Downing Street Says » Child Support Agency

Put to him that John Hutton had suggested more powers for the Child Support Agency (CSA) including perhaps putting electronic tags on fathers who failed to support their children, the PMOS said that John Hutton had actually said that he would be talking about the future of the CSA when Parliament returned. It was better to wait until then.

70 Comments »

A cock up of the magnitude of the CSA would have resulted in the Chief Exec of any plc being thrown onto the streets.

We know that tags don’t work.

Only 70 odd defaulters have been locked up under existing rules.

How is a curfew going to make someone pay money?

I have posted comment before to the effect that the underlying problems with the CSA seem to be based around the inability of the computer system to assist in the allocation and collection of money.

With an inherently flawed computer system it is very difficult and costly to make the transition to a system that works.

We have to ask why this useless system was put into operation without proper testing, who was responsible, and what is being done to fix it.

Sadly Tony B has no experience of executive management and doesn’t seem inclined to listen to anyone who has.

A real leader would say "from today I am freezing the pay and allowances of all ministers until such time as the CSA achieves a satisfactory level of performance. The measure of satisfactory is to be set by the other two major parties in this house".

Zzzzzzzzzzzz—– dreaming |-)
Comment by Roger Huffadine — 4 Jan 2006 on 9:28 am | Link
My Partner and i have to make payments to his ex for 2 kids the csa are completley useless and make us pay a huge amount of money which leaves me to pay for the whole household bills which i believe to be unfair. the say he has arears but this has been proved wrong by bank statements showing the payments to his ex-wife. until the csa are "satisfied" they will only reduce the payments by about \xA37.00 GREAT!!! I think it unfair that men who have always supported their kids are sujected to this farce of a company. while his ex is enjoying our money down the pub the kids are wearing ripped shoes - words fail me! abloish the CSA!
Comment by Ms Furber — 9 Jan 2006 on 11:09 am | Link
I have recently been reassessed by the CSA, my previous payments of \xA3264 per month were taken directly from my salary via a deduction of earnings order. my new payment of \xA3426 per month is taken the same way. This is quite a rise and I’m now struggling finacially, to make matters worse, the CSA now claim that i am in arrears to the tune of nearly \xA34,000, which has really pissed me off as they never informed me thay were doing a reassessment which has been backdated to 2003, so i not only pay \xA3426 but also an additional \xA325.00 per month in arrears, \xA3451 per month!!! whilst my ex-wife lives in a \xA3200,000 house,recently sold a very successful hairdressing business and has a new man living with her as well (good luck to him I say !)

is this a fair system? i think not!

I still pay under the old system which means they can take up to 30% of my take home pay.the new system, i.e. after 2003 would mean I would pay a maximum of 20%. I have written to the CSA and they tell me that i cannot be reassessed under the new system until Ministers are happy that the system is working, judging by my experiences that system will never work.

i have also written to John Prescott (my local MP)and John Hutton recently, although i had a reply from Prescott’s office, i heard nothing from the new Works and Pensions Minister.
i am at my wits end, in debt to the tune of \xA34,000 and getting shafted on a monthly basis by the CSA. i voted for Labour……..but not any more, the whole sysytem stinks!!!
Comment by A Forsey — 10 Jan 2006 on 1:01 pm | Link
My husband has been hit by the CSA "13 week loophole" ie the PWC cancels and old scheme assessment, waits 13 weeks and one day and is then eligible to reapply on the new system and thereby increase the maintenance payment. The NRP is then immediately moved onto the new percentage based system, without any phasing whatsoever. My husband’s maintenance payment has immediately increased by over \xA350 per week and there’s no extra money coming into the house. The Government acknowledge the "loophole" but despite complaints from parents, MPs and organisations such as NACSA and the Independent Case Examiner, Blair refuses to rectify the loophole. We will now be better off with my husband not working - what is the insentive for him to get up at 5am every morning, work at a professional, stressful job, just to be worse off than on benefit. This "loophole" is totally biased and unfair towards NRP’s. In the meantime, those NRP’s who would be better off on the new system, CAN’T get fast tracked onto the new system.
Comment by Louise — 18 Jan 2006 on 8:52 pm | Link
My husband has been hit by the CSA "13 week loophole" ie the PWC cancels and old scheme assessment, waits 13 weeks and one day and is then eligible to reapply on the new system and thereby increase the maintenance payment. The NRP is then immediately moved onto the new percentage based system, without any phasing whatsoever. My husband’s maintenance payment has immediately increased by over \xA350 per week and there’s no extra money coming into the house. The Government acknowledge the "loophole" but despite complaints from parents, MPs and organisations such as NACSA and the Independent Case Examiner, Blair refuses to rectify the loophole. We will now be better off with my husband not working - what is the insentive for him to get up at 5am every morning, work at a professional, stressful job, just to be worse off than on benefit. This "loophole" is totally biased and unfair towards NRP’s. In the meantime, those NRP’s who would be better off on the new system, CAN’T get fast tracked onto the new system.
Comment by Louise — 18 Jan 2006 on 8:53 pm | Link
Knowing what a good many women are like, I have little sympathy for the guys who find themselves in these situations regarding the CSA. Don’t they know that society in general, especially the law and certainly family law, is heavily weighted against them? Very often when it’s a case of man versus woman, the bloke has a good chance of losing outbig time. Yet it’s men themselves who condone all this and allow it to happen out of fear of being seen as sexist and anti-woman…political correctness brought about by feminist groups which, when dispassionately analysed fully, are the main cause of the sad state of the social fabric of society today. (No, I do not read the Daily Mail!) So if you find yourselves up the creek without a paddle in your involvement with the "fair" sex, you only have yourselves to blame. Good luck, guys….you need it.
Comment by Damian — 10 Feb 2006 on 8:25 am | Link
Knowing what a good many women are like, I have little sympathy for the guys who find themselves in these situations regarding the CSA. Don’t they know that society in general, especially the law and certainly family law, is heavily weighted against them? Very often when it’s a case of man versus woman, the bloke has a good chance of losing outbig time. Yet it’s men themselves who condone all this and allow it to happen out of fear of being seen as sexist and anti-woman…political correctness brought about by feminist groups which, when dispassionately analysed fully, are the main cause of the sad state of the social fabric of society today. (No, I do not read the Daily Mail!) So if you find yourselves up the creek without a paddle in your involvement with the "fair" sex, you only have yourselves to blame. Good luck, guys….you need it.
Comment by Damian — 10 Feb 2006 on 8:26 am | Link
Knowing what a good many women are like, I have little sympathy for the guys who find themselves in these situations regarding the CSA. Don’t they know that society in general, especially the law and certainly family law, is heavily weighted against them? Very often when it’s a case of man versus woman, the bloke has a good chance of losing outbig time. Yet it’s men themselves who condone all this and allow it to happen out of fear of being seen as sexist and anti-woman…political correctness brought about by feminist groups which, when dispassionately analysed fully, are the main cause of the sad state of the social fabric of society today. (No, I do not read the Daily Mail!) So if you find yourselves up the creek without a paddle in your involvement with the "fair" sex, you only have yourselves to blame. Good luck, guys….you need it.
Comment by Damian — 10 Feb 2006 on 8:27 am | Link
British law treats men in a really bad way!! I’m not only a Non resident parent, but a single parent too. My ex doesn’t work, so pays nothing. I do so have to find \xA3250 per month to my ex and get nothing back, except a reduction of about \xA330 PM. Added to the high cost of rent in SE England, I’m not left with much to support my self and my daughter.

It’s not only the CSA. Child tax credits appear to be anti man too. When I applied I was told I earned too much in the previous tax year so could only get the min amount. I appealed to my MP, as this was "Family Income" and I felt I should be assessed on half that amount. He agreed and the Tax people gave me \xA3700 in back credit.

