How to beat the CSA


The CSA, or Child Support Agency, claims to be putting children first and is interested in getting payments to children. This of course is not true, as the complaints about the CSA from both non resident parents and parents with care prove – complaints that can be read on this website.

Children would be much better off if the CSA were not involved and a private arrangement were made between parents concerning the payment of maintenance. This is in fact the best way to beat the CSA. If you are your ex can come to an agreement on how much should be paid, and how often, you can leave the Child Support Agency out of the equation, saving a lot of stress and heartache for all concerned.

Of course, you must be careful to record all payments and keep a signed agreement between you both. Never pay in cash, and always pay in a way that keeps a paper trail, such as a direct debit or BACS transfer.

This is one way to beat the CSA, but when some fathers ask how can they beat the CSA they mean how can they avoided payment to the CSA altogether. This isn’t advised because your children need your support, but there ways to reduce your payments so that the CSA doesn’t get as much as they wish.

For example, you could complete a variations form so that the CSA has to take your expenses involved with access to your children into consideration. You could become self employed so that your daily expenses are treated as tax deductable, reducing your declared earnings – or you could leave the country altogether, where the CSA has limited powers and generally will not bother with the hassle of pursuing you.

The CSA wants easy targets – NRPs in full time employment so they can issue a deduction from earnings order. Beat the CSA at their own game.

Comments

  • Ain't Live a.... says:

    My contract ended and I left work in April 2010 – having developed hyperthyroidism, which was misdiagnosed and led to me having a thyroid storm, which later required over two years of treatment, two lots of surgery, and other complications…..

    What transpired next was very simple, I signed on, as entitled, THEN…
    I received a demand from the CSA stating that I owed them £3200 (approximately – can;t remember the exact figure) – May 2010

    The CSA took £14 per fortnight from my JSA, and also charged me £14 per fortnight, despite the fact I was not working. I wont go into all the particulars as to what impact htis had on me,but I can assure you, I no longer have a gas meter in my flat, no central heating, or hot wate, and no cooking facilities!

    In May 2014, I set up a small company supplying advise and information to academic research facilities, hoping that I would alleviate myself from dependency on the state. I earnt no money, and duly filed my HMRC tax returns every year for two years. Despite having to use my JSA as working capital, because there were no loan or grants facilities, in May 2016, having closed the company, the CSA, said that I no longer we them the initial debt of £3200, BUT had doubled it to more than £7100.

    I sold everything I could in my possession, and was about to pay when HMRC wrote to because I had failed to produce my final accounts; at which point I informed them of my then current position, and what was happening.

    Since then I can only say that the CSA stop taking payments from my benefits, but never explain why, or responded to my request for a reason as to why the initial sum more than doubled, or why they were taking payments from my benefits and at the same time charging me, when I had not earnt, or received any additional income.

    I’m still waiting, and they are still not saying a single word….

    I have since learnt what they did was illegal, but the irony is that while I am unemployed, and pertinent to the changes in the law – I CANNOT receive state aid to take the state to court, over their illegal actions, or the effect that they have had on my life..

    It is fair for most men who become VICTIMS of the state sponsored CSA, that we are discriminated against, because the majority women use the system to vent their anger, and are not interested in the long-term outcomes for the child, or children concerned.

    Yeas as men we should try to play an active role in the live’s of the children we have, but allowing women to use the legal system as a weapon, has truly backfired on the state.

    If the system in place was about honesty, fair-mindedness, and transparency, then this moral dilemma would never exist.

    Yes I will pay the state what they have demanded, even thought I know they screwed me over…. BUT the sad thing is this, their is a child out there who I have only ever seen once, when she was less than a month old…. that was more than 18 years ago, and I have no idea as to where she is now, or what she looks like… for all intents and purposes I may have passed her in the street…on several occasions.

    Go CSA, well done for allowing another female to use use as a weapon, to inflict emotional and psychological damage on men, while the government ministers sit on their high horses and make noise about single parent families, and fatherless children… Whose blind now?

