Changes to child maintenance

[henryhsmum]

My ex and I have always based maintenance for our child on CSA cacluation rate but we have always worked it out ourselves rather than going through csa.

I am getting confused as to what the change from net to gross income will mean for us. Does it mean that from October 2012 he should be paying me based on his gross not his net income - ie assuming we applied to the child maintenance service to calculate maintenance when the new scheme starts in October 2012 what would they base the calculation on - net or gross income. What are the calculations for gross income . He has a high income but less than £800 per week and has him for about 80 nights per year. He has no other children but DS is disabled (autism/ADHD)

If you apply to the CSA after the new scheme comes into effect then the new calculation would be used. I recall it's 19% (of gross) for 3 or more children, down to 12% for 1. can't recall what it is for 2. It's very similar. The difference is that they don't allow for pension contributions, or unusual tax arrangements.

that is to say, very similar to the old method results.

Ok- thats helpful. So would gross pay be gross pay less pension contributions or just gross pay?

Its 1 child its payable for in my case Do you know what the reduction is if he has DS about 80 nights per year?

What I wasn't sure about is would all new applicants go on to the new scheme as it refers to a 'pathfinder' from
October 2012 so I wasn't sure if that meant all new applicants?

Just gross pay without deductions.

Deduct one-seventh for more than 52 but less than 104 nights contact a year.

is anyone able to point me to a government website with this information on it please? I can't find anything :(

It's not on any government website in the form of a factsheet yet.

The new rules were introduced in the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008.

So...Nacsa have announced today that it is definitely coming in during October...and although October has been bandied around as a date in a lot of places, I can't actually find anything else definite. The CSA helpline claim no knowledge...does anyone actually know???

Nacsa are also stating that only seperated familes with four DCs from the same couple will initially be calculated using the gross income system...

You'd think if it was actually being introduced in October there would be TONS of info out there, wouldn't you? Makes me think it might not be happening at all...

NACSA? Who are they?

It WILL be happening, but not to existing cases for a while.

"A new "gross income" scheme will be introduced from October 2012 to replace those currently operated by the Child Support Agency."

www.dwp.gov.uk/about-dwp/customer-delivery/child-maintenance/

The draft calculation regulations are here;

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2012/9780111526132/contents