CSA help needed

[bucketbetty]

Hi, my ex stated to CSA he was working 3 day week last year so money reduced - he was eventually made redundant - I think. I know he got a new job at the end of last year, full time I'm guessing but he's still paying me reduced money. I rang the CSA and they said it's up to him to provide his new payslips and they won't do anything if he doesn't. Surely this isn't right? Unfortunately, I don't have any communication with my ex (long story) and there's no point me asking him to send the payslips because he'll likely did his heels in further. I thought that's what the CSA were there for - to help us single parents ensure the fathers of our children help support them? Am I wrong? Does anyone have any knowledge of how I can progress this to ensure he pays what he's entitled to pay through the CSA?

In fairness to him, he is required to submit three payslips in order to be reassessed, and so if he's paid monthly, he might have had them only a few weeks/days.

You can report him as living in a style not compatible with his means if it continues, or if anything else changes, such as number of nights or children etc., he'll most likely be asked for payslips then too.

Of course he might have got a lower paid job, or only be employed on a part-time basis and could be overpaying you? The CSA isn't supposed to take 'sides' its there to ensure a relatively fair deal for both sides (I know both sides find the deal unfair, and the new calculation will be worse, but it does stop a lot of arguements, it certainly did in our case).

Ring back and speak to another adviser. What you've been told isn't correct. You can request a reassessment and they will write to him/ring him to request the new pay slips.

I agree with choc the parent with care can ask for a reassessment at any time, as can the non resident parent.

Call them again (and call every single day until you get some progress). The csa works better for those of us who are a pain in the arse shout the loudest.

See if you have a number on any correspondance taht is different to the number you already use, and just keep calling repeatedly.

I called the CSA last year after being told my ex had a new job. They wrote to him asking for payslips and my understanding is they get a certain length of time to respond. if they don't they will use their National Insurance number to trace their employer and contact them for the information.Just a word of warning the CSA will give him time to produce the slips my ex stalled a bit did no overtime and went sick for a couple of weeks so the payslips produced were very low and I actually ended up with less money. The person at the CSA admitted that there was a huge difference between the pay received in two months but they still used them to make their calculations.

Thanks. I didn't think it was right. I'll give it until the end of the month and badger them again. The lady was particularly unhelpful and clearly didn't want to discuss the matter. I felt like, ooh a money grabbing cow and not a mother fighting for support to put a roof over her child's head. Ignore me. I'm a right moody cow today. Because I'm bloody skint. The Easter holidays are bloody expensive. Is it too early to open my aldi red wine?

bucketbetty You go for it & crack open aldi's finest! I will join you. Also, don't ever think of yourself as money grabbing.... I know what you mean, but if bloody good for nothing waster fathers just paid up then none of us would need the csa to begin with.

**Just as an aside, I waited 10 years for my first xp to realise what a tight prick he was being and start contributing towards the upkeep of his lovely dd. I wish I'd persued it much earlier but I gave up trying to deal with the csa and left it for years whilst with now xp. Eventually I did like I said upthread and called every single day until I got results. It really pays to keep on the case of the csa, if not you could be waiting years.

To be fair, MissKL my ex would happily support DD without the CSA being involved and would probably offer more than the official calculation - but I prefer to use them to prevent misunderstanding and eliminate the expectation that direct payments gave him in having a say in how the money was spent.

Not all Dads who pay via the CSA are deadbeats

No indeed. Not all men are dead beats full stop. I refuse to believe it, unfortunately many of us who use the csa don't have the best experience with the fathers if our children. Personally it breaks my heart , nonetheless my ex should financially contribute to his child's upbringing and as such some of us must go through what is our only option, the csa. Isn't it so very sad.

Notadisneymum - really? I have two exp's and the second is a reasonable man and excellent father in his own unique way. No way on earth would we involve the csa in our maintenance affairs.

Fwiw even the csa advise people not to use the csa unless it's unavoidable. They advise private arrangements for all in an ideal world where fathers contribute to their offspring volutarily CM Options will provide all the calcualtions, and the csa being involved does not eliminate any expectation by nrp's of how maintenance money is spent. Surely an nrp who thinks they can dictate how the pwc spends maintenance is not being reasonable. Full stop. Doesn't matter how the maintenance is then paid. I would consider that person to be a knob deadbeat for even thinking that.

KL he's an excellent Dad - I'd never use the term deadbeat to describe him

But he's not good at interpersonal relationships or compromise; things have to work his way, so a clear set of rules, applied by an independent agency, work best for us - and I will be prepared to pay for their services when charges are introduced

aah, I get you. Sorry... years of dealing with the fallout from one of the usual other types has made me a cynical old cow i guess... A post like yours make me happy to be wrong!