Child Maintenance Service

[GudrunBrangwen]

I haven't seen anything about this on here or elsewhere really so thought I'd ask if anyone else has had a similar experience.

I tried to organise our claim about 2 months ago when I got a letter saying we needed to sort it out before the CSA shuts down.

I rang - and had to go through an unexpected 45 minute call during which I was asked some very personal questions, such as why our relationship ended (our child is 12), were we living together, did I think he had accepted financial responsibility for our child, (how am I to know that - we barely speak) and how often we communicate, also whether we are friendly, unfriendly, neither, or totally unfriendly.

I had got to the end of this and was put through having been given a reference number, to pay for the service and make it all official. The line was appalling and I could not hear the guy so I ended the call and then it was the holidays and I decided to call back after.

I called yesterday armed with my reference number. Apparently it meant nothing, no information had been saved and so we had to do it all again.

Got to the end of the intrusive questions, and then I was told they needed to set up security. Fine, I thought.

Password? Easy.
significant name? Oh you can have the same word if you like. Ok.

Significant date. ? Ok.

Seven digit number. suggested 1234567 - I took this option.

Significant teacher? by this time it is turning into a joke. I can't think of one but somehow manage (decide to write this all down as I'll never remember it)

Significant POP GROUP. Seriously?

Significant place; (I don't really have one tbh)

Significant occasion

and my first school.

8 security questions and apparently, I think this is correct, if you fail to get them right when you call, you have to start the entire process again.

I have no words.

The CMS is a shower of shit for a number of reasons, but I think asking a few questions to ascertain the nature of your claim and setting up security questions to ensure that no one else is able to disrupt your claim is completely fair.

I don't know about the rest of it, but apart from the 1234567 suggestionI actually think the added security is reasonable.

Put it this way: this is a service where for the overwhelming number of accounts the person who is going to be the most interested in hacking in is going to be someone who was in a relationship with the account holder. So somebody who knows their mother's maiden name, significant dates, the road you grew up on, the first concert you went to, what passwords and pins you use. The rest of it sounds dire, but I think the random questions and reinforced security are reasonable. They might sound ridiculous and random, but when you're thinking that there's an extremely high chance the Ex will know the normal answers to the standard questions it seems much more understandable.

Oh, and I think the financial responsibility question was fine too. That's not a question of talking, it's if money appears in your account without feeling like you're getting blood out of a stone.

My mate was asked to take part in a DWP survey about them. She didn't hold back. Apparently they are finding that CMS is letting down the very people it is supposed to be helping

Vulnerable groups of people being let down? Under IDS's fair and kindly rule? That hasn't happened before

All the random security questions are normal (I wrote them down as ill never remember my own answers)
U have to think that this is a case with normally an ex, who prob knows ur dob/maiden name etc - u wouldn't b happy if the called pretending to be you and cancelled ur claim! They'll only ask u 2/3 of the questions when u call....which u will, many times as they are beyond shit! Best advice i can give is keep on top of it & keep chasing everything up - and never expect them to call you to let you know anything at all!! So write down ur answers so they are all to hand on ur many calls (kept in a safe place of course!)

I had all this, 10 security questions to set up bloody hope don't lose paper I written answers on.

The bloke who asked about personal questions did apologise first and said I didn't have to answer any I didn't want to.

I also got a call back as I said first time I called I was on hold for a long time to only be cut off.

Only gripe is that ex seems to off got off paying anything for july/August due to the change over, I now understand his text about how happy he was.

For the £20 application fee I paid they worked fast in contacting ex next day.

If I receive any cm that remains to been seen.

Security theatre. It add zero security to the process, and ensures they hit their targets (what's the betting they only report on users who successfully pass the security challenge ?)

Incidentally, in the initial call, what proof did that have that you were you above and beyond what you told them ? Because it sounds to me as thought anyone can call up and set up a claim ?

I won't moan as it is the first time I have had money from ex in years. But the 8 questions are a joke and I have had to reset mine 3 times!!!

When your claim was orginially with the csa, how do you know when they have transferred it to the cms?

Do you both mother and father get a letter?

lurking

You can call but they won't act unless you pay £20 application fee.

so doubt there be many 'anybody can just claim calls' more a case of I can't afford to pay that especially as absent patent pays fuck all anyway

Sorry to bugger off, I had to take down a metal shed - great fun - and thanks for all the answers.

I can sort of see why they have a few random questions to choose from when you put it like that - someone might well know your usual answers I suppose. Ex never listened to a word I said, he did the rambling on for hours, so I know both his parents' dates of birth, grandparents' middle names, etc etc - even 12 years later! He would not have a CLUE of any of mine.

But some would.
The personal questions - well the one about whether he takes responsibility, I have no idea because we never speak about it now, it's all through the CSA and even if I asked him he wouldn't give a straight answer. When he has the prospect of court action to spur him on, he pays up. If that's not there, I truly have no idea.

They asked for a fair bit of ID so I guess they can check NI numbers and so on with the existing database somehow to establish who I was.

The CSA will gradually cease to exist and you should have a letter stating when your claim through them will end. Ours is in December. The CMA said they do nothing at all till then, except of course taking the £20, which they were at pains to tell me guarantees nothing.