Come April they reviewed it said I\x92d been overpaid. So now I get next to nothing again!
Comment by Richard Nield — 11 Feb 2006 on 9:02 pm | Link
The CSA punish absenbt fathers, whilst coupl4es that stay together are rewarded…..the state pays up to 80% of their childcare costs.
I see the only way to stop this is by mass protests by organised action groups.
Comment by Richard Nield — 12 Feb 2006 on 10:11 pm | Link
The CSA punish absent fathers, whilst couples that stay together are rewarded…..the state pays up to 80% of their childcare costs.
I see the only way to stop this injustice is by mass protests by organised action groups.
Comment by Richard Nield — 12 Feb 2006 on 10:12 pm | Link
My partners ex kicked him out because of her infidelities, much to the trauma of the children and my partner. However, he is certainly not an absent father. The children live with him half the week and with her half the week. They are both resident parents in their opinion. But not in the opinion of the CSA. This body was set up to get absent fathers to pay. My partner is not absent and shares the cost of bringing up the children with his ex partner. They don’t need anyone else interfering. The children are now happy and well adjusted. Nobody is suffering. But the CSA are punishing him for leaving the family home when his ex wife asked him to. Has the whole world gone crazy?
Comment by Sam — 13 Feb 2006 on 3:33 pm | Link
What about the single women who struggle to support children on their own because their husbands have walked out on them? I am a single mum working full time to support my child. My ex husband does not pay a penny maintenance and never has done. I have seen him working on many occassions as a driver and report him each time to the CSA but they do nothing other than ask him and of course he says no. He has an excellent lifestyle considering he ‘doesn’t’ work, living with his partner and her children in a new 4 bedroomed detached home in a very affluent area. They have 2 cars and seem to have everything, whilst my child has to do without most of the time. I struggle to pay for the basics such as school dinner money! The CSA have worked out from the times he has been caught working (due to my detective work!) that he owes me over \xA32,000 in arrears but they do nothing to get this money from him. Why do the CSA let scum like my ex get away without paying whilst those fathers who are willing to pay get hammered with over the top payments!! You may think this irrelvant but my ex demanded access a few years ago and whilst he claimed legal aid I received a bill of over \xA33,000 - he got his access and then after 2 months decided he couldn’t be bothered to see his child again, as it caused too much hassle for him and his partner!! I was forced to put my child through this and he has been suffering ever since. Scrap the CSA and bring back the old days when courts agreed the access and maintenance for each individual case - and give them the legal rights to force fathers to pay. Apparently years ago police and baliffs knocked on their doors if they refused to pay!! Even \xA310 a week would be so much appreciated to pay for school dinner money or towards new clothes for my child!!!
Comment by Jools — 23 Feb 2006 on 5:41 pm | Link
My ex-partner is now remarried and works for a prestigious funeral directors, his wife is a company director and responsible for the payment of wages and dealing with inland revenue, CSA etc..His father-in-law owns the company. For five years I have been claiming for child maintenance and have never recieved a penny through the CSA. Today they told me that I have to find evidence that his income is being diverted to his partner’s salary myself because every time he is assessed, his income drops below the minimum allowance (suprisingly). The CSA have implied that I should break the law and steal his income details because they have no power to question his fluctuations in income! How else could I prove he diverts his income?This man is incredibly well-off and frequently flaunts his extravagant lifestyle whilst I struggle to keep my home as a single mother and full-time student. I’m in favour of electronic tagging as long as these tags actually gave electric shocks to those who shirk their parental responsibilities! Those of you who are stuck with overpayments may at least rest in comfort knowing that the children you provide for can be properly supported financially although I know how wrong the system is. My daughter has nothing and I doubt she ever will.
Comment by Joanne — 1 Mar 2006 on 12:30 pm | Link
My husband and I have had no end of problems with the CSA. They have carried out assessment after assessment and we constantly receive letters stating "there are allegations etc, etc" which have been instigated by other party. Because of the other party’s inability to move on with her life, the CSA informed my husband that he owed \xA35,000 in arrears (even though he has paid religiously every week and on time) and that he should pay this sum immediately and without fail. As you can imagine, being told that put an enormous strain on our relationship and on our finances as well. The PWC’s new situation should be taken into account when assessments are made. If the PWC is now in a stable relationship where her ner partner earns a considerable amount of money enabling her to watch TV & smoke all day then this should be recognised in the assessment.

Going back to the CSA, my husband complained strongly, the CSA looked again at the assessments and, surprise, surprise, it would appear that he has been over paying for the last five years. We are now in a situation where the PWC owes money to us!! We will not see a penny of this and, to be honest, we don’t want the money.

Roll on the day when our involvement with the CSA will be a thing of the past. The endless sight of brown envelopes on the doormat is depressing and I can fully understand how some couples don’t survive once the CSA get involved…..
Comment by Aon — 6 Mar 2006 on 4:29 pm | Link
to readress the balance of people slagging off the PWC, my ex claimed he wasnt working, claimed no benefits to keep the DWP off his tail (was a self employed builder) never paid any money volutarily, we only ever got anything thru baliff action, he told the csa he wasnt working they believed him, I went to tribunal. after 11 years of knowing him i knEw he would be working cash in hand, the tribunal have asked for all his bank details, accounts etc, the day the CSA backdated his nil assesment to, he had a grand total of \xA340,000.00 in the banK, so he had asked for a reassesment, claiming no income knowing he had that in the bank.. not all PCW, sit around living off NRP, i work despite being disabled, my ex claims he doesnt work as his new partner can support them both !. so be fair guys, not all PWC and not all NRP are the same, the persons sense of morals that are in question, so please stop tarring all alike
Comment by D WOOD — 9 Mar 2006 on 5:35 pm | Link
CHILD SUPPORT AGENCY = LICENCED CHILD ABUSE

This setup is a sexist, discriminatory farce!

My ex-wife forced me out of my council house after she had some extra marital affairs and decided she wanted rid of me.

As a result, I lost my business, received no income of any kind until forced into bankruptcy and even was refused Benefits until I took them to a tribunal (which took nearly 12 months).

My ex, however, claims every benefit under the sun, works illegally, has a new man living with her and still manages to smoke, drink run a nice car fund a grand white (YES, WHITE!!!) wedding with posh honeymoon and is always wearing new clothes, despite my children practically in rags most of the time. When I collect them, they are always dirty with no obvious care being directed at them.

The CSA now want 20% of my net income to recover the cost of their benefit payments to my ex. I now have a job and somewhere to live,both some distance away from the children,but this level of CSA payment means I can only afford rent and council tax, plus enough petrol to do my job. Heating and electric are a thing of the past and food is now a charity issue from friends and family. I will never meet another partner because I cannot afford to go out socially.

I love my children and life without them is pointless. How am I going to collect and return my children? How am I going to feed and entertain them if I do see them? How am I going to continue buying them new clothes and shoes. How am I going to make sure they are bathed and their finger and toenails are cut?

Is this a government ploy to reduce pension payouts by encouraging suicide. It’s no wonder that most men lose contact with their children within 3 years of a marriage split. I really hope our government are just stupid, because even that is better than the alternative which is being complete and utter uncaring bastards.
Comment by David Roan — 19 Mar 2006 on 9:06 pm | Link
CHILD SUPPORT AGENCY = LICENCED CHILD ABUSE

This setup is a sexist, discriminatory farce!

My ex-wife forced me out of my council house after she had some extra marital affairs and decided she wanted rid of me.

As a result, I lost my business, received no income of any kind until forced into bankruptcy and even was refused Benefits until I took them to a tribunal (which took nearly 12 months).

My ex, however, claims every benefit under the sun, works illegally, has a new man living with her and still manages to smoke, drink run a nice car fund a grand white (YES, WHITE!!!) wedding with posh honeymoon and is always wearing new clothes, despite my children practically in rags most of the time. When I collect them, they are always dirty with no obvious care being directed at them.

The CSA now want 20% of my net income to recover the cost of their benefit payments to my ex. I now have a job and somewhere to live,both some distance away from the children,but this level of CSA payment means I can only afford rent and council tax, plus enough petrol to do my job. Heating and electric are a thing of the past and food is now a charity issue from friends and family. I will never meet another partner because I cannot afford to go out socially.

I love my children and life without them is pointless. How am I going to collect and return my children? How am I going to feed and entertain them if I do see them? How am I going to continue buying them new clothes and shoes. How am I going to make sure they are bathed and their finger and toenails are cut?

Is this a government ploy to reduce pension payouts by encouraging suicide. It’s no wonder that most men lose contact with their children within 3 years of a marriage split. I really hope our government are just stupid, because even that is better than the alternative which is being complete and utter uncaring b*st*rds.
Comment by David Roan — 19 Mar 2006 on 9:12 pm | Link
CHILD SUPPORT AGENCY = LICENCED CHILD ABUSE

This setup is a sexist, discriminatory farce!

My ex-wife forced me out of my council house after she had some extra marital affairs and decided she wanted rid of me.

As a result, I lost my business, received no income of any kind until forced into bankruptcy and even was refused Benefits until I took them to a tribunal (which took nearly 12 months).

My ex, however, claims every benefit under the sun, works illegally, has a new man living with her and still manages to smoke, drink run a nice car fund a grand white (YES, WHITE!!!) wedding with posh honeymoon and is always wearing new clothes, despite my children practically in rags most of the time. When I collect them, they are always dirty with no obvious care being directed at them.

The CSA now want 20% of my net income to recover the cost of their benefit payments to my ex. I now have a job and somewhere to live,both some distance away from the children,but this level of CSA payment means I can only afford rent and council tax, plus enough petrol to do my job. Heating and electric are a thing of the past and food is now a charity issue from friends and family. I will never meet another partner because I cannot afford to go out socially.

I love my children and life without them is pointless. How am I going to collect and return my children? How am I going to feed and entertain them if I do see them? How am I going to continue buying them new clothes and shoes. How am I going to make sure they are bathed and their finger and toenails are cut?