  • Ain't Live a.... says:

    P.S.

    When women lie to children about their own dishonesty, it always comes back to bite them, eventually…

    Fathers, don’t shirk your responsibility, BUT don’t bow to an unjust and oppressive systems that was designed to be biased, non-transparent and unjust.

  • David Baldwin says:

    CMs issued case closure notice on 6th December even thou they had known since 11th November that my son was no longer in education as he left school on 31st August
    , they admit they failed to follow there own guidelines and timescales , and have taken three deductions unlawfully from me in October , November and December ! I was told on 6th December that no more money would be taken or given to my ex wife yet they took 525 from me on 20th December and gave it to my ex , I even recorded csa staff member called Martin stating he would stop the money being paid but he failed to do so
    I have made around a doZen phone calls and told the money would be returned , a senior manager called Debbie burns stated my case would be investigated when I spoke to her on the phone on 13th January , least to say I cannot get hold of her now and she is unavailable
    Have been told today by a lady called Vanessa that CMs will not refund any over paid amount and I should take my ex to court for fraud entry claiming the money !!
    Complete opposite of what I have been told by Debbie burns , you cannot make up the lies and untruths I have been told by them
    I don’t know how they can get away with blatant theft , they are the most corrupt organisation I have ever dealt with .
    Asked my MP , a Tory , to refer matter to ombudsman and he refused to do so , then found out he had been done for expense fraud , can’t make it up

  • Chris Nelson says:

    I was having regular contact with my children when one day my eldest said to me that he wants to live with me and not his mother .
    After he returned home to his mother he told her this and a week later I’m being taken to court I’m now not aloud to see my children unless it’s supervised .this is not fair as I’m no danger to my little men . To makes things worse the cms is now taking 10% of my weekly wage even after Ive already had a arrangement with there mother .
    I’m now currently fallen behind on all repayments and dept is rising .At this rate I fear that I will be forced to quit my career from boat building . I’ve worked so hard for my job and I don’t want to loose it .
    Is there any sort of help for this ………

  • Danboss says:

    Am getting letter stating the csa are in process of applying for a liability order for depts of £1000. I went self employed nearly a year ago and failed to tell them. Any advise?

  • Bill. Mcfarlane says:

    Just been hit with 500 a month deduction from my monthly wage after at least 12 years of not hearing anything .no statments no income and exspenditure .trying to get in toutch is a imposibility .help required please.

  • Ben taylor says:

    Hi can anyone give me some advice please??
    CMS have recently contacted me about arrears of 3k+, I’ve always held my hands up knowing I have to pay towards my two children, my argument with them is I am self employed and can not set up a regular payment scheme as I never know when I will be paid! This is something they are not willing to understand and keep demanding a payment off me. I pay when I can!! What really annoys me is I have my two boys 2-3 nights a week, I buy them the clothes and trainers they want and school shoes when needed. They are good at and lucky to play football at an above average standard with my eldest being at evertons finch farm last year which was a 140 mile round trip every week from where we live and I took him by paying for lifts as I don’t drive! I’d also travel a 20 mile round trip twice a week on top of this to take them training for there local team which is 100 yards from where they live. I’d bend over backwards to have my boys at the drop of a hat when there mum needed me to! But CMS tell me I have not seen them for the past year!! They come and stay for a week at a time in the holidays!! I understand and agree that I should financially contribute to my children but I know I do a lot for them week in week out in which CMS do not register as my ex has not notified them I do this! I want to be fair but csm treat me like I’m trying to get one over them and don’t care about my Boyz when I know I spend 3x times the csm amount a week on them? Any advice would be appreciated cheers Ben 👍

  • A FFEE ENGLISMEN says:

    lol all of you got my governemt letter stating all csa arreers writen off wiped away JUST LIKE I KNEW THEY WOULD AFTER SAY 10 YRS THE WHOLS CHILD SUPPORTTHING IS A SOCIALLYENGINERED PLAN TO STEAL FROM MEN TO HIVE TO MASS CONSUMERS WOMEN

