Child maintenance

[BananaSlug]

So apparently they are cracking down on those who don’t pay child maintenance but will they really do anything? I was just about to close my case as my ex has to pay a measly £7 a week. People have told me it’s my children’s money but they don’t need £7 a week it’s an insult. Anyway is it worth keeping it open now? Are they really likely to do anything now? Or is it all just talk. He is on benefits but owes arrears but doesn’t have to pay as being on benefits means he is exempt but he has been on benefits for 6 Yeats so I’m guessing he will be protected anyway?

Don't close the case. If you close it you will never get anything.

Leave the case open and if he ever gets a job they can do an attachment of earnings via collect and pay.

Oh he will never get a job, I’m certain of that. He’s not worked in Years, he won’t get a job as that would mean he would have to pay. He hasn’t worked in 6 years.

I think it'll be more for people with assets if I'm honest, savings, properties, businesses which don't seem to make aprofit but somehow pay for a lavish lifestyle.

I don't honestly know how he's getting away with that. Surely he's been sanctioned by now?

He just goes off and on them every now and again. He has been on them for 18 months now though without a break.

I wouldn’t close it. I briefly worked for CMS and one of the things I was involved in was people getting their arrears when their ex partners died unexpectedly.
It sounds like a really far fetched thing, but it is a recognised debt and is worth having.

Another was when the guy got an inheritance and the arrears were able to be taken from that.

It’s always worth keeping it open and just ignoring it imo. If nothing else guys on benefits were very often livid that an amount was taken from them when they were getting such a basic amount anyway. That annoyance can be worth something.

I wouldn’t close the case. If he is refusing to work out of spite, then he is at least living a spartan life as a consequence. Plus you never know he could win the lottery or inherit. But mainly, it’s the principle that he should pay and the record should be there showing he is not.

It costs you nothing to leave the case open. Like posters have said if he inherits or has a lottery win etc etc

He won’t inherit both parents have passed. It’s more the insult of it which is why I wanted to close it and also he can tell people he pays for his children when it’s a pathetic £7.

So my question is kids dad has lied to cms stating he has the kids double the amount of nights he has them how the hell can a man do this. He has fortnightly overnight contact 2 nights fri and sat.1 day a week for tea. No shared holidays or birthdays or xmas. cms states he has the children 2 nights every week bit it really is ony 1 a week with the fortnightly stays.

I document in my diary when has them and to know what's what

My question is how will this be dealt with as I'm uploading all my evidence and they have gone off dad's word

@Takenthemickoutof

Call the CMS and ask them what you are supposed to do and why they have taken his word not yours.

I've been through the CMS and it's taken over five years for payments to be made. I had to go to court to prove he was earning more than he advised the CMS.

It took five years from that to get the payments in place. It's disgusting that there are not more laws and protections in place for this type of thing.

You really have to keep on at them and call every week. From my experience using the line portal is useless they just ignore you unless you call weekly for updates and ask them what they are doing, how long it will take etc etc.