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Parenting

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DH being messed around by CMS

7 replies

redfox14 · 07/03/2025 11:30

DH recently agreed with his ex partner who he has a son with, to stop paying child maintenance through CMS and to pay her privately. She agreed and told CMS she was happy with this. CMS have taken his last arranged payment but have now told him he needs to pay again this month. They also took an overpayment and when he asked if he could be refunded, they said they could give him a refund of £60 and needed 20% for their admin fee. He asked what they were doing with the rest of the money they owed him and they said they couldn’t tell him.

This would mean that DH would have paid two amounts of child maintenance within one payday, as well as being supposed to pay his ex partner through their private arrangement.

We are so confused as to why CMS are still trying to take payments when DH and his ex have arranged to do it privately. His ex even phoned to try and appeal it and they told her something completely different and said he had missed a payment even though he has the bank statements to prove he didn’t.

The last time DH phoned and asked if he could speak to a manager or supervisor, they hung up on him. He is so stressed and upset and worried they are just going to keep taking money from him. Does anyone know what we can do?

OP posts:
MrsSkylerWhite · 07/03/2025 11:32

Why does he want to circumvent CMS?

Itsjustafly · 07/03/2025 11:34

MrsSkylerWhite · 07/03/2025 11:32

Why does he want to circumvent CMS?

Don't CMS take 20% of each payment. I'd assume he'd rather give that to his child than some inept government department

redfox14 · 07/03/2025 11:36

Itsjustafly · 07/03/2025 11:34

Don't CMS take 20% of each payment. I'd assume he'd rather give that to his child than some inept government department

Exactly, part of the money is going to CMS and he would rather it went straight to his ex partner and DS.

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Fuuuuuckit · 07/03/2025 11:42

CMS generally only do collect and pay (where they keep a %age) if there's a history of non-payment.

I suspect we don't have the full story here op...

seven201 · 07/03/2025 12:01

Can't the ex just send him the money back? I know that doesn't solve the month where they charged him twice.

mindutopia · 08/03/2025 17:00

It’s annoying, but surely if he’s paid twice, his ex can just hang on to it for next month or transfer it back to him. It’s not like they don’t know each other.

GermanBite · 08/03/2025 17:36

What's the reason for them being in a collect and pay arrangement?

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