to be astounded that the CSA are going to take a cut of maintenance payments?

[Inertia]

Link here : m.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jan/13/fees-child-maintenance-intervention?cat=society&type=article

How on earth can the government justify this ?

Also, it's not really a choice for those who have split up and have children is it? You have to use the CSA if you can't agree on maintenance. At least if you could apply to the Court then you could make the application yourself and represent yourself. The Judge could then attach a penal notice to orders for persistant non-payers, so the NRP would go to Court for non payment.
This is an issue we should all be angry about, not just RPs, but NRPs, the majority of whom do pay maintenance, and other members of society. Not just because we could all be in that situation one day, but also because it's just outrageous that we as a society seem to think it's acceptable for some NRPs to pay nothing towards their children, whilst at the same time vilifying single mothers (and I use that term advisedly, given that it seems being a single father on the other hand is practically grounds for sainthood).
And we had a system for collecting maintenance that worked we would all benefit as there would be less paid out in benefits.
Just GRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!

Meant PRISON, would go to prison for non-payment. Duh.

If they are charging those who work ,are they not infact charging them twice then ? is the civil service not paid for by the taxpayer ?

I'm a single parent for similar reasons to Booboo - my DS was planned then his 'dad' (I use the term loosely) decided he would rather be with someone else and fucked off with the OW when I was 17 weeks pregnant. He's never bothered to see DS and never voluntarily made a child maintenance payment, hence when DS was 2 months old I went to the CSA. Over the next 3 years I had to chase them fortnightly at my own expense and supply them with all ex's contact details including phone number, bank details, parent's address and his new address because they couldn't be arsed to do their own research. During this time my case was transferred to numerous offices, a variety of case workers and my case notes were lost at one point. I even resorted to writing to my MP three times to try and get things moving because my ex was cleverly using every trick in the book to avoid paying - working cash in hand, moving jobs, moving house, not answering letters and claiming he was bankrupt. Yep, I've heard it all. Still think we should sort a private agreement out amicably, HappyMumy? Eventually, the month before DS was 3, I received my first payment - of a whopping £6.25 per fortnight. Fuck me, that was worth fighting for, wasn't it?

So, once my case is closed next year and I'm invited to re-apply, I have to pay £100 application fee (the higher amount because I work, albeit part time - so as Inertia rightly pointed out above, I'll be paying twice, once out of my taxes and the other via the fee). Then they fanny around taking another 3 years to sort out my case again only to give me the same £6.25 per fortnight, which then has a percentage of up to 12% fee deducted from it to help pay for the amazing service I receive. So with the fee deducted, instead of getting £12.50 a month, I'll get £11.00. Hardly worth it, is it?

So for me it won't be worth reapplying. Personally, I think it's partly their aim to discourage RP's from reapplying. The difficult or awkward cases won't bother to reapply as they know it's not worth their while, plus some new cases won't apply as they won't be able to afford the inital application fee (which of course falls to the resident parent to pay, not the non-compliant NRP, even though they have DC to feed, house and clothe and aren't receiving maintenance ). This means that the overall number of cases on the CSA's books will be reduced, and those that they do handle will be cases that are more likely to be sorted quickly, therefore increasing their success statistics. So once statistics are start to be released (probably just before the next general election, I reckon), for example they may state that 90% of applicants are receiving maintenance. However these figures won't be taking into account the large number of RP's who couldn't/didn't reapply, but the figures will look good to the electorate, many of whom dislike single parents due to the media stereotypes of us being benefit-claiming, plasma-buying chavs whose biggest ambition is to appear on Jeremy Kyle with our delinquent children. And we probably don't know who the dad is, anyway.

The whole scheme has not been thought through. Feckless NRP's will be able to avoid their responsibilities and get away without paying maintenance even more than they already do, which in turn leaves children at higher than ever risk of poverty.

For a country/government that is supposed to put the family and children first, at best this is an embarrassment and at worst, as disaster.

Have copied and pasted the below from another similar thread I posted on. Guess who isn't going to the CSA, and I will only be one of many.

"It's not only that, there is also the upfront charge of £100.