Is this a government ploy to reduce pension payouts by encouraging suicide. It’s no wonder that most men lose contact with their children within 3 years of a marriage split. I really hope our government are just stupid, because even that is better than the alternative which is being complete and utter uncaring b*st*rds.
Comment by David Roan — 19 Mar 2006 on 9:13 pm | Link
My ex has not paid a penny since he walked out on me and my son (when he was just 6weeks old). The CSA have been involved for 2 years and everytime they catch up with him, he either quits his job or say that he isnt working when i know that he is. I feel that they could do alot more to stop the absent parent lying their way out of paying and facing up to their responsibilities and letting workers basically have to pay to bring their children through tax that they pay that is used to pay state beneifts. Also i feel that it is wrong that the absent father get sympathy if they can not be bothered to stick around. I can understand the whole "fathers 4 justice" stuff for those fathers that do take their responsibilities seriously. It should be a case that each case looked at on its own individual situation before any decision is made.
Comment by Laura — 5 Apr 2006 on 10:34 pm | Link
let them put tags on me,let them take my home,let them not allow me to see my children.
let them send in the bailifs,let them set attachments to earnings order,let them take my driving licence.
do not leave me enough to make a life on my own.
make me suffer for ever NAIL ME TO A CROSS!!!.
for i will look down and smile, and watch you all go to hell.
i will say "father do not forgive them for they know what they do!".
Comment by amanwhosaysno! — 16 Apr 2006 on 5:50 pm | Link
The CSA has turned me, a woman, into a woman-hater.

I’ve been married to a lovely guy for ten years and we have a seven year old daughter. My husband gave up work to look after our daughter when she was three as she needed more attention. Six weeks ago I gave up my job so we can set up in business together.

Last week he got a letter from CSA. A girl he went out with FIFTEEN YEARS AGO is claiming that he is the father of her 14-year old kid. This had never been implied to him at the time, even though he was good friends with her brother for several years after. As far as he always knew it was the child of the guy she went out with after him.

To make matters worse, I still know people back home (thanks God 400 miles away) and she is apparently on the dole and a heavy user of alochol and drugs (glad she can afford it - I couldn’t and I’ve just become a company director!)

So my steps as a law abiding citizen, depending on how far this is pursued, are as follows:

1. Dispute parentage
2. Take request for DNA test which will undoubtedly arrive to the European Court of Human Rights because nobody on earth has the right to foist a kid on somebody and make him take a DNA test after 15 years.
3. Husband resigns directorship
4. I fold business
5. House gets repossessed
6. Either a) go on dole or b) take my taxes to another country where some little b*tch can’t screw my husband over

8 was buy a shotgun but I’m sure it won’t get that far.

My husband, my daughter and I are all devastated. I will fight the CSA to the death on this.

For all you mums out there where the dad has run off with his secretary and gives your kids nothing, good luck to you, I hope CSA screw every penny out of the gits.

For victims like us - how long before the CSA stops encouraging career pregnancy, and backs the honest hardworking guys? As far as I am concerned, even if that child was his, she has no right to demand money from us. She had two years to tell him if she thought that - and if so, she it’s not maintenance she deserves for depriving a guy of his kid for 15 years, it’s hanging by the neck till she’s dead.

If anybody out there is still saynig "deadbeat dad" you need a severe attitude transplant
Comment by Lindsey — 20 Apr 2006 on 2:17 pm | Link
My ex husband kept moving around the country and the CSA was always too slow to catch him. He eventually left England to live in Florida so then they gave up saying he was out of jurisdiction. Well congratulations to our useless system. I have just spent the last 15 years bringing up 3 kids on my own, And I have worked in all that time! and My ex husband is now a Millionaire!!!! I have his address the lot and noone wants to know.
Where is the justice!
Comment by y pearson — 17 May 2006 on 1:51 pm | Link
My husband is in the middle of trying to pay maintenance to his ex through the CSA. Its taken nearly two years for them to get there information even remotely correct. In that time we have had two lovely little girls, who I wanted to stay at home and look after (just as his ex did with her two children) but get this!! My Child Tax Credits (benefits to help raise my children) are classed by the CSA as my husbands income! But his ex’s maintenance isn’t counted toward her application for Tax Credits. I appreciate that my husband has a responsibility to pay toward his PWC costs, but to rob us of money meant for my two children, leaving me no choice but to work full time to pay some stranger to look after my kids, it makes me laugh……. Oh the CSA’s heart breaks for kids belonging to the PWC, but if the NRP has further children, as far as the CSA are concerned LET THEM STARVE!!!!
Comment by Lynsey Wood — 20 Jun 2006 on 10:37 pm | Link
My husband is in the middle of trying to pay maintenance to his ex through the CSA. Its taken nearly two years for them to get there information even remotely correct. In that time we have had two lovely little girls, who I wanted to stay at home and look after (just as his ex did with her two children) but get this!! My Child Tax Credits (benefits to help raise my children) are classed by the CSA as my husbands income! But his ex’s maintenance isn’t counted toward her application for Tax Credits. I appreciate that my husband has a responsibility to pay toward his PWC costs, but to rob us of money meant for my two children, leaving me no choice but to work full time to pay some stranger to look after my kids, it makes me laugh……. Oh the CSA’s heart breaks for kids belonging to the PWC, but if the NRP has further children, as far as the CSA are concerned LET THEM STARVE!!!!
Comment by Lynsey Wood — 20 Jun 2006 on 10:37 pm | Link
I asked my violent husband of twelve years to leave last summer, he started paying maintaince through the CSA in January of this year, since then he has tried various means of getting his maintaince reduced and has succeeded as the CSA take what he says at face value, his lastest reason he has moved in with his girlfriend and she has 4 children by 4 different men whom she gets maintaince from, CSA now say the first 25% of his wages gets deducted to make sure these relevant other children have a roof over their heads and food in their stomach’s, even though myself and our two children are living in a homeless shelter for our protection .Whilst my Ex husband is living in her four bedroom house they both have new cars.I’m now lucky if i can afford to buy my children an icecream each month as i have 30p left each week after i have paid out for expensenses.My younger child has a disability which the CSA don’t take into account but they would if it was one of the so called relevant other children even though figures state it costs three times more to bring up and disabled child and no their disability living allowance does’nt stretch that far and i am limited into how many hours a day i can work.My Ex husband is doing all he can to make sure me and his children have nothing as he even disputes my son getting disabiliy living allowance as he has told relevant agencies i deserve nothing.I don’t see how four children that are not his gets the proirty, is’nt the CSA there for absent parents to help finacially support their own children in a fair way
Comment by Shannon — 28 Jun 2006 on 4:07 pm | Link
the csa have STOP my payment because my ex has had another child and they are saying he cant afforted to pay me.i thinked this is wrong and unfair,hes sees his child every 2 weeks and he dont after pay a penny.Child support is a waste of time and they should come uo with something better.i am not giving in
Comment by donna — 24 Jul 2006 on 7:16 am | Link
ive just married the man of my dreams a very decent hardworking honest man with 2 lovely children from his first marriage.His ex wife didnt want the relationship to continue,she had affairs ,he was heartbroken as he is a family man and loved his childeren, so he left the home that he had and always has supported the children with regular contact,he is wonderful with them takes them everywhwere when he has them,a fantastic daddy.The problem is what happens with all of this csa rubbish!!!!!!!! my wonderful husband feels like he has commited a crime beeing harrased and chased when he recently changed his job through no fault of this own.This system is unclear and confusing.this has also caused distress to all of us in the situation and tension has also been felt with the childeren as they are aware of this by their mother saying nasty things.the whole situation is rediculous.I dont have childeren of my own and am very much in love,we are good law abiding people and would love to have childeren of our own but feel the csa would take our money away from our own family this really isnt a fair situation.single mothers should get help from the goverment if it was their choice to be single and put their childeren through all of this hell.
dont feel sorry for all of these women. new families exist we count too.
Comment by clare — 25 Oct 2006 on 2:58 pm | Link
ive just married the man of my dreams a very decent hardworking honest man with 2 lovely children from his first marriage.His ex wife didnt want the relationship to continue,she had affairs ,he was heartbroken as he is a family man and loved his childeren, so he left the home that he had and always has supported the children with regular contact,he is wonderful with them takes them everywhwere when he has them,a fantastic daddy.The problem is what happens with all of this csa rubbish!!!!!!!! my wonderful husband feels like he has commited a crime beeing harrased and chased when he recently changed his job through no fault of this own.This system is unclear and confusing.this has also caused distress to all of us in the situation and tension has also been felt with the childeren as they are aware of this by their mother saying nasty things.the whole situation is rediculous.I dont have childeren of my own and am very much in love,we are good law abiding people and would love to have childeren of our own but feel the csa would take our money away from our own family this really isnt a fair situation.single mothers should get help from the goverment if it was their choice to be single and put their childeren through all of this hell.
dont feel sorry for all of these women. new families exist we count too.
Comment by clare — 25 Oct 2006 on 2:58 pm | Link
I am a parent with care and my soon-to-be ex-husband reluctantly pays maintenance (by CSA ORDER). My understanding is that if he meets someone else who has children, my son’s entitlement to his dads financial help would be decreased by the CSA. Why ????

