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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think that the government are trying to rob our children?

147 replies

ShirleyKnot · 02/12/2011 21:02

AIBU for believe that the single parent's in our society are under attack - yet again?

Despite the statistics that show that 3/5 of us residential parents are in receipt of zero child maintenance.

Those who choose to use the CSA to chase non paying parents are now in the firing line..

From 2013
Parents using the CSA will pay £100 as an upfront fee (or £50 for parents on benefit) for those who want to use the future CSA. Only ?Victims of domestic violence? will be exempt (although there is no detail on how this will be proved or checked).

An on-going charge of between 7% and 12% on any maintenance paid to parents who rely on the future CSA to collect their child maintenance, as well as an extra 15-20% charge added to the non-resident parent?s payment.

Isn't this taking food out of my child's mouth?

OP posts:
Original poster
ShirleyKnot · 02/12/2011 22:09

I so didn't want this thread to turn into a Step parent vs Single Parent thread.

The point of my thread has been lost.

OP posts:
RealityIsADistantMemory · 02/12/2011 22:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
ShirleyKnot · 02/12/2011 22:14

Please join my campaign thread here to oppose this piece of shitty legislation and promote the cause of the many

OP posts:
CardyMow · 02/12/2011 22:16

For everyone's information - Herbie is more than likely telling the truth, if her DSS is 14yo or older. It would mean that Herbietea's DH's CSA case was on CS1, the 'old' system, which DID take NRP's partner's income into account.

Even on CS2 - Child Tax Credits paid to the NRP's partner, for HER dc from a previous relationship, can and are taken into account for maintenance. Also they can take money paid as the disability element of CTC for the NRP's partner's dc from a previous relationship as income for the purposes of maintenance - it's NOT a perfect system, and on this count, I'm with Herbietea.

Herbie - I believe that you were left pretty much brassic by the CSA but I stand by the fact that it is common knowledge that maintenance can be due until the dc is 20yo in some cases - you and your DH were wrong not to budget as such.

TheMouseRanUpTheClock · 02/12/2011 22:18

Reality, that is why the csa should be linked to the inland revenue, to any business that is run at the same address as a nrp, there must have been a reason years ago that the whole household income was taken into account, too many nrp prepared to cheat their own children!

Original poster
ShirleyKnot · 02/12/2011 22:21

Yes HuntyCat.

I'm sure it was fucking awful.

However, I'm not talking about that - my thread is about the injustice being meted out NOW.

It's all well and good to complain about the way things were - I could get on board with many things and have a right old moan about things 5 years ago myself - HOWEVER, that wasn't what my OP was about and wasn't about the points I was trying to raise.

So y'know.

OP posts:
CardyMow · 02/12/2011 22:21

Kayano - I can assure you that although the NRP's partner's earnings are no longer taken into account - any Tax Credits paid into the household ARE. Even now.

I have been on both sides of the coin, and can quite happily froth about the injustices done to BOTH sets of parents. Grin.

CardyMow · 02/12/2011 22:24

Shirley - yes, the changes to the CSA are awful, and I know that 3/5ths of resident parents get NO maintenance (I'll join that in January with DS1), but I can see the other side of the fence as well - it DOES still go on that the CSA leave SOME NRP's second families with bugger all and fresh air to live off - even taking Tax Credits away (paid to the poorest dc) from ONE set of dc, to pay to another dc...

The system screws Lone Parents AND it screws those NRP's that do pay...

Kayano · 02/12/2011 22:25

I am still concerned about the abuse element and what if it was other kinds of abuse such as emotional or financial?

I think a lot of single abused mothers will be made out to be liars as it can be quite hard to prove. I'm not in this situation myself on either side but it worries me.

troisgarcons · 02/12/2011 22:27

3/5 of us residential parents are in receipt of zero child maintenance.

how many of you have a father listed on the birth certificate?

CardyMow · 02/12/2011 22:28

And, Shirley - YANBU. It is truly awful that the Government are trying to LOWER THE DEFICIT by STEALING MONEY FROM CHILDREN.

My Ex-P is on a fairly low income, 20% of it for 2 dc is £55 a week. If it will affect both me and him to the extent I posted on the first page, just IMAGINE how much the Government will be making out of people who are paid a more average figure.

I'll get number crunching, and post some figures in a bit...

TheMouseRanUpTheClock · 02/12/2011 22:28

Trois, have you any idea how many lone parents stated off as married parents? You may be surprised at the figure!

Original poster
ShirleyKnot · 02/12/2011 22:30

hunty I'm sure we will agree, or disagree, it'll all be good.

troisgarcons - Your point is?

OP posts:
RealityIsADistantMemory · 02/12/2011 22:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CardyMow · 02/12/2011 22:31

trois - My Ex-H was on the birth certificate - we were MARRIED when DS1 was born...doesn't stop him from avoiding paying maintenance...

And it is the same for 99% of the Lone parents I know that have problems with the CSA. They were either living with or married to the father of their dc when their dc were born, the father is named on the birth certificate, the child more often than not has the father's surname. And STILL they get no maintenance.

So please don't insinuate that the majority of Lone Parents are feckless and profligate and have no idea who their dc are.

WinterIsComing · 02/12/2011 22:32

Mouse - good idea, but that is assuming that these men declare anything at all to HMRC...

troisgarcons · 02/12/2011 22:32

mouse statistics are produced to state a purpose. Many LPs won't have a father listed , ever have had a father figure within the family - they will be included into statistics. I hate to say it, some women wont actually know who the father is. They are also included.

anastaisia · 02/12/2011 22:33

I just don't get why CS payments aren't done through the tax system. I honestly don't.

All the other non-negotiable payments like student loans, NICs etc are. And if you're on benefits your CS payments are done through the benefit system. So why shouldn't supporting a child you have responsibility for be included under HMRC - particularly as if YOU the NRP aren't supporting them then chances are high that the state is having to pick up your slack.

And yes, there would still be some people avoiding some of what is genuinely owed, just like there is still some tax avoidance. But on the whole it just seems as though it would be far more simple.

waits for someone who knows why it's not possible/would be worse to come and explain

RealityIsADistantMemory · 02/12/2011 22:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WinterIsComing · 02/12/2011 22:33

Signing in as married too since you were nice enough to ask, Trois.

DD was planned and yes XH is on the birth certificate.

troisgarcons · 02/12/2011 22:33

Posted too quickly. Some LPS will be widow/ers too - difficult to get maint from a dead person.

anastaisia · 02/12/2011 22:34

(oh, cross posted with mouse and everyone else)

TheMouseRanUpTheClock · 02/12/2011 22:34

Trois, you may want to educate yourself this document may help you

Original poster
ShirleyKnot · 02/12/2011 22:35

I am not typing this post. I AM FUCK THAT! My husband LEFT us LEFT ME AND MY BOYS WHEN THEY WERE SMALL BABIES because he was incompetent. HE IS ON THEIR BC BECAUSE HE IS THEIR FATHER. He has never denied that. How foul.

HOW FOUL of you to suggest that because I started this campaign my children belong to someone else. How revolting.

How far will you go TroisGarcon to further the rights of the fathers to not pay for their own children?

You should be ashamed

OP posts:
troisgarcons · 02/12/2011 22:35

I refer you to my previous post mouse