Help with Csa question!?!?

[Daddydaycarw]

Hi all,

in need of some advice regarding csa payments,

Im currently in process of an early separation for my wife, by early I mean in the past two weeks our relationship has fallen apart and we’ve called it a day. Im currently living with my ex in our family home with our 3 kids, I’m currently saving to move into rented accommodation (bloody expensive) in the mean time we have agreed to be civil for the kids sake. I have agreed to pay 50/50 on all the bills inc food, electricity, gas everything. My ex has also added in csa @ £330 per month( I got this figure originally for when I moved out and had the kids over weekend) now she wants me to leave and live in the car as I said I shouldn’t be paying csa if I’m still living here and paying half the bills in the house, her response is that I’m not providing for my kids. Please help I might be wrong and if so I’ll happily pay it, but honestly I just want to get enough saved up and move out paying an extra £335 makes this a lot tighter . kids are m10,f6 & f3

Maintenance can be agreed between you when you live apart. But while you are both paying for everything between you then I’m not sure why you need to pay additional sums?

on your income alone would you qualify for Universal Credit? If so, and if you can satisfy the DWP that you are leading entirely separate lives under the same roof, then you may get some help towards rent which may help you to move out (if that’s what you have decided).

speak to your council housing officer to discuss your options.

Hi,
thanks for the reply, yes my council offer bond help with rental places unfortunately council shuts at 5 I work till 6 lol so I’m waiting for my day off Friday to ring them. I’m under the same impression that if I’m paying 50/50 for everything surly I shouldn’t have to pay csa.

While you are living together, could you each pay an agreed amount (maybe a proportion of what you each earn) to cover bills, food, other shared costs such as kids' clothes or running family car and day to day expenses. This could pay the bills and be drawn on by whoever pays for the school trip, shopping etc.

I agreed to pay half all the living costs so basically anything that costs in the house I’ll pay half, I also agreed that anything that’s mine eg gym fee, mobile contract ect I will pay that my self, I also agreed that if the kids need anything like school clothes or days out I will pay half, basically any cost in this house I will half.

Maintenance is money specifically for the children, not general bills etc.. It will also depend on how often you are caring for the children. There’s a calculator on the CMS website (it’s called Child Maintenance Service now) to show how Koch you might be required to pay based on your own financial situation. This might form the starting point for your discussions. Can your wife afford to pay mortgage /rent, bills etc on her own after you leave? If not what’s the plan?

Also, can your wife afford half of the bills etc? If she is earning half as much as you and you have high bills, paying half may leave her with nothing. If you both earn the same, half of shared costs seems reasonable.

The CMS calculator gives a minimum figure - and it is calculated on the number of nights the children spend with you. If your wife would not be able to manage on that, she should look at a benefits calculator to see if she would be entitled to help.