CSA assessment of WTC

[NotaDisneyMum]

I posted this on the Money board but there's not a lot of traffic there!

My DP is subject to a CSA case but has been assessed as minimum payments for the last year as he's been unemployed. We've been receiving WTC because I've got a P/T job and am self employed - they have based the payments on an estimate of my annual earnings.
DP has secured a low paying p/t job - and we will continue to receive some WTC. I know that if he is the higher earner in the household, the CSA include the WTC as part of his income for assessment purposes, but if I'm the higher earner, they don't. But over what period? Some weeks/months, I'll earn more than DP, but other weeks/months I won't have much work and he'll earn more.

Help! How does this work? His CSA assessment year doesn't run in line with the tax year, so that's no help either!

[NotaDisneyMum]

In a word, no, she wouldn't.

I'm wondering if the CAB might be able to help - I seem to have exhausted the combined wisdom of MN!

I appreciate our situation is complicated - but in the current financial climate more and more households are in this situation

[elliebellys]

Yer ur situation is complicated,ive been readin your posts a lot.in normal situation any amount you offer would normally be gratefully recieved.csa are dreadful.all they care bout is gettin as much as poss.they just dont care..hopefully theyvwont class ur dp as main earner.:-)

[NotaDisneyMum]

ellie I'm not sure I agree with your assessment of the CSA - it's just that the rules are complicated and the staff are often not fully conversant with them

[theredhen]

NADM, you can call up the CSA without having to give your details etc.

I called them when I had no idea how to deal with some kids having contact, done not and some living with us.

The lady at the other end of the phone was helpful and knowledgeable and didn't ask for any personal details.

[AnitaBlake]

I would work in tax years and let the CSA fall in line tbh. They have happily woorked in average years for us when DH was being paid monthly variable bonus, and used his P60 as proof of income along with payslips Grimm that year. You can request a reassessment at any point. So if you are the main earner until April, then disregard WTC until your WTC reassessment and, if your DH is reassessed to be main earner at that point, inform the CSA then. They will only assess a maximum of once every six months anyway.

[sanityseeker75]

CSA are definitely a nightmare, if he is paying little or nothing at the moment it may be worth offering ex slightly more as direct payment through a direct debit - she may feel that she is getting a better deal as she will get the money regularly I know this does not work all the time but I was so sick of waiting for CSA payments to come through to me I have just agreed direct payment with my ex with the threat of taking him back there if he misses 1!