CMS HELL

[CrazyCatLady159]

Came home today from a letter.
Ex was paying £300 - £215 + arrears through collect and pay. He hadn't paid for our child for over 4 months prior hence the arrears.
Today they've decided to let him not pay the arrears from August until December due to him having another baby in August oh and he can go back to paying me directly - taking out the CMS collection service.

Rang them to complain - they're answer "it was the case workers discretion and you can't appeal or complain. It was their discretion after speaking to him"

How is this allowed to happen?!
So his first child has to go without because he can't afford the second one?!
I'm so angry

You absolutely can complain and appeal. I've taken CMS to tribunal before due to their utter incompetency and won. The gov.uk website tells you what steps you can take if you disagree with a decision. It's a hassle and a stress but was well worth it it my case.

This happen to me recently.

Have over a year of shit payments through a Doe. They won't do anything legally to make sure the employer pays. I have to see it as a bonus.

I got my annual review the other week. Couldnt work out how his wage has increased but payments have reduced and arrears waived....his declared a new child.

I cried. But not because money had gone down. But because once again my son has to lose out. His dad hasn't bothered in nearly 4 years. What he pays is a pittance but I find it really insulting how little he now has to pay.

No wonder kids grow up in poverty. I work all the hours I can around my son. I can't work any more hours due to having no childcare option. Meanwhile his dad left me with all in debt, in excess of 20k. Financially we are being crippled so the CMS waiving the arrears really has upset/angered me

@PottyPotterer thank you for this I'm going to go and look Into it.

The man on the phone was 0 help - he couldn't even find my case to start with - so I'll call them again Monday anyway to see if I can get some different answers or the same again.
He had history of using the cms to financially control me - this is his last tactic against me. He can't use the courts anymore so he's resorted to this.

I am so angry. He owes our child over £3,000 yet because he can't afford a 2nd child, the 1st one has to go without again. He's already got a reduction due to the new partner having a million kids in their house - a house he doesn't even live in - yet he's under investigation for that; has been for 6 months but you know ... nothings happened!

I’m currently getting the sum of £6 per week for two kids. Meanwhile he’s been and bought a £10k car as a second vehicle, £2k summerhouse for the garden, laid new decking and just returned from holiday where he’s eaten out at a celebrity chefs restaurant more than 3 times. How he’s funding this lifestyle on benefits is beyond me... arrears have mounted too to over a grand - I hope he gets some sort of karma when it’s his turn at the pearly gates

@Pixikitten0123 oh that was my ex previously .... it only changed because his self employment ended and he had to go get a job where he didn't have control of his wages.

They make me sick. How the cms lets them get away with it is beyond me. I thought the new system was meant to help resident parents - clearly not.

Maybe if he was a good dad to our child I would overlook the money - but he can't even be a decent human being or a dad