    LOL LIKE I WOULD FALL FOR IT 12 YRS AGO I TOLD THE TYRANNICAL GOVERNEMENT I AINT GIVING YOU SIT

    I NEVER DID AND I HAVE HAD MY WORKS AND PENSIONS LETTER BLOW UP TO POSER SIZE AND ITS ON MY LIVING ROOM WALL

    FRE MEN DO NOT PAY THIS SHIT 5 YRS IN GUERSEY WAITED FOR THE CSA TO CLOSE THEN ICAM E HOME

    FUK U FEMINISTS

  • Michael says:

    I gone to my bank and the so called csa took £3800 from my bank account 😡😡

  • Dean Matthew Jones says:

    When I got divorced my ex wife did have care of my two daughters and I was paying the old CSA later on my ex wife could not cope so we both went to marriage counseling and it was decided that we would have joint care the CSA was informed at the time and once I was claiming child benefit my payment stopped because we had a child each now 10 years later the new CSM have sent out a letter saying I’m in arrears find this totally unfair because we both had joint care

  • Courtney says:

    Sometimes us men dont get a choice man up. Just imagine if you was a man furthermore most men want casual flings some women should man up and stop getting pregnant like its a fashion then go seek a job and work for the kid.. works both ways

  • Mark says:

    What is it a man renting a property as a second family home for his children exactly needs to man up too? I am not entitled to a council place as my ex lives in our marital home and when your name is on the deeds to a house you are not entitled to a government funded property. So my income is £500 a week take home. My rent is 274 a week, csa payments 94 a week. My ex refuses to let me have them over night so I’m paying full rate csa, feeding them and meeting their needs when I have them. I do all pickups and drop offs so that’s costs me too. Now I could loose my little home thus now pushing the likely hood of me ever having my kids over night for equal quality parent time further away. To fight this I need to go to court again, which again costs me money, so now add on the credit card bills I have to pay just to fight to see my own flesh and blood. We havent mentioned council tax, gas, electricity, water, car tax, car insurance, fuel, food yet. And guess what because I’m not the parent the children “live” with I cant claim any benefits towards having them. Your right, it’s clear cut, all children need is money, not equal love and time. Again your right I just need to man up and pay. Just point me in the direction of where this money is coming from, il take it and hand it straight to my ex

  • Zoltan says:

    Bitch, the CSM don’t care if we die in poverty as long as we pay. Fuck you.

  • Sean says:

    Your scum simple as Emila

  • Stuart evans says:

    My children have been put in residence to mothers grandparents – mother is claiming £550 a month and has received £33,000 in arrears last year.

    Is she allowed to claim when she is not resident parent

  • David says:

    The CSA are taking £89 a week out of my wages for 1 child, I have full custody of the other child and receive nothing, the mother does not work and they don’t know where she lives, the granny has the other child, I work but they are taking most of it, what can I do

  • Tom says:

    You are pure scum

  • Andreia pinto says:

    Take a DNA test

  • Fob says:

    Fuck emilia you stupid bitch you know. Otho has you menopause cunt !

  • Kelly says:

    You know nothing about it I bet your one of these women!! I’m split from my ex never asked a penny and my new partner is being robbed blind by his money grabbing ex to get money for her lavish lifestyles were our children have to go without how is that fair! Women like you is why men tip themselves over the edge or end up on benefits with nothing! Scum

  • P m says:

    They Are in Breach of the Human Rights, and equal rights, just by saying that they admit that men have no rights

  • Carl Brown says:

    What an absolute cunt you are! 90% of males in this situation is due to the female being unreasonable clearly taking there x partner for all he is worth. You absolute fucking oxygen thieve.

