CMS investigation

[cmsinvestigation]

This might be a long one.

My exDH is currently being investigated by CMS because of another woman he has a child with for undeclared income. I received a letter saying that CMS will be in touch soon to see if I am owed money.

Here's the thing. My daughter is now 18 and my other 2 kids with him are adults. My 2 daughters are telling me to leave it but this man left us for this woman a decade ago and left us destitute. Her child was put onto his claim which had a large chunk of what he was paying drastically reduced

This is all well and good but she was claiming single parent and not declaring he was living with her, so his CMS he was paying shouldn't have been reduced.

He's self employed so was paying £20 per week for 3 kids, on the letter they gave his income at £8k per year but they have found out he was getting £28k since 2020. We all know he earns a lot more than that.

Even though my daughter is now 18 will they pay me any money? Or will it just be left?

The CSA in 2015/16 (can't remember) already wrote off arrears of £7.5k so I'm not holding out much hope.

One of my daughters has said I'm being greedy and he's asked them to speak to me about doing the right thing. Like he did the right thing while I sent my kids to my mums so they could eat and have warmth 🙃

Totally agree

I had a lot of arrears owing to me that CMS got for me years later. I actually did call them to cancel at one point as it was all bloody awful and I wanted to leave it all in the past. The guy on the phone said look, we deal with arrears. Let us sort it for you. We won't contact you unless to say here is your cash. But leave it to us, that is what we are here for.

So i didn't contact them and eventually they attached to earnings and got me all the cash back. Took a while but I am glad they got it from him.

He's classed as self employed and he's the sort of person that can wiggle out of anything so I won't hold my breath

@LisaJohnsonsFacebookMole that is such a lovely post, thank you so much

He's also not paid any tax or NI since 2020 I have just been informed. He's in a pickle isn't he

Oh dear, what a shame.

Anyhow, what're you making for dinner tomorrow? 😋

Tell your daughter bluntly it's actually none of her concerns if child maintenance want to go after her dad they will they don't need her or your permission

I really hate the fact that abusers get away with everything and kids always forgive their parents and take it out on the one who protected them the most

Would I be correct in thinking that you and your daughter that called you greedy have quite a difficult relationship anyway?

@TheNewHiker no not normally, but she is very much a dads girl

I think she's just sick of being stuck in the middle of it all and I get that

I would let CMs recover any money due that they can and stop talking to your children about it.

your children albeit adults are not mature enough to understand how much this situation disadvantaged you all for many years and that correcting it retrospectively is the right thing to do

It's the father asking my kids to speak to me about it, I've just been letting it runs its course

so tell your kids you will not discuss it with them and hopefully they will tell their father not to use them as flying monkeys too.

I’d definitely let the CMS get that money owing for you! You should have received it years ago!
How dare he try to get your children to persuade you not to. Him offering you a sweetener to get you to close the case is very telling. The fact that he’s not up to date with his Tax and NI payments too - they’re onto him - I’d let them throw the book at him. So many men do everything they can to avoid contributing for their own children - it’s abusive.
I've just started on my second CMS tribunal since DDs dad is still lying after the last one!!

Why don't you just respond as follows "I didn't start the investigation, didn't cause it and have nothing to do with it. CMS are carrying it out, not me and it is them 5hat will decide any outcome".

Hi there
Out of interest, what was the outcome of this?
My daughters dad is self employed, he's started to use payments as a control and i'm trying to figure out if going the CSA route would be better. Or if he will be able to spin it so that he pays minimum. He isn't able to be paid in cash, so his earnings are mainly dividends.

Also, my take on this is that £20 a week for 3 kids is neglect and you've had to make that up, therefore you're owed what you should have got over those years as a reimbursement. Your kids aren't going to understand, but when they're older they will likely think "good for you!"

Thank you