Child Maintenance-Should fathers on benefits pay more?

[CalmGreenWasp]

My ExP owns his home outright, receives in excess of £1,200/month in disability benefits and works cash in hand. His only outgoings are food and utility bills for himself. Is it fair that he only pays £7.00/week maintenance for our DD10? For context, I am a lone parent and own a mortgaged home. I slightly exceed the threshold for universal credit. My disposable household income after mortgage and bills equates to half his, but with two people to support. Is the system broke? Should disposable income be considered by CMS when paying parent is in receipt of benefits?

It’s not fair but your your ex works cash in hand which makes it impossible
to track. I don’t think it’s right to take money from disability payments but £7 a week is a joke. The system needs changing though how to do it is beyond me.

It’s not fair but the only thing you can do is report his cash in hand earnings to CMS and HMRC and hope one or other investigates. If used honestly the PIP/DLA allowances are intended to help people function in society and it wouldn’t be fair to deduct money from that. But there is a major problem with absent fathers avoiding payments (my ex did so you have my sympathy) but I think the answer is to give CMS the power and resources to investigate.

Cash in hand should be reported, but should taxpayers have to step in more? No.

Of course it isn't. As others have said, if a parent is genuinely unable to work then there's not much to be done..the family would be quite hard up if together but if there is fraud then absolutely it should be being dealt with much more stringently. I've often said CMS should be a dept of HMRC and or DWP... they've always been much better at chasing money owed to them then owed to children.

I completely agree that the taxpayer should not pay more. Should the paying parents benefit entitlement be reduced more? Benefits increase in line with inflation, I don’t think this has been the case with statutory maintenance though?

I never understand why people need the extra money on PIP when they work? Its like when the government allow alcoholics to claim sickness benefits which is more money and they don't have to look for work, so obviously they are being given extra money to sit at home and drink even more , where's the logic in any of the government systems?

I certainly don't understand why the CSA Dept don't do more to help parents who are claiming CSA for their DC. It all seems a bit useless really I'm sure back in the day 20 years ago my ex was paying £5 a week for our DS out of his benefits so it hasn't gone up much in 20 years. I stopped claiming it coz there was no point and he drifted off never to be seen again. How do they let the parent having to pay CSA owe so much in arrears? Especially when they claim benefits or work, they are quick enough taking money out of benefits or wages if you owe the council or the government money.
The whole system is ridiculous.

I’m not an expert but I can easily imagine that some people would have costs I don’t have. Mobility difficulties for example might mean they had to spend on an adapted wheelchair or cough up for taxis.

My dds money for her disabilities goes on therapies and equipment that enable her to get out of the house, she wouldnt ever be able to work without them.

My ex doesn’t suffer from physical disability. He claims for his MH, but still manages to work 9-5, five days a week, cash in hand, of course

Report him.

I tried that, but tbh they were not interested, they clearly do not have the resources to investigate

When we lived in the UK my husbands disability was costing us on average £800 a month, thats essentially a second mortgage.

My ex has always paid the £7 rate. Which was a joke in itself. However, youngest is now 17 and ex just got a £35k job. CMS are refusing to recalculate as he’s 18 before our next annual review.

Disability costs don't suddenly stop when you work. I know people who can only work because they get pip

I work full time and receive ADP (Scottish equivalent of PIP) due to my Multiple Sclerosis. Is there anything you’d like to ask me the extra costs I incur that would help you understand why I claim it?

It’s the cash in hand bit that should be dealt with. Then you and the tax paying community (which is getting smaller and smaller) would be treated more fairly.

I never understand why people need the extra money on PIP when they work

It’s to enable them to work in most cases.

One to bring up with Andy Burnham when he comes to your area. Seriously, getting money from deadbeat lost fathers (in most cases) would be a vote winner for any party.

Cash in hand isnt included in his income as they can't be sure of how much he is earning they can only go on what goes into his back payment wise, eg his benefits.

An alcoholic does not receive sickness benefits due to addiction. It's specifically excluded from being counted as a disability. Some may be entitled to claim on the basis of physical or mental disability, but not 'just to sit and drink'. Moreover, cutting off benefits costs the State significantly more in intensive care admissions, hospitalisations and long term care due to brain damage received from unplanned abstention. The DTs kill and disable.

People are on benefits because they dont have any money

So where is this CMS going to come from?

Often something that gets forgotten on Mumsnet

Looking at the case of your ex partner I saw some figures recently about the collapse in number of benefit fraud prosecutions and of course not many people get prosecuted over tax either - which is what your ex and his employer are up to.

In his case, he works for his family’s roofing company, of which he was formerly a director.

Being blunt, you will never be able to change the CMS as long as feckless fathers can fuck off and father more children with a new family. Unless anyone here is willing to lie in public and say they would be content with their family having less whilst his previous family get it all.

With that fact locked in, talking about the benefits system does suggest a slightly different agenda.

The sometimes suggested solution to "cut their goolies off" really can seem the only answer.

Who did you report him to OP? HMRC? they might be interested even even DWP aren't.