  • Tracey says:

    Emily that’s so unfair
    I’m a mum I have an arrangement with my ex which he pays £50 a week
    And he has him 2 nights a week,
    My husband ex, won’t allow him to see his son
    Because it will lower the money she gets which £466 pound every 4 weeks
    And it spoils them playing happy families with the bloke she had a affair with a left with.
    Our next review take our maintenance payment up to £533.00 tell me that’s fair some of these men have been cut from their child life and that is not there choice
    Why should the Subsidise another family’s life.
    We have paid out so much fighting yet we get nowhere she moved and had to find her yet we still had to pay.

  • Tracey says:

    Well said I’m the same
    It drives me mad.
    And no end date with csa
    You have to prove your child is staying in education to child benefit not the csa you have to prove their not could have to pay until they are 21 at 12% of you gross income.
    On low income thats takes a single person down belower the Poverty line

  • Tracey says:

    To our surprise they do it of you gross income from the tax office figures and it’s reviewed yearly
    So all income

  • Tracey says:

    Legally they can only take 40%

  • Tracey says:

    Not all woman. I wouldn’t dream of it.
    But I do know my husbands ex is like that

  • Tracey says:

    Simple they can’t
    They have to have dna proof as you’re not on the birth certificate.
    The husband took responsibility even if he didn’t know
    If they could my sons father is Prince Charles and I want 12% of his earnings please

  • Tracey says:

    They are only allowed to take 40% fight it

  • Tracey says:

    Unless you are in Canada nothing they can do if you live aboard. Unless your wages are processed by British tax office
    But don’t come back or they will sting you for the lot

  • Tracey says:

    Talk to him first at least give him the chance to man up and pay his share
    But have an monthly amount take in to consideration what you spend travelling my ex an I found about £50 a week was a fair amount.
    But if his on a really low income maybe £30
    But give him a week then tell you are contacting the csa

  • Tony says:

    As someone who has always paid for my son and am still in financial hard ship becasue i decided i want to try and save money and work over time but have a vindictive lying ex then i have to say your statement is the most callous and redundant one i have seen on here. Clearly you seem bitter becasue of your choice of father

  • Chris says:

    Man up and pay what do you know about peoples situation what care is in place what has veen paid so less tye man up and more you women shouldnt be so money grabbing honest get your facts together first motor mouth

  • Edward says:

    There should be a law against women who purposely get pregnant for the wrong reasons, specially the ones that lie and say there on the pill/coil. It makes me laugh when women say they want more rights etc. when they got the man by the balls every single time, all they have to do is go on a night out, prey on a drunken man who earns a decent living, push a baby out and the man has to pay for the rest of his life being forced into being a parent and a financial cash cow

  • rufus says:

    I don’t want to pay someone else to look after my children. I want to do that myself. Why is the woman always seen as the main carer? Why is majority custody always assigned to the mother.
    My ex does everything she can to ostracize and alienate the children in order for them to see me less so that you can ramp up her payments.
    Is not about child care or welfare, it’s just about money.

  • Ryan Cole says:

    Tipical greedy chav mother. Gonna spend the extra money on fags and cider.

  • Joe bart says:

    The csa has forced me to;

    1. Sell my house.
    2. Change my job
    3. Move to another area, making it harder to see my child.
    4. Placed my child in the hands of paedophiles. The abuse may not be physical but in every other way it is. When told of this I was fobbed off.
    5. When I said I couldn’t afford the amount the response was “of course you can”.

    The police have

    1. Ignored my complaints.
    2. Allowed grooming to go ahead even when given evidence of this.
    3. Allowed inappropriate behaviour from those concerned.

    When I told this to all concerned I was ignored or fobbed off. The above are truly heartless. Fathers are cash cows to all concerned.

  • Jay Will says:

    That is pure evil i can’t believe that the CSA would even believe that.