So, take my case. I kicked my ex out after gambling money for the rent and other bills, and subsequently lying about it. He says as I kicked him out, he has no responsibility towards my son. He is currently unemployed, but is at college retraining and will soon be actively seeking work (due to injury he can no longer do the manual work he used to).

So, unemployed = £5 per fortnight contribution.

I have to pay £100 upfront to get them to take on my case (after mediation etc, which he will either:
not attend;
attend and refuse to change his stance;
attend and agree with everything said there, but upon leaving the room revert back to his current stance;
attend and charm the mediator into agreeing I am a total bitch who deserves no maintenance whatsoever)

£5x26=£130 per year, take off the £100 leaves me £30 better off, take off the 12% running fee leaves me £26.40 better off per annum. And yes, it is per annum, because they then charge another £100 the following year for the reassessment."

God, what's going on with the bold etc. today? I've seen it going wrong on loads of people's posts.

I'm interested in this. I currently get £5 a week from my ex who is a qualified accountant but somehow has been on JSA for the best part of a year now. Hmmm either that or he's working off the books.

Either way, how much of that £5 a week do they think they are going to take from my children. Its not my money its theirs. Its supposed to help me with my £300-£400 a year school uniform bill, its supposed to help me buy food for them each week. Because now I have a new partner and we are on a low wage we get no benefits except the child tax credit.

This isn't just about single mothers at all. Its a joke that he gets away with £5 a week. Oh yeah, except for the last month because he went abroad for three weeks so didn't get JSA. Yes folks thats right, he can apparently afford a holiday on JSA money.

Thats alright the CSA say we will add that to the rest of the £3000+ he already owes me. We can threaten him with bailiffs if he doesn't pay. Yes but you haven't have you? We can threaten him with court. Yes but you haven't have you?

I can't use my solicitor because the CSA are the ONLY organisationt hat will be told automatically when he stops receiving benefits and then told where he has started work. If I use my solicitor I'd be looking for him for the next year as he moves from place to place and still not find him.
I'm sorry but a court order is only as good as the enforcement behind it, otherwise its only good for the recycling bin.

I wish people would wake up to the REALITIES of the lives some of us have to live. He can piss away his childrens money on drink, fiddle the tax office, whatever he wants and he is laughing at the system sticking one finger up.

How anyone thinks removing MORE of the kids money would make a blind bit of difference is beyond me! Its alright they'll say, we'll add it onto his arrears shrug

Oh yes, and it used to be when I was on Income Support my payments got sent to the secretary of state so even though he was paying £200 a month I would only get £5 a week. I still never worked out my they thought that was okay.

All you non CSA users complaining about paying from your taxes? Think how we feel? Paying them from our taxes to do nothing and then paying them more to still do nothing. Cause thats what they are good at.

/rant off.

AGlassHalfEmpty are they really planning to charge £100 per year for the annual reassessment? Seriously? That is one fucked-up plan.

Oh, and don't forget, once they close our cases any arrears built up will be wiped out. So, my ex owes me hundreds - some people's exes may owe them thousands in arrears - but they will be wiped out when the cases are closed. Any re-application will be started from scratch, so yet again, the NRP's win and our kids lose.

For those of you who are saying it's a service - I disagree. The people who work there are lazy and won't exercise the powers they claims to have. Do you think that we should also pay for the NHS then?

I see that the tories have already brainwashed some of you. It was the tories who introduced the CSA system and we weren't expected to pay for it then! Why are they taxing our children? And taxing money that has already been taxed anyway??

Nope, not finished ranting yet. Article states thusly:-

Ministers propose giving parents more support to make their own arrangements before going to court, as part of reforms aimed at encouraging parents to resolve payment settlements themselves, without government involvement.

Soooo, this is assuming the RP is not been the victim of abuse? Those parents have to 'make their own arrangements'? Fabulous, thats a good 40% of parents no longer using the CSA and not getting financial support because they are too afraid of their spouses.

Oh yes and do ministers remember how hard it is to get legal aid now? So this is assuming we can all afford mediation?

Also:-

Explaining the decision, the government said there was a belief that the current system "encouraged conflict" between parents, "driving a wedge" between parents and their children.

