Child maintenance - employer not following schedule. What to do?

[bodenbiscuit]

The CSA recently did a recalculation on my ex husband's income and found that he should be paying an extra £80 a month. He also owes arrears and they agreed for him to pay it in instalments.

The CSA advised me that I would be getting the new amount from this month but I checked my account and they've paid the old amount again. I am so annoyed - we really need this money and we are now losing out on £350 this month and he has got away with not paying the correct amount for years because he didn't tell them he had a pay rise.

I phoned the CSA and the advisor didn't sound too bothered about getting it sorted out she just said 'oh they're probably following the old schedule by mistake' I'm so fed up with this. They are always bungling lately. There is no sense of urgency on their part.

So what can I do now?

How recently was the recalculation done as it does take time for everything to work through the system

It was done in June. The last time I spoke to the CSA they told me to expect the payment to change in September and that's also what it says on my schedule.

You won't get the payment normally till the month after the schedule so the firm has until 19th October or 16th can't remember exactly which to make the September payment to CSA. I'm still waiting for my payment from his August payrun.

But why did they tell me it should definitely be in September? On my payment the new amount starts in August. And the person I spoke to said that that was also her understanding.

Sorry my misunderstanding if the payment changed in August and your schedule says August then yes it should have increased this time. Ring back early next week and just ask if they can confirm that the firm are now following the new schedule, word of warning though with it now being the 19th it is possibly too late to change this months if the firm haven't already picked up on it so I'm afraid it may now be November before you see an increase.

Yes it is too late but it just annoys me that they always sound so unconcincerned when this happens.

It does tske ages to filter through. Also for confidentiality reasons they phone the firm up first calling themselves HMRC & ask to be put through to payroll. Only when they establish they are talking to the right person & that it's confidential do they say who they are & they ask for a secure fax number. (Not email)
Our fax is shared by all departments so they won't fax me, instead I had to assure them I'm the only person who opens the post & they posted the schedule (2nd class & took a few days)
Now if I happen to be on holiday (as I was quite a bit in August plus I am oart time) it can all be delayed several weeks.

Payments deducted between 6th Aug - 5th Sept have to be paid to CSA by 19th Sept. We would have needed to have received the schedule at least 5 days before wages are paid in (they ask what your payroll dstes are)