Brief background is my now ex-husband left me with two young children. He paid maintenance for 2 years then stopped paying as he was setting up his own business. I eventually resorted to ask for the CSA's help who took a year to tell me he was in arrears and then had a nil contribution because he did not earn enough. I did not receive a penny in maintenance in 4 years so had to support my 2 children on my own. Anyway the tables have turned. My daughter went to live with her dad 2 years ago which is 167 miles from where I live. He then contacted the CSA. I complied with everything they sent me but it took a year before they sorted it out. I then got a phone call saying I was £1,840 in arrears! My new husband had just been made redundant and my 18 year old son had just had an accident at work so there was only my wages coming in. I was devastated. The CSA said they were not interested. They calculated my maintenance for 1 child at £192.56 per month (this included paying £21.66 off the arrears)! I have just applied for a variation as my outgoings are more than my income and I have my daughter in school holidays. My ex has disputed the amount of days I have had her and the CSA have asked me to provide proof even thought I sent them a letter writing all the dates down! Why would I lie just to get a pathetic £3.00 per week reduction? I said my daughter who is nearly 15 was with me now and could tell them exactly when she has stayed with me. The CSA said they could not take her word for it. If that wasn't bad enough the CSA have harassed me this week by constantly ringing me and demanding a lump sum payment for the maintenance arrears. I said I have no spare money and that an agreement had been reached last year regarding arrears. They said they wanted a lump sum payment if not all of it to be paid off before 1st April failing which they would take 40% of my wages. I said that was ridiculous as I would not be able to pay my mortgage. I asked what part of "I can't pay any more money" did they understand? All I got was a girl screaming back at me she was trying to help. I said she was stressing me out not helping. Since that call I have received 6 more phone calls. Today they rang twice and said they were ringing to get a payment from me for the arrears!!!!!!! I told them that I had felt bullied into paying the whole amount of £1,688.29 off my credit card just to get them off my back and had paid this 2 days ago. She said there was no record of the amount I had paid and that I should pay because it was for my daughter's benefit. I'm sure this is not the last I will hear from them on this so watch this space. Just wanted to warn anyone who is in arrears, the CSA are like a dog with a bone, they will continue to harass and bully until they get a payment. Oh and the other thing is I was told one figure in one phone call and when I rang to pay was told an increased figure. I don't know how these people sleep at night, they are totally incompetent and have no feelings whatsoever as to whether we can afford to pay or not. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem in paying maintenance even though I would rather have my daughter live with me, but I would like to hear from any other mums in my situation?