We all have MPs and we all have a voice that we do not exercise. If we all wrote to our MPs requesting that the NRP should continue to care for their biological children at the full rate as this is the childs right. To make it fair, they should also order the parent with care to submit all their finances and make sure that the children are well cared for. It is also easy for the Inland Revenue to check on all monies received by all parties and benefits can be checked VIA National Insurance Numbers. So what’s the problem. I don’t need any money from my husband, he never supported me through our marriage and i would not ask the stingy man for anything. But I requested the CSA to make him pay towards his son.
Comment by Pauline — 18 Nov 2006 on 2:05 am | Link
I used to pay money direct to my kids, one of their mothers was very greedy & decide that she wanted more money from me & told her friends that somehow she is going to let me (the father) feel it by going to the CSA where she’ll get more money.

She was exactly right, the money I earn, she gets 15% of it, so if I do loads of overtime for the month, she gets much more everytime, & when I ask my son if he’s getting pocket money, he tells me his mum only gives him \xA310.00 per week, & that she needs the rest of the money to do up her pretty house.

How is that fair ?

I’d rather pay him/her the money direct, then if they are to get \xA3300.00 per month, that will be fixed no matter if I earn more or less.

Many times I think I’m better of not working, because at the moment I can’t even meet my mortgage, where she is meeting hers with ease.

Someone please prove to me how can that be fair ?
Comment by Anton — 10 Dec 2006 on 2:01 pm | Link
What’s fair got to do with it?! You’re totally missing the point!!
Comment by SmokeNMirrors — 10 Dec 2006 on 2:21 pm | Link
CSA?? Waste of space!!, i am receiving my \xA310 per week CSA,as i am a single mother on benefits (i’m not one of these single mothers who go out every weekend and take the drugs etc, i have had one night out in the 14 months i have been separated from the kids dad) only the thing is its not every week, its whenever the CSA want to pay it into my account, by the way this \xA310 tops up my money to \xA3109 per week, as i have deductions of \xA335 per week from my benefits, Can anybody tell me, how do you support two children under three and yourself on \xA3109 per week!!!??????? Anyway back to the CSA i have had members of staff talking over me when i speak so that i cant get a word in, eventually i had to put the phone down as i was getting nowhere, my payments were \xA340 paid monthly on no given date, just hope for the best, which then changed to weekly for a reason the CSA could not explain, only thing is its not weekly i was paid on 6 Dec, 14 Dec and have been told my next payment will be with me at the end of December??? to add insult to injury when i queried this, i was told that so long as i was receiving the correct amount i should be, it doesnt matter when i actually get the money living on \xA3109 per week i have come to rely on this money for nappies for my young son, i told them this only to be told not to rely on the money?? its a pittance anyway but with what little money i do have it helps, so my solution, starting a job after xmas, earn my own money, sick of relying on this farce, my ex can stick his money, i hope he and his girlfriend are happy together, im sure the child they are having together wont be when it witnesses the violence!!
Comment by maggie oxley-bryan — 20 Dec 2006 on 6:52 pm | Link
I have two cases with the CSA.
I am the non resident father, of two children with my ex wife and another child with an ex girlfriend.

I regularly pay my child maintenance to the CSA and have never missed on a payment.

Recently my youngest child was removed from his mothers care, due to her neglect and heroin addiction. He is now living with his grandparents.
The grandparents do not wish the CSA to be involved and would like a private agreement, to which I have agreed. The CSA have subsequently recalculated the other case for my eldest two children and now I have to pay more for two children than I did for three. The upshot is that now I cannot now afford to have this private agreement and have been forced to ask the grandparents to make a claim, because the CSA legislation does not take into account private agreements. I am completely lost.
Comment by Phil — 14 Jan 2007 on 12:42 am | Link
Hi All, I have just had some dealings with the CSA. I went out with this lady about 5 years ago, only for a few months, but she fell pregnant! anyway, I decided "I’ll stick by her" so we went out for a few more months, then she decided to ditch me before the baby was born.She would not have any contact with me so I didn’t know when the baby was born, or even what sex it was! My name is not on the birth certificate and she doesn’t have my name! (I later found out via a friend when, and that it was a girl)Anyway, a year after the birth this woman makes contact saying "she has decided to give our relationship another go" mmmmm, so thinking of my daughter I agreed and we saw each other again. This lasted only a few weeks when she ditched me again. I agreed to pay her some money by standing order directly into her bank account, this lasted a few months then she told me to "stick my money!) so I ceased paying. Now 2 years later I have been assessed by the CSA to the tune of nearly \xA3300 a month, and they are going to kindly take it direct from my earnings. What the hell can I do?? how can these Bastards try and screw me for this amount of money when I have not seem my ex or my daughter for over 2 years! My name is NOT on the birth certificate, I was not present at the birth, I have no contact with my ex and I do not know where she lives! If they take the amount of money they say they will, I will not be able to pay the bills!What the fuck can I do??
Comment by Dougie — 18 Jan 2007 on 5:52 pm | Link
Dougie, there is not a lot you can do, because like I keep saying, the CSA operate a system, whereby it’s a scene out of little britain ‘computer says not’. We have had dealings with CSA and it’s a joke. We\are not paying until CSA have taken into consideration all the facts. Let them take us to court because my husband has two previous marriages, two children with each. But whereby the second marriage is dealt with through a court for child maintenance, the first marriage is the CSA. Court order says \xA3200 for two children, CSA says \xA3323 for two children. And my children are not taken into consideration, because it dosn’t fit in with their computer system. I have a claim against my ex but CSA have never given me a penny for my daughter. This is under the new system, my husbads claim is under the old system, but because we are under the same roof his case will go over to the new ystem, when they can’t tell us, but until then he will still be assessed under the old system as a single man with only two children to support. So fuck you CSA because we will carry on paying maintenance, but not to you. We will carry on paying court order, so we are not wilfully refusing to pay maintenance, just we can’t pay your ridiculous amounts that you come up with, out of a hat. Get your computer system worked out, because unless it’s simple, and it’s got to be very simple otherwise computer says no, and if you get it sorted you will probably find more absent parents that are willing to pay
Let’s all, mothers who are not getting their money, and fathers that are being charged some ridiculous amount of money, take the CSA to Strassbourg. Infringement on Human Rights. The CSA can’t work out their system, so how on earth are we to? They take away your sanity. That in intself is a infringement.
Comment by nat31 — 19 Jan 2007 on 10:29 am | Link
Dougie, there is not a lot you can do, because like I keep saying, the CSA operate a system, whereby it’s a scene out of little britain ‘computer says not’. We have had dealings with CSA and it’s a joke. We\are not paying until CSA have taken into consideration all the facts. Let them take us to court because my husband has two previous marriages, two children with each. But whereby the second marriage is dealt with through a court for child maintenance, the first marriage is the CSA. Court order says \xA3200 for two children, CSA says \xA3323 for two children. And my children are not taken into consideration, because it dosn’t fit in with their computer system. I have a claim against my ex but CSA have never given me a penny for my daughter. This is under the new system, my husbads claim is under the old system, but because we are under the same roof his case will go over to the new ystem, when they can’t tell us, but until then he will still be assessed under the old system as a single man with only two children to support. So fuck you CSA because we will carry on paying maintenance, but not to you. We will carry on paying court order, so we are not wilfully refusing to pay maintenance, just we can’t pay your ridiculous amounts that you come up with, out of a hat. Get your computer system worked out, because unless it’s simple, and it’s got to be very simple otherwise computer says no, and if you get it sorted you will probably find more absent parents that are willing to pay
Let’s all, mothers who are not getting their money, and fathers that are being charged some ridiculous amount of money, take the CSA to Strassbourg. Infringement on Human Rights. The CSA can’t work out their system, so how on earth are we to? They take away your sanity. That in intself is a infringement.
Comment by nat31 — 19 Jan 2007 on 10:29 am | Link
Dougie, there is not a lot you can do, because like I keep saying, the CSA operate a system, whereby it’s a scene out of little britain ‘computer says not’. We have had dealings with CSA and it’s a joke. We\are not paying until CSA have taken into consideration all the facts. Let them take us to court because my husband has two previous marriages, two children with each. But whereby the second marriage is dealt with through a court for child maintenance, the first marriage is the CSA. Court order says \xA3200 for two children, CSA says \xA3323 for two children. And my children are not taken into consideration, because it dosn’t fit in with their computer system. I have a claim against my ex but CSA have never given me a penny for my daughter. This is under the new system, my husbads claim is under the old system, but because we are under the same roof his case will go over to the new ystem, when they can’t tell us, but until then he will still be assessed under the old system as a single man with only two children to support. So fuck you CSA because we will carry on paying maintenance, but not to you. We will carry on paying court order, so we are not wilfully refusing to pay maintenance, just we can’t pay your ridiculous amounts that you come up with, out of a hat. Get your computer system worked out, because unless it’s simple, and it’s got to be very simple otherwise computer says no, and if you get it sorted you will probably find more absent parents that are willing to pay
Let’s all, mothers who are not getting their money, and fathers that are being charged some ridiculous amount of money, take the CSA to Strassbourg. Infringement on Human Rights. The CSA can’t work out their system, so how on earth are we to? They take away your sanity. That in intself is a infringement.
Comment by nat31 — 19 Jan 2007 on 10:32 am | Link
oh well is this the end? My ex wife told me to leave 6 yrs ago after having 4 lovely kids,so i did and moved to live in a caravan.I paid the csa weekly then stupidly borrowed some money to help me treat the kids.I lived alone for 4 yrs then ran out of money so moved away.
I moved in with a fantastic girlfriend and her 2 kids. Ipaid all her bills and got her off income support.
now csa want \xA3144 per week we are in debt. her kids are going without so i have to leave with my debts no spare cash and noplace to live ,she will have to go back on benefits …….. SO IS THE C S A A GOOD THING? Ithink not .
please help …SOMEONE
Comment by daniel cannon — 20 Jan 2007 on 10:50 pm | Link
MY HUSBAND PAYS CSA,I DONT REALLY KNOW WHAT HE PAYS AS I DONT PAY IN INTEREST,TO HIS EX OR HIS KID.ALL I KNOW IS THAT AS LONG AS THEY DONT EXPECT TO TAKE MY WAGES INTO ACCOUNT,IM NOT BOTHERD.DO YOU KNOW WHAT REALLY ANNOYS ME,HIS EX DOESNT WORK (NEVER AS!!),BUT YET WHEN I WAS A SINGLE PARENT MYSELF,I WORKED,AND MY SON WAS ALOT YOUNGER,THAN HIS KID,BUT I HAD TO MANAGE.ITS ALRIGHT FOR HER NOT TO WORK,SO SHE CAN GO SWANYING OF EVERY HALF TERM HOLS OR SO TO SEE HER BOYFRIEND,BUT YET MY HUSBAND AS TO CARRY ON REGARDLESS.PEOPLE LIKE HER,MAKE IT SO FATHERS ARENT WILLING TO PAY,CUS THEY KNOW THAT THEY ARENT HELPING THEMSELVES.SHE JUST WANTS TO LIVE OF BENEFITS AND SIT ON HER FAT ARSE!!!.
Comment by RACHEL RUSHTON. — 28 Jan 2007 on 6:29 pm | Link
MY HUSBAND PAYS CSA,I DONT REALLY KNOW WHAT HE PAYS AS I DONT PAY IN INTEREST,TO HIS EX OR HIS KID.ALL I KNOW IS THAT AS LONG AS THEY DONT EXPECT TO TAKE MY WAGES INTO ACCOUNT,IM NOT BOTHERD.DO YOU KNOW WHAT REALLY ANNOYS ME,HIS EX DOESNT WORK (NEVER AS!!),BUT YET WHEN I WAS A SINGLE PARENT MYSELF,I WORKED,AND MY SON WAS ALOT YOUNGER,THAN HIS KID,BUT I HAD TO MANAGE.ITS ALRIGHT FOR HER NOT TO WORK,SO SHE CAN GO SWANYING OF EVERY HALF TERM HOLS OR SO TO SEE HER BOYFRIEND,BUT YET MY HUSBAND AS TO CARRY ON REGARDLESS.PEOPLE LIKE HER,MAKE IT SO FATHERS ARENT WILLING TO PAY,CUS THEY KNOW THAT THEY ARENT HELPING THEMSELVES.SHE JUST WANTS TO LIVE OF BENEFITS AND SIT ON HER FAT ARSE!!!.
Comment by RACHEL RUSHTON. — 28 Jan 2007 on 6:31 pm | Link
I have two girls - now 13 and 16. Their father was physically abusive to me and I finally had to leave, taking him to court for battery. He was charged. I had to take out two injunctions to keep him away as he threatened me with more violence and even once snatched my youngest.

