income the harder it is, men have complaining about it for years, perhaps as more women start getting trapped in it too attitudes may change, although to be fair I have no idea what a better system would look like.
In terms of answering your question, the things that would lower her maintenance bill under the current system are:
- Have the children overnight more often.
- Make pension contributions.
- Have other children who live with her.
But keep in mind that money is going to support her child, and you can't ask "how do I lower my child maintenance bill" without also asking, "how will that affect the child".
Check my post CMS mistakes
But it’s 12% of gross pay MINUS her pension. But always check their calculations as they are not consistent and usually incorrect
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