Ex would never say what he earned and won’t provide payslip now for CM

[BigSisLittleSisCardboardBox]

Posting on behalf of my DSis.

Her ex partner was finically abusive and part of this was not telling DSis what he earned, how much money he had available to spend each month etc. Now they have separated they’re trying to work out maintenance payments but he won’t provide her solicitor with bank statements/payslips. He has told her his salary is x and that he has looked this up in the gov website and will pay her y. We’re not sure if this is his correct salary and the only reason we can think of that he won’t just provide payslips is that he is still concealing his finances from her. He also own a small sole trader company and has been open with her about not including income from that.

I am also worried that he will conceal future pay rises from her, or even tell her he’s had pay cuts and reduce payments when that isn’t the case.

Should she just pursue through CMS? I’ve read awful stuff about getting less than the calculator or dads just not paying at all. What should I advise her to do?

Go through the CMS. They aren't perfect, but better than nothing!

If he is on PAYE CMS will be able to find the i formation and make educations if necessary. The process isnt perfect. And slow. But should work. Then if he gets a pay rise etc. They will be able to follow it up.

If self employed it is a lot more complicated. And I am Still waiting 2 years and counting.

Go via CMS and if he is continually obstructive they will contact his work directly

Thank you. He is offering a figure that does sound realistic but won’t give access to payslips. He says there’s personal information on them that DSis doesn’t need to see. What on earth could it be?

I would try and sort it as amicably as you can the cms are useless.

Were they married?

What on earth could it be?
Pension contribution?

Just go through CMS and they can check if that's his correct salary or not.

Is he PAYE? If so I would suggest CMS. They can be really slow, but I find allowing them a few weeks and asking for an update means things do move. My sisters ex is PAYE and because he messed around they deducted from source.

I think key to this situation is that he was financially abusive, so he still will be and will be looking at ways to pay less, if you think it sounds about right and an amount she is happy with I would stick with it.
There are ways of getting out of paying child maintenance, loopholes which some people exploit to get out of it or pay drastically under.
I know from bitter experience.
They also wiped my exs child maintenence debt calling it 'historical' when my kids were both under 10 a few years ago.
The cms is unfit for purpose.
There is a reason why millions of pounds of child maintenance has gone unpaid and they are unable to collect because they are totally incompetent.

I was shocked when it happened to me and I found thousands having the same experience as me after a bit of researching on the internet, people campaigning for a change in the system.

I gave up in the end, the stress wasnt worth it.
Luckily I am able to bring my children up financially without any contribution from my ex but there will be thousands that can't.

She should ask for his latest p60, and for him to provide one annually.