When I was on benefits and studying I had to ‘opt out’ of CSA getting involved as I feared his violence.
As time passed he had more contact with the girls - the only contact we have ever had is over the phone to organise seeign the girls. He drinks alot and I am fearful when they are with him - but for the most part no harm has been done. They have made their own minds up about their father - it isnt the most favourable!

Over the years I took myself to University and am now in a full time job. I managed to get a mortgage and bought a small 2 bed house - all under my own steam - my own money. It has not been easy and over the years I have become more and more in debt.
He has always worked - for cash as I understand - labouring, roofing etc - is infact never out of work as he is known to be good at it. He has a house which he rents out and he lives with his girlfriend and her one child (girlfriend is claiming as a single parent). They are regularly in the pub, and have a number of vehicles… he’s even thinking of buyign a harley I now hear….(!) He has NEVER paid maintainance for his children. I have twice applied for child maintainance through the CSA in the last 5 years - the first claim was ‘lost’ (thanks guys), the second I pulled out as I was fearful of his response. I also had absolutely NO faith in the CSA with cases such as this where he is supposed to be ’self-employed’.
So how am I supposed to resolve this???? The CSA are clearly rubbish at their job… and where there is a potential threat of agressive or violent behaviour whats a Mum to do? (Or Dad with care for that matter)

Ok every case is different…. but from my own experience I now feel this… if a claim is made the parent with care should be awarded the money automatically, and the absent parent persued by CSA as if it was their OWN money they were claiming back! Perhaps that would get results! and if they dont pay make them do community service - or better still lock em up!

Oh if life were that simple…..

If I were to add up the minimum amount he should have paid for each child, for 13 and 16 years respectively I reckon I would be able to give up my job and take my girls away for a nice long and well deserved holiday! But somebody has had to pay!! and thats been me! ON MY OWN!
Comment by Nikki Grimes — 5 Feb 2007 on 2:25 pm | Link
I don’t know what to do! I had a 2 week jaunt 10 years ago and went abroad for 2 years. I came home and began my career where I am now reasonably successful. I have a good job and great prospects and I am about to get engaged to a lovely woman. Last week I recieved a letter from the CSA (to my employer) saying, "does this person work here?" I have now recieved a pack from the CSA saying that I have to pay for a kid that I never knew about. I will end up paying around \xA3450 p/m which by any standards is a lot of money. What can I do? I do not want to pay this, i do not know even know this woman, in fact I do not even know this child. If this is my son why has no-one ever got in touch with me? I have missed 10 years of my son’s life. I want to know if I can take this to court as I would rather pay money into a trust fund for him, rather than pay this money grabbing s**t for unquestionable drinking / drug habit. If I avoid the letters, then go to court, will I be able to get my OPINION across??? They will not even give me her details for me to get hold of her to negotiate something. The CSA are SHITE and if I ever meet the CEO, I will give him a slap!!!!!
Comment by Joe — 8 Feb 2007 on 9:14 pm | Link
Regarding
the CSA I was a parent who was paying for my children then the csa came along and wanted more,they even told me they had more power than the courts ,my struggle went on for several years 5 approx then I was told I owed 11,000 plus \xA3s but I had not been assesed so I talked to my MP and sent letters to No10 then all of a sudden within a week I had 5 assesment plop on my doormat this was great lobbying had worked .Unfortunatly because of the computer system the CSA used my case was stangely reopened in 2006 when It had been closed since 2003 I am now in a battle with them because they owe me money but will not admit it have I got to go through the lobbying antics again or this time do I need to take the whole of the CSA to the Europeian Courts of Human Rights to finaly end this very long saga.I was quite shocked to hear that people that over the years have been so incompetent at doing the job the orginisation was set up to do got rather fat bonuses
Regards
Comment by alan osborne — 13 Feb 2007 on 4:12 pm | Link
I would like to just say that the CSA can whistle for my partners money. I have been with my partner for 10 years now and we have three lovely kids together and were quite happy until the horrible brown envelope hit our floor. They want to take \xA3322.83 from his earnings which would leave us with \xA31000 a month, but we pay out \xA3938.34 on all our debts (mortgage,loans,council tax, this doesn’t include food or clothing) The protected earnings are seemingly ment to be \xA3935.26. So we would have to live off of \xA33.08 a month for food and clothes. I do not work as i like to be here if my kids take ill at school. And anyway if I had to work they would certainly take my money. Why do our kids have to suffer because of CSA rules. I feel guilty if I buy a new pair of jeans every six months. My kids will live with poverty if the CSA don’t stop this insanity with absent fathers. Is it always the man that should suffer with a new happy family. Do the CSA ever consider why the man leaves the woman. Because most of them are SCREAMING SKULLS.Tony Blair must do something about this shit or my family will be moving to Downing Street with him and his family. Why do you never see a skinny primeminister? Enough is enough. Lets stick together and get the CSA bosses to admit they are causing harm to our health and our beautiful children. No wonder people take their own lives. This is all just to much to bare. We can’t keep living like this.
Comment by Shelley Stewart — 20 Feb 2007 on 9:37 pm | Link
My Ex has just decided to give up work and claim off the tax payer. This means that I now have to CSA in my back for maintainace.

