How long does it take the CSA to process a claim?

[WackyRacer]

A friend of mine has contacted them to get maintenance off her ex (because he wasn't paying her anything) she was told it "could take a few weeks" but it's been over 6 weeks now and she doesn't even think they've contacted her ex yet - she's certain he would have said something. They told her that maintenance will only be payable from when they first make contact with him so obviously she wants this to happen asap

Any ideas on how long she can expect to wait?

[singledadofthree]

i made my first claim against ex last week, have never bothered before. was told to phone back in three weeks to give them my bank details to get money paid direct. fella sounded optomistic it would be dealt with quick but have my doubts. she is on their system as she has a later ex from whom she will claim maintenance. will keep you posted.

[freerunner]

Hmm, 9 years and counting for DS1, 3 years for DS2. They had all the information needed, but they did nothing. Best of luck to your friend!

[lou33]

9 years!!!!!!!

[freerunner]

Hi lou33, you might remember me as another name, there was a thread about it! The case for my son was closed 'in error' and I knew nothing about it. And seeing as the incompetent b***ds weren't collecting money for my DD at the time, I was none the wiser. I am owed in excess of 20k.

[MascaraOHara]

After 5 years, I just received the grand sum of £5!!! WOOHOO!! It's made so much difference to the way I live, I just can't tell you. It was really worth the 5 years of stress and tears that I went through to get it.

[lou33]

omg freerunner!

moh i dont know if i would laugh or cry at that

i'm sure i will have plenty of these stories to come when exh finally lands in the uk

[MascaraOHara]

My advice is expect nothing that way anything might be a bonus

[newlifenewname]

Farkin ages would sum it up nicely

[prettyfly1]

it took them a month to find my ex, then 6 months to sort out the dna test he wasted everyones time insisting on then i let it go having got fed up with it. my friend has just received her maintenance cheque after 6 yrs

[WackyRacer]

OMG!!!

Sounds like she might not get any money at all then??!! But with them saying that it's only payable from when they first make contact with him, does that mean that if it takes them, say, 3 months to contact him that 3 months will just be written off??

Oh dear, I really don't like the sounds of this at all. Freerunner!!!! that's crazy!

Thanks for replies so far

singledadofthree if you could let me know how long it takes to process yours that'd be great, thank you

[olsmum]

mine took three years and i still got nothing, dd's father denied paternity then refused dna (my case was also mysteriously closed without me knowing half way through. i only applied in the first place because i had to as i applied for income support, ended up going back to work and telling them not to bother anymore after about 3 years and 3 months. mind you that was with xp being a right awkward knobhead.

[neva]

It's been 18 months since I claimed and still getting nothing for dd. Am now on one of the final rungs of the complaints ladder, but am not holding my breath.

[glitterfairy]

2 years so far for me as well. NOt a penny from CSA but in that time my x has delivered the grand sum of £2950 towards his three kids so cant complain

The problem lies (and I use that word in every sense) when they are self employed and not on a regular income and then they can mess everyone abotu as much as they want.

Also the CSA manage to loose everything and make the most ridiculous mistakes. The whole system appears to be slanted towards the person being asked to make a payment and not towards getting the best deal for kids. The person being asked for child maintenance can make all sorts of appeals as well which get dealt with straight away and when they claim they cant pay it is jsut accepted.

[sugar34plum]

Forever if your lucky! ds is 17 and his dad still owes me over 10k that his paying off at 5 per week!!! Because his self employed they dont bother. His also had a nil assessment for the past 9 years despite his lavish lifestyle. good luck

[SuGaRCoAteDPoiSOn]

11 years so far...

[neva]

9 years, five years, 11 years... just about sums it up doesn't it. Do any of us think that the governments 'reform' of the CSA is going to make a difference?

[singledadofthree]

two weeks and counting, will try them at the end of the month - have me shopping list ready

[stripeymama]

Two and a half years in my case - and then they closed the claim without telling me as there had been no reply to the letters sent out to His Twattiness.

Cos he is really going to phone them up and say yeah, thats me and I work cash in hand and live with my girlfriend who claims as a single parent.


GITWIZARD.

[singledadofthree]

called them back the other day - was told a letter has been sent out asking for details of earnings etc. if no reply in a couple of weeks they do a national insurance number search to find NI/tax paid/employer etc and work back. told they prioritize claims and i'm not that high up the list but theyre on with it. me eternal optomism is holding out for now.

[freerunner]

The CSA are doing a 'NI number' search for my ex at the moment. Was told there is a backlog and they are just processing searches they received in August at present. They might get round to it sometime next year then.......by which time the ex will have moved and changed jobs no doubt.

[singledadofthree]

an update at last

well it took the csa a whole 5 weeks to process my claim!!!

they did the thingy - found all the info they needed - did a calculation etc etc...

and after 12 years of not paying a penny (unless you count a giro for three quid) they say i get...NOTHING!!

is about what i expected really. have the folks at the csa not heard of equality bollocky bullshit stuff?