is it too late to make a claim through the csa?

[ThisIsStillFolkGirl]

My son is 16. His father has never contributed financially or shown any interest in him whatsoever.

In the early days, I was just glad to be rid of him, but recently I've been thinking about how he just walked away and I let him.

Is it too late to pursue him through the csa now?

If your son is in full time education CSA is payable till he is 18.

Also you have to claim through CMS it's a £20 application fee.

You won't be able to claim backdated but from now until he is in full time education

If you still qualify for child benefit for your son then you can make a claim for maintenance but it's now through the CMS and you do have to pay to get them to deal with it. They won't back date it so although I would normally say do it just ask yourself if it's worth the money it will cost.

Would they backdate it or not, do you know?

Thanks btw.

Ah x post!!

It's only £20 and if he has an income he will be made to pay.

Is £20 all it would cost?

No, not backdated but if he plays silly buggers you will eventually get the money from the date you claimed.

Thanks. I think I will do it then.

£20 means they will look at his income and tell him how much he has to pay. If he then doesn't pay it and they have to collect it from him, they will charge him an extra 20% and take 4% of what you receive.

I just didn't want him involved in the past. I'm a lot stronger now than I was back then.

And they review it annually for that one off fee.

I'm stills scared I'd be opening a cqn of worms.

But thanks.

kitty that's very useful info. Thank you.

Is there any good reason not to?

He isn't on bc. He refused. Largely to avoid paying maintenance I suspect!

No problem. What's be? It's not birth control is it?

Oh doh. Birth certificate. He sounds lovely.

Do you have any idea of his income /lifestyle? If you're worried about what you're getting into, it would need to be worth it financially. I guess that also depends how difficult your own finances are. I do know people who have preferred to struggle massively rather than open this up.

I know...

He lives quite a way away from me. I sent him some declaration he could sign in the presence of a solicitor to be put on bc but he never did it.

I sent it because he initially said he wanted to be on, but after sending it I never heard from him again. I think his family probably advised him against it so the csa couldn't get him.

Well after googling him, I think he works. I doubt he's well off.

My son isn't in the slightest bit interested in having anything to do with him.

Despite this, they're a very respectable family! I suspect his abandoning his son is a closely guarded secret. I suspect I've been vilified and he pitied.

I wouldn't be scared of them. Just wouldn't want anything to do with them.

Bit of a dilemma this one. I can completely understand things changing as you get older and feeling more confident about tackling things.

I know. The thing is, Helena, I think I'd have done lots of things differently if I'd had MN back then!

I experienced so much negativity in those days because I was a lone parent and I was the one making sacrifices and actually bringing him up! Where as he's never done a thing.

I'm not bitter or angry about it. But I am interested in looking into it now...

If he was abusive you don't pay the £20. If they do attachment to earnings you will be charged 4% each month. They deduct that from the money they receive from him.

Well he was a bit, but he had 'issues'.

In those days, I thought I could save him. You know, like you do...

Nothing was ever reported. There's no evidence.

Makes no difference if he's on the birth certificate. I would put the claim in ASAP but not hope for anything - just in case he claims to be self-employed earning £5 a week. CSA are good for getting payments from people who are PAYE but some people manage to wriggle out.

And it doesn't matter if he's on the birth certificate. He can dispute it and ask for a DNA test, and if it turns out he's the father he will have to cover the cost.