For the past 11 years we have had an agreement to the amount I pay her, but the CSA will want 15%. I am due to get married next year and start a family of my own but this may now all have to be put on hold.

My ex also has another child with someone else who will also have to pay 15%. How can this be correct she will now get 30% for 2 children and if she had 3 by the same man she would only get 25%. Surely we should be paying 10% each.

The CSA sticking their nose in has done nothing but cause friction between us all. My fiancee is fumeing at having to pay more so my ex can sit on her backside. We all used to be able to get along but I think those days have now gone. If the CSA had left us to pay our agreed amounts we would be ok.
Comment by Wes — 21 Feb 2007 on 9:56 pm | Link
Marriage broke down, wife got house and all its contents, car, all married debts cleared by me. ex refused to let me see my two children. After a 2year fight finally get access to children. I stuggled to rebuild from nothing…literally nothing. Met a wonderful woman, got married had a child. Paid CSA every month without fail except when out of work. Now CSA are telling me they want more money each month which I can’t afford - I will lose my house - my family will be homeless. Ex wife stopped me seeing kids whne new child came along. CSA say tough, you lose. For us honest decent people who make simple mistakes we have to suffer to the point that we don’t want to go on. I hope the CSA can live with blood on their hands.
Comment by nearingtheend — 1 Mar 2007 on 3:41 pm | Link
THE CSA are a bunch of thieves and are here to bring HARD WORKING FATHERS to our knees and to the point of contemplating giving up their jobs in some cases.
Even though i already pay my ex wife a monthly amount for our two sons, a few months ago the CSA decided to get invloved and do a new Maintenance assesment!! after 2 months of them taking \xA3653.00 per month out of my salary, they finally admit that my ex wife and i have an agreement and write to us both to say we can carry on with our direct agreement and they are no longer involved!! To my surprise last month they deducted another \xA3653.00and when i called them they admited it was their mistake and that the mandate to stop the payments had not reached my employer however it had now and no more payments would be deducted. I have now spent the last 2 weeks and hours on the phone trying to get that money refunded to me!! they cant find it and say i have to wait until they do this month before they return it to me by cheque!! Every time i call i have to repeat the whole situation to a different person who says they cannot help me!!! WHAT A BUNCH OF THIEVES!!!
Comment by Dave R — 7 Mar 2007 on 12:47 am | Link
i think that
Comment by eric drewsbury — 4 Apr 2007 on 11:37 am | Link
My son left school in december and turned 16 in january i was still paying my csa up till march plus giving my ex wife something every week cause all she got was \xA310 a week the date on the letter i had it was only dated up till march 2007 so i thought because he had left school and turned 16 that was me done with the csa until i got home from work today and got this letter asking me to pay for another year so i called and told them he had left school and my ex wife had stopped getting benifit for him in dec so they have put it into investigation can anyone pls give me some advice.plus my new girl is pregnent
Comment by gordon — 12 Apr 2007 on 11:33 pm | Link
My son left school in december and turned 16 in january i was still paying my csa up till march plus giving my ex wife something every week cause all she got was \xA310 a week the date on the letter i had it was only dated up till march 2007 so i thought because he had left school and turned 16 that was me done with the csa until i got home from work today and got this letter asking me to pay for another year so i called and told them he had left school and my ex wife had stopped getting benifit for him in dec so they have put it into investigation can anyone pls give me some advice.plus my new girl is pregnent
Comment by gordon — 12 Apr 2007 on 11:34 pm | Link
I have been looking through all your comments regarding the CSA and do agree on one thing that they are incompentent and a total waste of tax payers money.
I have never had a single penny in Maintanance from the CSA in 15 years from my first husband for my two children who are now grown up adults. The CSA allowed my arrears for this case to build up to well over \xA370,000 and have now wiped the arrears and closed the case as they have now given up on getting anything from him.

I am also now going through the same problem with my second husband who is never out of work and is job hopping around agencys and avoiding paying his maintanance for our 11 year old son. My ex husband has admitted that he doesen’t want to pay and has even said that because my first husband didn’t have to pay anything why should he. The CSA have taken very little action against him and and I have had to constantaly phone them approx 45 times a month on avarage and still they are not doing enough to get my maintanance. They occationaly get one arrestment if they are lucky and he packs in his job and moves to another agency and in all this time he is getting away with not paying his maintenance while continueing working and earning a very good wage. He is forever telling them lies and has been cought out so many times. My arrears for this case are now sitting at \xA36000 and my weekly assessment is \xA3175 which he should be paying. The CSA are constantaly miss-informing me everytime I phone them as my ex knows how to minupilate them with all his lies. He tells every one that he is paying his maintenance which is just a load of lies. I am totally disgusted with the CSA as it seems that all they care about is dealing with the easy cases and hitting the parents who are paying regular maintenance for there children while letting the wasters like my ex husbands who do not want to pay away with none payment so they can wipe the arrears clean at a later date.

There are hundreds of thousands of single parents out there just like me who give up as they can’t be bothered with the stress and hassle of dealing with with a CSA who are only intrested in the easy cases as it makes there figures look half decient while they try and hide the failures.

Until they get real serious with non paying parents then this farce is only going to get worse and the millions like me will continue to be victimised.
Comment by Diane Lawrence — 3 May 2007 on 12:53 am | Link
Were all fu*ked, the government want us all depressed, pennyless seperated and obidient to there evil self rightious agenda, they want fatherless hoodeis on the streets causing crime and fathers comiting suicide and the mothers whoring themselves with muiltiple partners pis*ed up, they want WORLD DOMINENCE and the only way they will get this is by BREAKING our ability to fight back!

Broken home = broken society = The New World Order

WAKE UP TO REALITY..!
Comment by Tim — 6 Jun 2007 on 2:12 pm | Link
November 27th 1985.
Due to a negligent driver I was critically injured in a road traffic accident where I sustained a severe head injury resulting me being in a coma for 6 weeks, the following high court case for personal injury took 9 years resulting in an out of court settlement compensating me for my injuries and future loss of earnings, I have been working in a supermarket on a very low wage ever since.
In 1992 I started a relationship which unfortunately only lasted 2 years (due to my stress from the on going court case) and ended in 1994 just after I received my personal injury compensation, 3 months later I was informed I was to be a father.
I fully accepted my responsibilities to being a father and paid whatever I could afford from a then \xA311,000 salary.
The Child Support Agency got involved and ignored the fact my housing cost’s were very low due to my compensation and began to financially crucify me, they said and keep saying "because you put your compensation in to your property, it is no longer classed as compensation" ………what else do you do with compensation when you are struggling to pay your bills?
My salary has never been more than \xA314,000 (as of now) yet the Child Support Agency have taken from me well over \xA327,000 so far.
I have had to taken out loans, sold all what shares I had ,used all the inheritence I had from my late grandfather and my great aunt, depleted what savings I had, borrowed money from my mother and re-mortgaged my house to as much as my wage would allow.
I am now very much in debt and have constant thoughts life is not worth living, all because the money that I was awarded by the courts after a 9 year battle to help make my life easier has never been taken in to consideration for that purpose, though I brought this to their attention from the start 12 years ago and countless times since.
I find it disgraceful that so much has been taken from me, totally and only due to the personal injury compensation I received after a 9 year court case, then only to learn that The Child Support Agency would be staking a claim to it even though it was my personal injury and not their’s!
Comment by Mark — 15 Jun 2007 on 5:04 pm | Link
CSA is a nightmare. I sympathize with the person who is left paying all the household bills because csa have taken the partners money. My partner is facing having to declare himself bankrupt because of CSA not considering his basic outgoings and the debt his partner made him take out whilst they were together. How does the government think this is just and fair. I agree that kids need to be paid for but I know that the mother is spending the money on drink and drugs and not on the kids, we would rather the mother be sent food vouchers or the money be put in trust for the kids. It would be interesting to see how many people have been pushed over the edge and into bankruptcy by CSA payments. My mum was a single parent and had to take my ‘dad’ to court for maintenance but as she says at least the court took into account that the father still has a right to live as well and worked it out fairly with an attachment of earnings order. CSA should be shut down they are doing more harm than good.
Comment by gemma — 10 Jul 2007 on 9:23 pm | Link
CSA is a nightmare. I sympathize with the person who is left paying all the household bills because csa have taken the partners money. My partner is facing having to declare himself bankrupt because of CSA not considering his basic outgoings and the debt his partner made him take out whilst they were together. How does the government think this is just and fair. I agree that kids need to be paid for but I know that the mother is spending the money on drink and drugs and not on the kids, we would rather the mother be sent food vouchers or the money be put in trust for the kids. It would be interesting to see how many people have been pushed over the edge and into bankruptcy by CSA payments. My mum was a single parent and had to take my ‘dad’ to court for maintenance but as she says at least the court took into account that the father still has a right to live as well and worked it out fairly with an attachment of earnings order. CSA should be shut down they are doing more harm than good.
Comment by gemma — 10 Jul 2007 on 9:23 pm | Link
CSA \x93The Cornerstone of society\x94

I have 3 CSA cases
I had a relationship after the break up of my first marriage which I was informed that this woman was expecting a child shortly after the relationship broke down with a lot of bitter feeling.
My ex wife and I had agreed that we would always pay maintenance without the assistance of the CSA but following on from this child born of the failed relationship that due to the cases being assessed together (as CSA don\x92t recognize private arrangements) this took both myself and my ex wife working together 2 years to get the CSA to assess.