  • jason says:

    maybe because the men have to pay legal costs going to court just to
    see there kids because some bitch just wants money without access

  • Julie says:

    Csa went in done a attachment order on my wage which they shouldn’t have done as I am on direct pay they took 785 now they saying yes they shouldn’t of my employer returned money bk to csa 4 weeks ago it’s being held in employer account but until it goes in to my account they can’t pay me it any advice of anyone

  • Fuck CSA says:

    When piece of shit women stop using children and access as a weapon then maybe men will want to pay. Instead cunts like you try to shame men for being forced into poverty but lazy self entitled whores. I’ll bet in 90% of these cases the bitch left and still wants to be paid for having nothing more than a bad attitude and used pussy 👍

  • Es says:

    Word up. I’m a woman and my ex partner, a man, is the main carer because I was the one who offered to go back to work after my maternity leave so he could find a better job after teaching gave him stress. Then I left him for being a lazy arsehole and the kids because they were ‘at home’ and now all he wants is my money because he’s bitter and can do that to me. He doesn’t even know what it’s for because when I asked him for some things to take the kids camping with me he told me ‘I should have them too’ and I’m like ‘that’s why I pay you CSA!’. I had £3 in my account last month after attempting to take mine and my current partners kids on holiday this month all while, he lives in a detached house with his new partner and 4 kids all receiving CSA from her former partner, working part time so she also gets her benefits. His mum buys all the kids clothes so I can’t even have a clothing agreement, and he basically uses the money to take them to the pub for a meal weekly and buy loads of crap I can’t. I can’t even buy my kids an ice cream on a day out I’ve attempted to take them on. It literally makes me want to vomit. I’ve had to take £100 off my mum this month to help me out but if I don’t pay it’s me getting take to court for a CCJ or whatever. He’s the lesson, never have kids. Stupid country.

  • Lisa says:

    Oh bore off with the excuses. Shouldn’t come in women then if you don’t want kids. It’s that simple

  • Brett says:

    Hi I have quite several jobs over the years – example I have 2 children with one mum of 16 years we split I met a new partner in which we have split – 5 years ago age 14 -10 and 5, now reason me and my last partner split was because I couldn’t afford to support our new child I lost my house etc – example I was earning 32 k a year my rent for house was ££950 now when my new partner at time we had newborn he is now 5 my take home pay was £2150 I was left with nothing I tried reducing they would not agree I lost house as could not pay rent ! When we had enrico my last and youngest my x partner was struggling with hormone problem s post natal depression – so I took 2 weeks off un paid – the csa still to £1001 pound from employer and left me £80 pound to support new baby at time and I was unable to pay rent I lost house – I have just after 4 years gone back into work I’m now earning 40k a year my rent is £1100 the csa will attack me again now for 3 how do I help reduce this as they will ask for £1200 my rent is £1137 I honestly can not afford to work if I sign on all 3 will get tottall £8 pound a week via universeal credit roughly £38 a month and I’m left £218 in pocket I’m better off not working as my rent will be paid please help me

  • Brett says:

    Omg ur nothing but sponges when your monthly income is £2000 your rent is £1000 csa is £1001 a month how about help father keep his job plus house and be able to pay – why would you perfetic women take a man to cleaners so one he goes on benefits plus losses house and then you only get £38 a month for 3 children you blame men – but u opened your legs it takes 2

  • Brett says:

    I agreee

  • Brett says:

    True

  • Brett says:

    Csa mad me loss my job to as I couldn’t afford to work or pay my rent I lost house

  • Cat says:

    How about start working, doing school run, run a home bring up the kids. Do it for just one year.
    If I could have anything it would be have shared custody so when my little ones away I earn good Money. I do everything on my own. I have a career but everything is on hold. I’ve made sacrifices but her dad hasn’t made any and can Chuck a penny our way. Even £20 here and there would be nice.
    I go cleaning in the school holidays so we can survive, takes time away from my daughter. I really feel parents should support each other because if I was less busy I would spend more time with my little girl. Just sad we can stick together for furture generations rather than point scoring. The only ones who suffer are our children

  • Guest1234 says:

    Emilia, how can you say it’s fair if my ex earns 3 times my salary, and I look after the child 49% of the time and buy all her toys etc, yet I’m the only one who has to pay Child maintenance, which I know will be wasted on expensive holidays rather than saving up for my childs future. CMS is just a divorce tax on men, nothing more.

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