CSA Demand Money when I may not be the Father

July 24, 2009

For the past 11 years I have been battling with the CSA to prove that I may not be the father of Lorenzo Anderson. Your client, Carla McIntosh/Manderson put in a claim for maintenance stating that I was his father. What she failed to tell you at that time was that she was not sure as she also had a sexual relationship with my brother.

The reason I am writing to you is because on the 24th November 2006, your client wrote a letter to you to close the case requesting maintenance from myself. The letter was put on file on the 29th December 2006. As far as I was concerned, she wrote this letter to you as she did not wish to embarrass herself by acknowledging that she was not sure of who the father of her son is. The letter clearly stated that all debts were to be removed and that the bailiff action was to be terminated. I will enclose a copy of the letter she wrote.

During October/November 2008, I received a letter requesting payments from me. I immediately rang in and spoke with a gentleman who assured me that the case would be closed and that there would be no further action. I do not recall his name, but I believe I have it written down somewhere.

As I did not hear from him, I called in again to make sure it had all been done. I spoke to Diane Carre at 2pm on the 21st November 2008. She told me that she was not sure what had happened and that the case should not have been re-opened and that it could not be re-opened. She told me that that she may not be able to do anything at that time of the afternoon and that she would call me back on the following Monday morning. I told her that would be ok. I was surprised that she actually rang me back on the same day and told me that it had been re-closed and that would be the end of the case.

Last week on the 14th July 2009, I received a phone call from my wife saying that some woman with a Scottish accent had rung her phone asking to speak with me. Obviously as we were not together at the time, she told my wife that she would call back at 6pm.
First of all, how dare your staff ring my wife’s mobile asking to speak with me, being vague about the enquiry and leaving no details? The CSA, unfortunately has my mobile number as your people have been harassing me for years, so why try to cause problems by ringing my wife?

At about 3.30pm I received a phone call with some lady asking me to confirm who I was etc. She then proceeded to tell me that my case with the CSA had been closed in error and that I would have to pay maintenance for a son that may not be mine and that the claim is to be back dated to 2004. Without knowing the exact date in 2004, with payments of £36 and some change, you would expect me to re-pay well over £10,000. Can I just ask you, how is it that the CSA is able to close a case in error when you have received a request from your client and that you wrote to confirm to me that the case had been closed? This is just a case of maladministration on the part of the CSA and I will be taking this further until the truth comes out.

The lady who I spoke to was rude and hostile, just like many of the other people who have rang my phone. Your people have no courtesy or no respect. I told her several times during the conversation that the boy may not be mine, but she was not interested. All she was interested in was ensuring that I was made aware of the action and that I was expected to pay these payments. She also asked me why I had not made any payments to the CSA. I explained to her that there was no need to make any payments as I had provided for him. Once again she was not interested.

I rang and spoke to somebody the next day to appeal this and was told that as I had previously made a declaration in court that he was my son, I would have to pay. I’ll have you know, I only made the declaration as I thought he was my son. There would have been no way that I would have said yes, knowing what I now know. Now new information has come to light (a number of years ago), I do not see how I am to be ‘forced’ to make payments. I was also told that as your client has made a new claim for another of her many children, this was another reason.

How can a government agency that is there to ensure payments from absent parents try to force somebody to pay maintenance because a woman has told you who the father is? I want to have a DNA test done. Your client is like many other women out there who just sleep around with men, get pregnant and then expect the government to foot the bill, with the government then expecting me to foot the bill for 18 years for a child that is not mine. I would also like to add that your client is a liar and a fraud. My name is on the boy’s birth certificate, but I was not there, so how my name got put onto it, I do not know.

Once again, she has had another child and wants to scrounge off the state. I don’t see why I should be expected to pay for her upkeep and the upkeep of her children.

I received a letter from the CSA last week telling me that you were going to contact my employer to make deductions. I have no intentions of paying any maintenance until a DNA test proves positive. Until such a time is agreed then please stop trying to threaten me or force me to do something which is not necessary.
If your client refuses to allow a DNA test, then I would expect you to completely close the case as it will be obvious and we can both draw inference from her actions.

I will be seeking additional legal advice as well as writing to my MP. I have already contacted The Independent Case Advisor and the Parliamentary Ombudsman regarding my case.

Can the CSA force me to have a DEO?