The other case up till this time I had been paying direct to the mother via my bank making sure I had an audit trial of payments when the mother claimed that she was unhappy with this and she wanted all payments made through the CSA.

There was a pause in payments while this was set up and the CSA came back to me with the amount to pay plus the arrears for the \x93pause\x94 and faithfully paid this the one day I contacted the CSA to find out when the arrears for the pause would end, only to be told but you have another \xA34000 to pay! I was being billed for all the time that I had paid direct.
I then had to set about clearing my name records from the bank and lots of time on the phone to the CSA and I recovered \xA33100 which was shown and it seemed all was well until a year had elapsed a part of the fax sent to the CSA had not shown one page of payments.

Again I forwarded these detail showing \xA3900 in payment made to a person I am not on speaking terms with. So how did CSA verify this payment \x96 They ASKED THE MOTHER IF THESE WERE CSA PAYMENTS! Based on the fact that she is on benefits and has probably not declared these payment she has said that these payments are not in relation to CSA payments

Therefore the CSA has said that on her word these are not CSA payments and I have to pay this amount again.

If that was not a bitter enough pill to swallow they have said that this has to be paid back at \xA3300 a month on top of my other cases leaving me \xA3680 in CSA payments a month. I have asked for time to pay as I know if I don\x92t pay it will just come out of my wages.

I asked to spread the arrears as at this level I would not be able to pay my rent I was told \x93that is not our concern we are here for the WELFARE OF THE CHILDREN\x94

I did say I had 3 cases the third case is my current girlfriend we have a lovely son together and she has 2 girls from a previous relationship where her ex was assessed under the old system and is due to pay \xA350 a week but this has been deferred for 5 years to \x93Give him time to get used to his payments\x94

So while he is give a incredible amount of time to get use to payments, I have been stung for the above amounts.

Due to this my current girlfriend (who works) and I have to pay CSA to can\x92t afford to live together in this current housing boom, and the lack of space in her property.
So how does this benefit the
WELFARE OF THE CHILDREN !!!!!
Comment by chris — 18 Aug 2007 on 1:41 pm | Link
CSA \x93The Cornerstone of society\x94

I have 3 CSA cases
I had a relationship after the break up of my first marriage which I was informed that this woman was expecting a child shortly after the relationship broke down with a lot of bitter feeling.
My ex wife and I had agreed that we would always pay maintenance without the assistance of the CSA but following on from this child born of the failed relationship that due to the cases being assessed together (as CSA don\x92t recognize private arrangements) this took both myself and my ex wife working together 2 years to get the CSA to assess.

The other case up till this time I had been paying direct to the mother via my bank making sure I had an audit trial of payments when the mother claimed that she was unhappy with this and she wanted all payments made through the CSA.

There was a pause in payments while this was set up and the CSA came back to me with the amount to pay plus the arrears for the \x93pause\x94 and faithfully paid this the one day I contacted the CSA to find out when the arrears for the pause would end, only to be told but you have another \xA34000 to pay! I was being billed for all the time that I had paid direct.
I then had to set about clearing my name records from the bank and lots of time on the phone to the CSA and I recovered \xA33100 which was shown and it seemed all was well until a year had elapsed a part of the fax sent to the CSA had not shown one page of payments.

Again I forwarded these detail showing \xA3900 in payment made to a person I am not on speaking terms with. So how did CSA verify this payment \x96 They ASKED THE MOTHER IF THESE WERE CSA PAYMENTS! Based on the fact that she is on benefits and has probably not declared these payment she has said that these payments are not in relation to CSA payments

Therefore the CSA has said that on her word these are not CSA payments and I have to pay this amount again.

If that was not a bitter enough pill to swallow they have said that this has to be paid back at \xA3300 a month on top of my other cases leaving me \xA3680 in CSA payments a month. I have asked for time to pay as I know if I don\x92t pay it will just come out of my wages.

I asked to spread the arrears as at this level I would not be able to pay my rent I was told \x93that is not our concern we are here for the WELFARE OF THE CHILDREN\x94

I did say I had 3 cases the third case is my current girlfriend we have a lovely son together and she has 2 girls from a previous relationship where her ex was assessed under the old system and is due to pay \xA350 a week but this has been deferred for 5 years to \x93Give him time to get used to his payments\x94

So while he is give a incredible amount of time to get use to payments, I have been stung for the above amounts.

Due to this my current girlfriend (who works) and I have to pay CSA to can\x92t afford to live together in this current housing boom, and the lack of space in her property.
So how does this benefit the
WELFARE OF THE CHILDREN !!!!!
Comment by chris — 18 Aug 2007 on 1:42 pm | Link
Hi all!

Very interesting information! Thanks!

G’night
Comment by hiutopor — 17 Sep 2007 on 8:14 pm | Link
If it was just…

If it really was about the welfare of the children…

If it wasn’t an excuse to recoup benefits from ‘non-resident parents’ (let’s face it-fathers!…

If it wasn’t totally incompetent…

If the mistakes were admitted and put right retrospectively, i.e. old systems stink, fix and put evry1 on new…

Then maybe a few more people wld be willing to pay.

But the fact is it is the most evil and unjust law this country has seen in ages and it is crteating so much unnecessary suffering. It sucks the life and the hope out of hard-working people who love their kids. People who often didn’t want the marriage/relationship to break down anyway. It’s wide open for unscrupulous and uncaring women to abuse and it encourages an underclass of ‘ducking and diving’ men who would otherwise be honest dads.

Fuck you CSA, and fuck the people who came up with this bullshit. I hope u all burn in hell for all eternity because you work iniquity and injustice in the name of ‘eradicating child poverty’. Society consists of families. Families breakdown, society breaks down. Our governments reject all moral absolutes and things that people have held to be true for thousands of years. Then we reap the consequences, or at least the poor and the weak do. And what do the government do? they create laws to tax and exploit people’s misery. People who are human and fallable and make mistakes. People who are precious in God’s sight and of infinite value to Him. People who want to be forgiven and restored and given a chance to start again. CSA is not just about money. It is symptomatic of a world that calls good, evil and evil, good. It is modern day slavery for many men and kills our hope and sense of identity. Personally I don’t know what will become of me. Who knows how much a heart can take or a mind sustain before it sanps completely beyond all redemption. I hope they burn for what they’ve done !!!…

… and one day they will!
Comment by Thieving Bastards — 20 Sep 2007 on 10:55 pm | Link
what can i say, apart from my family has been torn apart by csa. my husband has always payed through child support, from when it first started, to his ex for his twin girls. she could’nt be trusted so he choose to pay this way. we have a boy at 5. to cut a long and painful story short his payments have kept going up and up, and in feb this year a letter came wanting 9000 ,that they said he owed.if he didnt pay it all at once his weekly amount that was already 125, would double to 250 to pay the arrears off, what arrears? we took out a loan to pay it off as we could’nt afford the 250 a week. there is no talking to these people . my husband now has to work all the over time he can get to pay the loan.his ex is know laughing, what a joke.only touble is the more he earns the more it goes up. 5 years left and counting(thats when they turn 19)
Comment by jayne — 30 Sep 2007 on 10:36 pm | Link
ive been to two tribunals now and have not got anywhere- although my ex owns a hotel which is on the market for half a million and now owns a castle in dundee- mains castle specialising in weddings!!! hes very experienced in weddings this is his 3rd wife whom he brought over from russia and proved to the home office that he could provide for her and her daughter but told the c.s.a. he only earns five pounds a week.
Comment by jackie — 1 Oct 2007 on 9:47 pm | Link
Csa are absolute bastards! I earn very little around 12 grand, i travel eighty miles per week to work. I have to pay rent council tax all the usual bills ex ran up debts that i have to pay. If i ever meet anyone from csa id deck them!
Comment by Stonecold — 24 Oct 2007 on 11:20 am | Link
My husband who was married preciously - paid what the csa asked of him.. Completed an IMA - then years later even though he paid what they asked for, snet us a debt of over £3000.

Never heard from then for years - so presumed someone had woke up and realised it was unjust.

This year - we have had letters threatening Eversheds are taking action etc… and now we have to pay this unjust amount.