And this reform is really going to help that isn't it? So along with family court, where judges shove kids with fathers willynilly whether or not they want it or its even good for them. On top of that, family court are also going to be dealing with maintenance. Fabby, can't wait. Well we earn above the new threshold for Legal Aid but equally we cannot afford a solicitor. I am not willing to drag my family through court over £5 a week....or even £500 a week to be frank. The CSA were supposed to be there so I didn't have to.
I take it we also earn just over the proposed limit for this:-

The proposed fee is £100 for those in work, reduced to an initial payment of £20 for those in financial difficulties.

And we can't afford £100 a year in any case.

And yes:-

stressed that the service would remain "a heavily-subsidised state service"

We will be paying for it twice. Whoop

Softkittywarmkitty I do hope you are joking. I really really hope you are joking. I think I may need to stick my head in the freezer in a minute before it blows up.

Softkitty For people who earn over a certain amount, or it may even be those who earn at all, I can't remember. Those who are on some benefits will have to pay £25 (I think) and those in the middle will have to pay £50, but in the latter two cases there are instances where it can be paid off at something like £10 a week (am tired, please don't shout if it isn't totally accurate. it is something like that though).

I know it looks like I will have to pay the full amount though, and I only work 20 hrs a week.

I had heard that arrears would not be written off......

i read that the actual figure will be likely to be around £200 not £100?-that was off the policy doc i believe.

I'm the same Glass, I work 22 hours a week and will have to pay the full amount. I just didn't realise it was per year. I thought you paid one application fee and that was it.

Ceretrea No I'm not joking about them dismissing arrears, although to be fair I heard it from another lone parent, albeit a very switched on LP, so I'm sure it's correct. Will have to double check that fact myself but it wouldn't surprise me. They are closing cases and starting from scratch with them, so (in their eyes) why would they carry over the arrears? That would make more work for them, wouldn't it. And we don't want that, do we?

I thought the policy document said £100 for the application? However, I first read it back in January and I understand there have been quite a few amends since then, so I must have another read. However it's late and I won't take it in now, so will browse tomorrow or over the weekend.

someone said earlier about getting a solicitor instead? Hmmmmm, now why didn't so many lone parents think of that .

Are they really going to charge £100 a year ? That is soooo wrong. So, a lone parent, possibly on a very low income, struggling to cope, has to find a hundred quid in order to apply to get a measily sum from their DCs NRP. How can that be justified? Disgusting, and so the Tories show their true colours. Didn't take long, did it?

Do you still have to apply to the CSA when you sign on to benefits? When DS was 2 and XH left us, I was temporarily on income support; I had to apply to the CSA first, and they had to confirm that DSs father wasn't contributing anything before I could claim state benefits. If that is the case then this is even more fucked up!

this is copied and pasted from the document:

"The applicant, normally the parent with care, will have an economic cost through the application charge, likely to be around £100 or £50 for an applicant on welfare benefits for the full statutory system and lower for the calculation only service. The full cost of an application is likely to be around £200."

yanbu. Another great plan to kick those at the bottom.

I'm doing my letters to my MP and the DWP this weekend.

The fact they are going to waive the registration fee for lone parents who have suffered DV is awfully nice of them don't you think . Not only do we have no support from the other partner who refused to pay in any other way, we are financially penalised for it too.

I tried to get my XP to agree to a private agreement, he refused so now he pays through the csa.

If anyone has time to read the original document you can see the dwp have cherry picked some parts of it to suit their plans to charge for the csa .

that was point number 46, page 12.

Here is the original government paper. Not sure if this link has already been posted but apologies if it has.

Just had a quick glance and can't find any mention of what happens to arrears but will have a proper look tomorrow.

I also read this:

The recent Welfare Reform Bill also includes measures to prevent single parents from using the CSA unless they can show they have taken steps to negotiate a private arrangement with their ex partner.

And the bill says parents will only be able to use the state scheme to collect child maintenance for them if their ex-partner agrees or if the state thinks that he or she won?t pay voluntarily.

so, is that his word against mine?