July 19, 2009

Have been involved with csa for last 16yrs the last 2 yrs i have been paying by standing order. I had been in arrears due to their malpractice these were cleared in May 2009,I received a call from the csa last week, they gave there name telephone number and said it was a personnal matter they did not state that they were from the csa! When i recontacted them and spoke to case worker and mentioned this she actually laughed! it turns out that my malicious ex had requested a review. It turns out the csa had gone direct to my employer without my knowledge to obtain wage details and then stated that i was also in arrears despite me having paperwork to the contrary. Having read the forums re their underhand tactics to get you onto a deo i paid the arrears straight away, the case worker insisted I set up a direct debit but stated that due to system problems that could not be done and that i should cancel my standing order therefore missing a payment! and that they could then set!
a direct debit up

Needless to say after reading the horror stories re bad advice from them and the use of this tactic to obtain a deo i am paying my standing order payment as usual, the case worker stated that if i did this then i would have overpaid!!!! probably because the arrears did not exist in the first place, I am awaiting further contact from them but i have a few questions re this.

  1. was it legal for them to go direct to my employer without my knowledge to get wage details surely i should have been informed either by them or my employer neither informed me.
  2. If I refuse to set up a direct debit and continue to pay by standing order can they class me as non compliant and force me onto a deo?

Does anyone have any advice please.

PWC has good money while I get nothing from CSA

July 18, 2009

Hi, i have been reading your posts with interest and wondered wether you would be able to help me.

I first applied to the csa in 1992,my eldest was 5, and i also had a 1year old.i was told by them that as i was working, i wasnt a needy cause, and my case wouldnt be priority, also my ex was self employed, so ‘your children may have left school before this is sorted’ (so helpful)

the long and the short of ot is since then i have only received approx £1,000,when he was employed for a short time. there are 3 liability orders, a warrant for his arrest, and comittal to prison order. in may of this year, he was unemployed, claiming jobseekers, so i got a fiver!

my eldest has had contact with her sperm as she calls him, and he openly admitted working,earning good money, buying new car etc. i contacted the csa, and gave them his mobile number, land line and email address.they obviously werent aware of his return to work,and are going to go back to court for another liability order. the lady was suprised when she read the case notes, that there were already 3 of those, and im led to believe im owed around £70,000!. do you think i have a case for compensation, and how do i go about it?.

many thanks, regards, Tracy.

CSA have based my payments on my old earnings

July 17, 2009

I was divorced about 4 years ago, my wife took everything from the marriage as well as my following earnings, etc etc. She was left very well off, and during all of this time I was living and working abroad, and when I eventually stopped working, for tax reasons I continued to live abroad until the start of this present tax year. The csa have given me numerous ammounts of arrears which change weekly from £10,000 right up to £30,000. There seems to be no structure to their system of how to work out arrears. I have not worked now for 3 years, but they are basing my payments on my old wage, that I was foolish to give them.

This is the reason for my enquiry, under the following parts of the act, should I indeed be paying any maintenance, I want to on a voluntary basis, but here goes:

1. Section 44(1) child support act 1991, in regards to habitual residence.

2. Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1992, regards living abroad.

3.Para 7901 Child support manual (maintenance assessments)and Child Support Guidance Volume 3.regarding when an assessment should end.

4. Canceling assessments. Schedule 1 Para 16 (5) Child Support Act 1993 Regulation 7 (1), and finally Child Support (Maintenance Assessments and Jurisdiction) Regulations.

I’m now on my uppers and borrowing from family to meet their payments, as they have threatened imprisonment. I am aware that legal aid cannot be sought for CSA reasons.

IS THERE ANY HELP OUT THERE?????????

CSA set the bailiffs onto me for child support payments

July 16, 2009

I last worked in November 08, I signed on joint jobseekers allowance in December 08 where I get 45 pounds per week- 6.10 of that went to the csa.

In March 09 I went bankrupt, following this the csa said that I had to pay more money off my arrears (1,082.36). I told them I was paying more than I could afford already as I was struggling to find money for food after paying my rent, gas, electric bills etc.

In April 09 they stopped taking money from my joint jobseekers claim and arranged with my mother (Camelia Bell) to pay 10 pounds per week from her account. I went to the citezens advice who told my mum not to pay my debt as she was’nt liable for it and that the csa could only take money from the non-resident parent(me). I instructed the citezens advice to act on my behalf with the csa to ask for some sort of means test as I wanted to pay back the debt but could not afford the 10 pounds per week.

In June 09 the citezens advice told me that the csa was the worse debt I could have and there was no way the csa would listen to them and that I should start paying the 10 pounds per week which I did with some help from my mother.

