Child maintenance shocker

[debbs77]

I've today received my first child maintenance payment (after 7 years!) Via the CMS collect and pay.

I know they take fees (20% from the later and 4% from the receiver) but I bought this was calculated before they give me the figure I'm told I will receive. But it's not! I've just got £60 less than I was expecting!

They told me the figure that was calculated. I've budgeted with this figure! And that £60 is a lot of difference.

AIBU to complain or won't it get me anywhere?

You want to complain because you made the wrong calculation??!

I'd say YABU

I don't think complaining will get you anywhere.

I didnt. They text me with the amount they calculated. I didn't calculate it. Surely the fees should already be deducted?

Unless they've made an error in the calculation, then complaining won't get you any more money. Might get them to change their wording in the future correspondence if enough people suggest it though.

No harm telling them that their communication is misleading.

It's so frustrating. I've just had to remortgage (into my sole name so it is a good thing) because he wanted out, which is £500 more per month. The maintenance is having to go straight on that. It's just more money for me to find.

It was a tiny amount for 4 children in the first place and doesn't include his self employed income, only his employed income

I thought they would have texted you that figure after the deduction was made not before. How much were you supposed to be receiving before the deduction?

£242. And I've received £179

Apparently 20% is his fees.

I'm going to ring them in a bit. So frustrating. He already avoided paying for so long! When I went via VS A years ago it was meant to be £5 A week, and he didn't even pay it!

I think after 7 years, just take what you get OP

I am of course accepting of it. But I'm so frustrated that he is employed, plus self employed, and is paying this amount for 4 children. £242 wasn't much considering it's for 4 in the first place. That's not even enough to feed them per week

your not supposd to pay the 20 % he is

maybe phon up and clarify

Gabs I think they gave the OP the overall figure - which is misleading.

If they said "You are awarded £X, minus his fee/your fee, so total is..." it would have been clearer.

Why are you paying the payer and receivers fees?

ah right well thats misleading isnt it u were never going to get the figure they gave you

I've found the letter. You're right. The amount they are COLLECTING from him is shown as highlighted! It isn't clear that his fees with be paid from that.

But it does say £41.71 A week for me. Which still doesn't work out right. But hey ho.

That is why if you can avoid doing via the CMS so much the better but not always possible. Mine pays nothing for 5 and never has - silly him. I have had to work full time and pay it all. The youngest are teenagers now so we manage but i still don't understand why all these men think it's fine not to pay much.

If he doesn't pay tax on his self employed income say you will report him to HMRC (you owe that to us full time working tax payers anyway) unless he increases the amount.

Also might be worth your taking a second job unfortunately as some men just don't pay much so I have found it better just keeping myself and the children although it's very expensive. One needs a lap top for university this week for a start.

I'm self employed and work from home as I have six children in total and no childcare for holidays. But am looking at having to increase my self employed hours and building my business more (Which is no bad thing really).

He didn't even respond to any of their calls so unfortunately I don't think he would a private arrangement, or at least he wouldn't stick to it.

My other ex also is supposed to pay (£30 a month) and refuses!

You can never take CMS payments into account for covering a mortgage or paying bills or anything, because they can stop paying at any time (change job, disappear)...my XH is still supposed to be paying me over £200 a month to cover £30,000 arrears (the children are all grown up now and he didn't pay at all while they were small). He paid for a year or so and now it's just stopped. No communication whatsoever from CMS to say whether it's likely to start again, whether they've told him he still has to pay or anything. Nothing. So I'm £200 a month down and broke and no idea whether to expect it to restart or not.

Bastards, all of them.

i definitely think we should have a system where it's paid by the government and recouped in taxes.
Hmrc is shit hot at chasing you when you fuck up your taxes and owe them £300 bitter experience

I don't understand why we can't adopt the American system. Make it a criminal offence not to pay. After all, if the RP didn't 'pay' i.e. dress/feed/house etc... the child then SS/courts do get involved.

And deducting costs from the CM payment - robbing the child/RP of more income.

His part of the fees are additional to what he pays in maintenance. Your part of the fees are deducted from the maintenance.

So if the CMS calculates that he should pay £100 a week in maintenance, they will collect £120 from him to cover the 20% fee, then deduct 4% for your fees and deliver £96 to you.