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Original poster

Has anyone used the Child Maintenance Service Recently?

19 replies

AnghofioPopeth · 05/02/2023 19:06

I am thinking about opening a case with the child maintenance service, and was wondering if anyone has used them recently?

I think I am being underpaid, and wanted to know how long they take to get back with how much should be paid.

OP posts:

SpinningFloppa · 05/02/2023 19:09

It took a month for me so pretty quick but unfortunately my ex doesn’t have to pay and they said they couldn’t do anything about it so been pointless for me but every situation is different

Anyfeckinusername · 05/02/2023 19:16

I opened a case last February (so a year ago). Contrary to what I tend to hear, they've been amazing. They switched to collect and pay when he skipped his payments. They checked his self declared "redundancy" and discovered he was getting three months garden leave payments, and was not in fact unemployed. They notified me very recently that they are requesting a court order to get the money he owes me (just under 3k) all instigated by them.

I don't have the energy for it as I've other battles going on with him, so it's a huge relief that just one part of the system is advocating for me without me having to chase it.

My experience is it's worth it. The money I did receive is money I never would have gotten without them. And they removed a huge headache from me.

But in your case it sounds like you could negotiate with him possibly? I believe they like you to try that first.

ShitShoweringClouds · 05/02/2023 21:07

Thanks, that's really helpful. I'm a bit worried about rocking the boat!
I'm sorry you don't get anything, that's shit.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Family law

ShitShoweringClouds · 05/02/2023 21:13

Thanks @Anyfeckinusername for the reply. That's excellent that you've had success.

I have had regular maintenance, but he's been very reluctant to increase it over the 12 years. Even though he's clearly been getting pay increases.

I want what we are entitled to, and unless I know what his salary js I'm not going to get it.

It's good to know that it's been worth it.

mumyes · 05/02/2023 21:16

Sadly I think the reputation of the CMS being totally shit & inept puts a huge amount of single mums sorry, people, off bothering with them.

Which is utterly shit.

taxpayer1 · 06/02/2023 11:48

ShitShoweringClouds · 05/02/2023 21:13

Thanks @Anyfeckinusername for the reply. That's excellent that you've had success.

I have had regular maintenance, but he's been very reluctant to increase it over the 12 years. Even though he's clearly been getting pay increases.

I want what we are entitled to, and unless I know what his salary js I'm not going to get it.

It's good to know that it's been worth it.

You are not entitled. Your children are.

ShitShoweringClouds · 06/02/2023 12:15

@taxpayer1 We are entitled - the children and I. The children that I bring up and care for and bring up.

taxpayer1 · 06/02/2023 12:18

Child maintenance covers how your child's living costs will be paid when one of the parents does not live with the child.

Shitfather · 06/02/2023 12:23

Yes. I have current dealings. They are a bunch of incompetent and uneducated twats who can’t read or comprehend information. They will push to you to the edge with each phone call. Only crying seems to elicit some minor movement on my case. They essentially work for the cunts obfuscating their responsibilities towards their kids, not the kids themselves.

ShitShoweringClouds · 06/02/2023 12:26

Yes, so it comes to me. And I use it for raising the children. It's hardly enough for me to spend on myself.

I work over 50 hours most weeks, and have always worked. I just want my children to have the benefit of both of their parents income.

taxpayer1 · 06/02/2023 12:35

ShitShoweringClouds · 06/02/2023 12:26

Yes, so it comes to me. And I use it for raising the children. It's hardly enough for me to spend on myself.

I work over 50 hours most weeks, and have always worked. I just want my children to have the benefit of both of their parents income.

Yes. It comes to you as a conduit to reach your children but you are not entitled. Both parents should pay for their children but the idea that you are somehow entitled is wrong. As soon as you don't have your children anymore, you won't receive anything.

ShitShoweringClouds · 06/02/2023 20:50

@taxpayer1

Is eligible okay for me to use?

Ultimately, the money is for me to spend on raising the children that I share with my ex-husband.