I carried on paying, recieving no communication from the csa until the 6th of July 09 when a bailiffs final notice popped through the letterbox giving me 5 days to pay 1,082.36 which I was paying off!

I rang the csa pleading for some sort of arrangement for me to pay my debt without the bailiffs entering the house as I have no assetts and everything in the house is my friends to which they responded- “tough, we’ve passed it on to the bailiffs”!

I rang the bailiffs who said they didn’t care about my situation, bullied me by lying about the law and what they could do(sieze goods on my property that didn’t belong to me and enter the house without a police officer present) they said they would only accept 200 pounds now and then 100 pounds a month after until the debt is paid which I have no way of affording to pay. Following this call I rang the csa again who kindly advised me not to pay what I could not afford, aviod the bailiffs and eventually the debt would be sent back to the csa (+ bailiff charges) which I found amazing, not paying what I couldn’t afford made the csa send the bailiffs in.

If the csa take my driving licence I would have no chance of finding work and because I work in the security industry a custodial sentence would be a problem. I have worked hard all my life, paid my taxes and never missed a csa payment in 7 years until I sought legal advice in April 09 I now feel victimised by the csa. If only they would have contacted me to arrange paying back the missed payments of 80 pounds bit by bit I would have been happy. I’ve applied for hundreds of jobs since November so they will soon be getting their usual full payment of 232.27 pounds when I get back in work.

While all this has been going on mine and my family’s health has been deteriorating, I have contemplated suicide, been kicked out of my home, my Mum has nearly crashed her car stressing about my situation, all I want to do is pay my debt at a price I can afford.

I would like to know why the csa were so quick to send the bailiffs in when it was clear they were trying to get blood out of a stone?

I am still paying 10 pound per week that I cant afford, why can’t the csa conduct a means test on all NRP who want to pay their debt?

Any help would be appreciated.

CSA have increased my payments

July 16, 2009

just been reassesed and my payments have increased by £60 per week. I only earn £319 and now im paying £85 per week for one child.

How can i live on the rest which is left over. This leaves me with £30 a week for petrol, food household repairs car repairs i just cant live. No wonder dads committ suicide cause of all the stress this brings. I now cant afford to buy my son birthday or christmas presents, or take him anywhere.

This is just not fair, i know i have to pay for my son bur the amount which has been set is sending me into financial ruin.

Me and my partner are paying for our ex’s lifestyles

July 15, 2009

My situation is a bit different. First of all I’m an American woman about 30 who came to England 7 years ago with my husband who is English. He’s always been one of those ppl who likes to sponge off others and avoid working. So I gave him a year here to turn it around or I would leave him and I did. I left with nearly no money, stayed in a pub and worked there for about 6 mths until I saved enough to move into a better place. Our original agreement was to share custody once I was settled. HOWEVER, oh wait I have to explin one more thing. Ok so this is a bit strange but we had a friend, CJ, from school who I met up with again and we ended up getting together while I was separated and still are together. CJ had a baby (he’s 10 now)with my ex’s girlfriend from school, Jenny, but they were never really a couple. THEN about 9 months after I left my exhusband, my exhusband gets with Jenny. SO My ex and Jenny have custody of both of our boys. got it?

So anyways when I’m finally settled my exhusband gets really angry about CJ and me being together and refuses to share custody. We both get solicitors and since it’s been 8 months since I left my exhusband, he declares that I abandoned my son even though we had an agreement! So I have to fight for visitation (we now only see the boys 2 weekends a month) AND we both have to pay them child support which amounts to nearly £400.

I think this is a bit excessive. In my opinion I think if you decide to have custody, and give the other parent no option, then you should take the responsilibility yourself (and the other parent can contribute as they like). Also if you remarry, is it not a bit undignified to be expecting money? I know if I married CJ and we had custody of the boys I wouldn’t expect my exhusband or Jenny to contribute. We are adults and can take care of our own kids. Anything they want to give would be fine or they could set up an account for when they go to Uni but I wouldn’t demand child support. AND I would think way less of CJ if expected it from Jenny.

