Gingerbread & child maintenance "loophole" in bbc news

[greenberet]

Our Maintenance Matters campaign calls for an end to the loopholes in the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) that allow paying parents to pay much less child maintenance than they can afford. In particular, we’ve been campaigning for the CMS to work more closely with HMRC to make sure parents can’t avoid child maintenance – particularly when they’re self-employed.
Thanks to our amazing single parents, the campaign has gathered momentum. In February 2018, a new Bill called 'Child Maintenance (Assessment of Parents' Income) Bill' will have its 2nd reading - the Bill will work its way through parliament and, if successful, will lead to improved assessment of self-employed parents’ finances to ensure parents pay what they should to raise their children.
Single mum Taryn talks about her experiences and how a "loophole" means she is receiving less in maintenance payments than she should bbc.in/2BzlY54

Wonder if they'll look into expenses as well

I really hope this gets somewhere.

I don’t want extravagance, I just want what is fair and that my children are rightfully entitled to. What they have should not depend on how creatively their father can play the system, when if he was on PAYE there would be no issue.

if you are in support of this please sign the petition on this thread - thankyou

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/3095363-PLEASE-SIGN-MP-PETITION-CMS-SELF-EMPLOYED-OWN-COMPANY-NRP?watched=1&msgid=73814865#73814865

On this mornings news they were highlighting relative poverty. I did wonder how many of the quoted number of children in relative poverty also have a NRP who doesn't pay CM, or at least the amount CMS calculates they should.

Have a look at how other EU countries do it.

Where I live the ex must submit all tax returns. If he/she is in a low paying job and "can't afford" the minimum payment then the court calculates a hypothetical income which the person COULD be earning if they were arsed enough about their kid to get a decent job

They are then assessed on the hypothetical income and if that sum as assessed isn't paid then the bailiffs visit.

It seems harsh but then that's what you need sometimes!

I wouldn't mind but they are only expected to pay 16% of their salary for two children anyway? And they are going out of their way to avoid paying that!! signed

It stinks. I should be getting £1700 per month. I’m receiving £100 per month. He is a Contractor with fixed fee income from the day he signs the contract. This contract has lasted 4 years. Just had his form E with a declared income on there of £118,000.

I have emailed my MP - not sure what more I can do

lets get this out there and support the change!

Signed. I don’t hold out much hope though. Have been worn down by the system.
I’m affected by this loophole. Currently owed £6000 in 1 years unpaid maintenance from self employed ex. This would make a huge difference to my children’s quality of life, and our overall general level of stress. Meanwhile he can afford to buy the 9 yr old a £500 games console for Xmas.
Sigh.

I have been part of this campaign and indeed wrote a parent blog for Gingerbread that was widely shared. Unfortunately, it appears to have disappeared since they upgraded their website, however, the message is very clear. My ex-h appears to be paid minimum wage by OW in order to keep his maintenance down to the lowest he can get away with. Conversely, their lifestyle cannot possibly be maintained on what he claims he "earns". They are a fucking disgrace the pair of them. Indeed when my blog came to their attention I got a not very well disguised threatening letter from OW's solicitor asking me to have the blog removed. You can only imagine my response to that. The whole system needs a massive overhaul. Gingerbread are doing such a marvellous job with this and things will change, I am confident of that. It is becoming an embarrassment compared to other countries where this sort of thing is simply not tolerated.

Signed.

I wonder what they’ll do to people who give up work the second their wife leaves them then pay £5 a week? For 13 years (so far!)

This is interesting. ATM I'm caught up in a knot with CMS and ex over the bonuses he has and potentially will receive. He insists CM should be based on his base salary, whereas in reality he can double it with bonuses. He has refused to have CM based on his last two tax returns (both over £150k) instead insisting it is based on his (current pay slips) base salary. Another loophole?

anyone caught up with issues with CM please sign - hopefully if this gets through then CMS will look at all issues involving amibiguity with pay - there are so many ways fathers are avoiding paying sufficient to support their kids - only yesterday my DS told me that x had been saying he pays CM to cover this that and the other - at £35 per week per child how he expects this to cover anything other than food is beyond me - and this is someone who works in Financial Services no doubt dealing with peoples budgets day in day out.

If only all these agencies had been around 35 years ago. My exH never ever paid any maintenance for 3 DC.
Went self-employed the day after maintenance order granted then when I finally got another court hearing he went to work in Guernsey. He was a carpenter so no high flyer but he avoided paying maintenance. And income tax.

bumping for more signatures - also in lone parents

Petition

Signed - my ex has done this to avoid paying. He claims not to earn enough and yet I've heard that his current wife can afford to give up work as he earns so much - both statements simply can't be true.

Signed.