On the other side of the coin, my 3 children (one who is now eligle to vote), have NEVER recieved a single penny maintenance.. They closed the case years ago - never let me know. Now I have recently found out the HAVE LOST THE MAIN FILE… MP and Legal action now to ensue - they are a disgrace and need to be made accountable for the pathetic incompetences!!!
Comment by Chrissie — 30 Oct 2007 on 12:20 am | Link
My husband has a liability order issued against him for a child to a previous partner. He is disabled and I am long term sick. We have 2 children and are claiming income support and have a mortgage. The bailiffs are demanding 250 per month or they will repossess and sell our belongings. I have offered to pay 5.00 per week indefinitely, but they will not accept this. We have 93.00 per week to live off and pay all our bills. We have a suspended possession order on our property and we are at breaking point. What the hell is going on with this country?
Comment by Gail Buckley — 30 Nov 2007 on 8:39 pm | Link
i have 2 children from a previous relationship i have them every wednesday and every other weekend and love doin so. i get on well their mother we talk & all is cool. c.s.a. contacted me sayin they want 20% of my net income as she is on income support. i phoned them sayin she is not she is living with her partner and they havin baby they claim tax credits. no she is claiming income support the system is telling me so was the reply i got. spoke to my ex she told me she went on income support briefly they got back together back on tax credits. to cut a long story short her income support claim was left running although she wasnt getting payments. c.s.a sayin they gotta get money off me coz she is claiming,if she was on credits we can sort it out between us. for about the fifth time i tried to tell em she dont want money she is happy for me to have them and leave it at that and SHE IS NOT ON ****** INCOME SUPPORT SHE ON CREDITS! she even phoned em several times explainin the situation then i phone em they dont know nothing about it. meanwhile they are takin money off me leaving me the min they can £138 per wk. after countless phone calls,swearing,stress,headache and frustration they close the case. i get a letter confirming case closed, result i think to myself. next day another letter, we have agreed you should pay your c.s.a. fortnightly by cheque. AARRGGHH! STILL TRYING TO SORT IT ALL OUT NOW. what is it with this lot? is it lack of communication,not updating things or just complete unorganisation and incompetence? it really is like banging your head against a brick wall. i really could go on about what a complete shower of **** and waste of tax payers money they are all night long. but i must goto bed an get up for work to earn money to pay c.s.a when i should not be payin in the first place. i hope once this is all sorted out i never have the misfortune of dealing with these incompetent so and sos again. there must be others in same boat as me and just like to say GOOD LUCK! try not to let the ******** grind u dowm..
Comment by kris carter — 17 Mar 2008 on 11:59 pm | Link
ive been with my partner for four yrs, we have a 2yr old daughter. he has 2 children with his ex out of the blue we get letter saying he has to pay 400 a mth despite that he has rent council tax bills etc to pay, apparently it doesnt matter if we lose our home its not their problem they looking out 4 the kids ok so its alright for our 2yr old to lose her home is it??
his ex works, her new husband works and her mum looks after the kids but none of this matters they could earn a million a mth and we would still have to pay this ridiculous amount.
we have no issues in paying 4 the kids but what they want is the same as his exs rent a mth so why should we pay for her and her husband to live rent free 4 the nxt 18yrs while we struggle to feed our family.
csa need a reality check, line em up and shoot the cunts.
Comment by downwitcsa — 31 Mar 2008 on 2:41 pm | Link
Yep as the title says, with all the taxes one has to pay either directly or indirectly, it comes to a whooping 80% of ones salary gone to the government and their minions, this is with out fuel for cars if you are lucky to have one, and vat and higher gas, water, food and electricity prices.

If the the nutters on this forum say one should pay your kids, go and find a nazi party to join because this is not about paying for your kids is about stealing and taking father’s ablity to support themselves and their children. It is automatically assumed that a father does not pay for his kids, will he does, 99% do and the sickos who still say well u got to pay for kids do not seem to grasp this concept.

The who csa and benefits system is favour of getting money back to supposedly pay for your ex and kids benefits, this is despite the fact we are already doing this through income tax and national insurance. Go on say are you stating you are not prepared to spend money on your kids. Yeah too right if it goes to the mother who could not care less about the kids and state emphatically she wants to bring the kids up on benefit.. Give the kids to the father if this is the case so the kids cannot be use a meal ticket. The CSA does not give all the money to the mother they keep the 81% of it . This means if the CSA takes out 400 pounds per month, she gets 40 pound hows this going to help the kids it cannot even buy them shoes or a decent colthes if there is more than one. To me to the government does not care about the kids, it cares about ideology and the soviet five year plan. They destroy familes, they destroy kids and fathers lives.

The notion that the CSA only puts a deductions from earning orders on people who get in arrears is rubbish, it is the csa who sit on their back sides and do not know what they are doing, who put people in arrears, so the poor father has to pay double for the csa’s incompetence. Pluse they get accused of being deliberately in arrears so you have to be puinsh foor that. Its like saying oh you go to pay for you own bullet. The csa gets you in arrears, and then blames you and punishes you for it. Me I got deductions from earnings order withing two weeks of being notified.. They did not even listen to the fact that if they took the money it would destroy contact with my kids as they are in wolverhampton and i am in manchester, bring 4 kids up for one night cost about 100 poundsd, and thats out of a 216 pound week job, if that is not paying for your kids, then what is? The Government and the CSA are evil in my view they are using feminists agenda to destroy and remove fathers influence on his own children for some kind of social engineerring programme. To me is pure evil and I regard the CSA as the enemy , and the british government of both ilkes with distane and disqust.

The CSA are so stupid they cannot even up date records, i have had fivie office from dulely to birkenhead, bolton and falkirk dealing with my case and not one of them are knowing what the other is doing. its madnesss. when I got a dedecutions of earing order on my salary, i complain to bolton csa and they to their credit investigated my complaint, they wrote back to me saying they did not put the order on my wages and could not understand who did and offered me an apology, then two days later after i go the letter i had rather fascist phone call from the falkirk office demanding why i was not getting jsa, I told them too get off their back side and look at the records and they would fine i was on incapcity benefit and they had destroyed my contact with my kids and destroyed my kids lives and made me loose my job and very ill with depression. The CSA have destroyed my life after i had won all access to the kids in the courts. I finaly got the kids to stay over night but the ex wife knew she was loosing in court and got her uncle who works for the CSA office in Dudley as a Manager to get me where it hurts through the wages .

You know the last wage i had was 280 pounds, after tax and csa money was taken out you want to know what i was left with to live on. 123 pounds. know one can live on that, no internet no cable not phone, canot afford to pay the gas and electric etc. Yeah i am using my friends internet now, its a mess they have made me live in poverty and ill for what so they can get their pound of flesh and allow the ex to use the csa and her personal weapon, in the end she has got nothing and never will..

I say to the CSA and the British Government dam them all for the evil they have done and still do.
Comment by Darren Sharrocoks — 14 Apr 2008 on 7:29 am | Link
I hope the CSA are happy now they have made me lose my house, van for work and no were to have my boys over to stay. Now live in a friends garage so well done CSA Thanks.PS Would be nice to know how she bought a house for half a million ?
Comment by Clive Collins — 19 Jul 2008 on 7:26 am | Link
After reading through most of the posts on here and noticing that April 08 was the last one, i want to say that there is help and support out there for all who are caught up with this agency. We mainly, rightly or wrongly, help and assist and support, the Non resident Parent and their subsequent new families. Please take a look at our website, formed by myself and my fiance’ after our experience at the hands of the Child Support Agency!!!!!
We also act as Mackenzie friends and where Geographically possible,work permitting, we attend court cases with members. We are currently campaigning to make the system a better system for all and have lots of ideas in place and we have also been actively making our Association known to the powers that be. The CSA are aware of the Asoociation and we have had local press coverage, hoping to make it national soon.
No one who is in the CSA’s grasp is alone, we are here to help and support,give our Association a look and see what you think. Take care all and god help us all in this vile, lying,thieving agencies grasp
S B.
Comment by Sherri Barnett — 28 Jul 2008 on 2:52 pm | Link

RSS feed for comments on this post.

Post a public comment

Name (required)
E-mail (required)
(You must give an email address, but it will not be displayed to the public.)
Website
(You may give your website, and it will be displayed to the public.)

Comments:

This is not a way of contacting the Prime Minister. If you would like to contact the Prime Minister, go to the 10 Downing Street official site.

Privacy note: Shortly after posting, your name and comment will be displayed on the site. This means that people searching for your name on the Internet will be able to find and read your comment.

Original PMOS briefings are © Crown Copyright. Crown Copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland. Click-use licence number C02W0004089. Material is reproduced from the original 10 Downing Street source, but may not be the most up-to-date version of the briefings, which might be revised at the original source. Users should check with the original source in case of revisions. Comments are © Copyright contributors. Everything else is © Copyright Downing Street Says.

» Tuesday, January 3, 2006

Child Support Agency

70 Comments »

Post a public comment

Search

Supported by

Recent Briefings

Archives

Links

Syndicate (RSS/XML)

Credits

Enquiries