This is the part that I really hate though… my exhusband and Jenny collect benefits for all 3 children they now have. My exhusband DOESN’T work at all, he collects on the dole, and she has a part-time job. They live in a REALLY NICE BIG council house outside town, beautiful house, and they pay like £350 in rent + NO COUNCIL TAX! Plus tax credits! They always take 2-3 holidays in the summer (France, Italy, Centerparcs, festivals etc WITH the kids) For eg. this summer they took the kids to Download, that’s £450 just in tickets alone! They have everything they want, 4 computers, 2 xbox, playstation 3, Wii, tons of games and now they are thinking of getting an Audi sportscar 😛

CJ and me struggle to make ends meet. We have about £3000 in loan debt, the payments are low. We live in a small 2-bedroom but still pay about £650. Have one car to share. Pay insurance and council tax. Have jobs so no claiming dole payments. We go out about once a month. OH yes and I’m also paying $400 a month in credit card debt that my exhusband racked up in the States behind my back. He wll never go back to the States so he doesn’t care if his credit gets ruined so I have to pay since the cards our in both our names, and no court in this country or in the States can make him pay now that he lives here.

So basically I left my husband because I was tired of supporting him and now that I left, I still have support him!

I wish I had known what I know now. Would have divorced him in the States so I would have parental rights.

Seriously though, I was too young to give it consideration before I left my husband. But now I’m in this mess I know what you guys are feelin. Yes I think you should WANT to support your kids, they are your kids after all and you love them. But I do think if a mother claims sole custody and gives their father no chance to share custody then they should be fair in what they need and they should have jobs themselves! And if they remarry they should say, my new husband is man enough to take care of us and any money that my child’s father wants to provide is fine but maybe use that money to make the kids happy when they visit him or save it for when they grow up.

But women (and men) get away with collecting benefits, living in council houses and getting out of paying taxes while their ex’s are obligated to still pay them their hard earned money. And when you work hard at work and get a raise, guess who also gets a raise? 🙂

For a lot of women child support is a big bonus every month which they got for doing nothing. THAT is just not right.

CSA have driven me out of work

July 14, 2009

I have two children. my two year old i see regulary and i have no problem providing financial assistance. my other child is eight this year. i have not seen him since early 2003 when despite there being a court order his mother simply stopped contact and dissapeared. i have tried and tried to find him with no help whatsoever. the csa are now paying his criminal mother almost 4 times as much as my younger son gets. i was told twice that by switching both children to the new rules my assessment would decrease, it actually doubled!!! i cannot now put a roof over my head.

I have just been signed off work and put on anti depressants and sleeping tablets. they have been told that they are risking my relationship with my younger son because at any point his mother could stop me seeing him because of my medical condition. as far as my older son is concerned i was no more than a sperm donor. it really is disgusting that this agency which is government run supports criminals and offers every assistance to them. the agency is in a diabolical state and just seems to chase and hound the easy targets and then annihilate their lives again and again.

CSA want money from me even though I have custody!

July 10, 2009

my daughter has been living with me since my relationship ended,I have only 1 child. I informed the c.s.a of this at the time and they said they would stop taking the £5 a week they had been taking from my benefit,this carried on despite me telling them. in the last 3 years i have phoned them repeatedly.

Each time telling them the same thing, and each time they would apologise and say that my case would be closed. On one occasion it was actually closed, just for a few months then they started taking money again. To say the least i was not happy,about 4 weeks ago i received a letter saying i would receive a 60 pound cheque for overpayment. The following day i got another letter asking me to give a reason why i hadn’t paid my child support i was so angry and fed up with it all i scribbled a ranting complaint on it and sent it to them.

Today 3/7/09 i had a phonecall from them saying i owed somewhere in the region of £360 and if i was willing to not persue legal action they would overlook this i lost my temper and had to tell them again that my daughter who is 5 had lived with me since we split up, each giro they sent my ex partner was never cashed and some returned to them and me, i asked them what i should do with them and the idiotic pen pusher told me to return them to the csa and they would re-issue them to my ex and she should re-emberse me, and that it was the income support who were at fault,i am absolutly furious at their incompetant boobery and how they are so quick to take the womens side, just because i am a man does not make me any less of a parent and i really do not appreciate being spoken to as if i were a child who’s been naughty, I think the csa is run by man hating spinsters with a bee in thier bonnet.

They stink and their whole lousy operation stinks, what should i do?

CSA reassess me after 12 years

July 9, 2009

My daughters are 19 and 17… I am about to be re-assessed at a time when I have recovered financially after 12 years of hardship and stress caused by the CSA system.

Having helped finance my eldest and her 1st year at uni’ and also her driving lessons.

Still paying maintainence for youngest now but having had it dropped within a week I am now being re-assessed due to an error..!!

When does this system become fair to the decent fathers.. and if a mother has a fella move in how come my maintainence increases.????????

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