We both have a responsibility to care for and meet their needs. The money he pays in child maintenance is used for

When the children are adults, I will not want or need anything from him. I am asking for the correct amount that he is required by law to pay.

It comes to me, because they are children and do not pay the bills/mortgage etc.

Georgieporgie29 · 06/02/2023 21:08

Why have you name changed after starting the thread?

I would say the cms can be good and it depends on which call handler that you get but until you try you won’t know.

ShitShoweringClouds · 07/02/2023 19:06

The name change was an accident, I'm not very technical!

Sge995 · 25/07/2023 15:06

I paid the £20 and opened a case back in 2020, father works full time night shifts and enjoys texting me about it. Yet csa cannot recover any money from him because “he is on benefits and has other priority debts”

my sons 8 now and in total since he was born I have received £3.40 from them.

save yourself the £20!

Sge995 · 25/07/2023 15:07

And it’s a big kick in the teeth that screenshots aren’t enough evidence. Also they never ever explain what steps they are taking if any, to recover these arrears.

”he has priority debts” so do bloody I, raising our child alone

Mumchasingexforcm411yrs · 01/10/2023 23:04

I'm a mum of 4 but only a daughter is of child maintenance age. My ex has always been a fraud if he could Rob you he would. He couldn't wait for his beautiful mum to die to inherit his mum and his dad's fortune. But this guy is the worst. He has done my daughter out of her money for the last 11 years, claimed benefits owned his own buisness and had a job. This guy was even arrested for taking his blind elderly mum who also suffered from dementia bank cards and stole and spent £364,000 from his mums account that was 20 years of his dad's pension since he died, then got taken in by police as suspicious of killing his own mum. He locked her in her house in 1 room and she had to wear adult pants as the bathroom was upstairs he dropped his last name to evade child maintenance and when he forced his mum before she died to change her will even though she was diagnosed blind and had dementia so he got almost everything but 3 of our 4 kids got inheritance but our youngest who he is supposed to pay maintenance for NOT A SINGLE PENNY. 3 KIDS GOT £12.500 but youngest, nothing. Now no maintenance and for 2 years cms are fobbing me off every week. I call all the time, I have given proof of all the money he has, official paperwork, his buisness, photos of work vehicles his £250,000 house, his bank accounts the 11 various cars and reg numbers and multiple holidays abroad every 5 to 6 weeks, his static caravans he owns and cms say £6,27 a week. How can I take this further. Can I take cms to court for failing to get the money owed? I'm at my wits end. My poor girl has nothing whilst the other 3 get thousands and I'm disabled. I can't let this happen. He is a fraudulent cheat, who contributed to his poor mum not being here now, he robbed her and he robbed our daughter.

AnonDadUK · 10/04/2024 17:46

Absolutely agree that the ££ is for the children, too much of this is focused on lifestyle of the other party. CMS obviously deal with a lot of bullsh*t both sides, but it would be good to see them actually investigate and use commonsense rather than a sledgehammer approach.

Appreciate they are caught in the middle but judging it purely on nights slept in a place is rubbish. I have my children 50% of the time they are not at school/childminders but, as they happen to sleep at their mothers 5 nights a week (this will include me dropping them off at 7pm in the eve and then picking them up at 8am the following morning) the CMS and her deem that she is entitled to a huge chunk of what I earn. I will pay my way, in fact happy to pay more, but it is not my job to fund her lifestyle. I also pay for sports my son plays, constantly buy clothing, shoes etc, even offered to buy groceries on the proviso she pinged over a shopping list of what extras my kids needed - just to be clear they don't eat smoked salmon so not sure why that was on the list.

Just before you jump all over this, we were never married, she works, but still believes she is entitled to spousal maintenance....

Flumpymews · 28/06/2024 12:57

Hi there, could I ask, did they make you do direct pay to start with? I have requested collect and pay, he has paid every month but there is always a drama, he has paid late a few times and he tries to control me with it e.g. if we have had a disagreement he’ll make me wait all day. I just want collect and pay so I don’t have to beg him/walk on eggshells to transfer

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