A victim of the CSA since 1998
I have had dealings with the CSA since 1998(You could say i’ve been a victim since then).I have had 2 10 year relaionships and out of which my 3 children were born.I had been working for Local Government for 10 years when me and my first partner seperated and the CSA first contacted me.They had placed an attatchment of earnings order on my salary and for the first 3 months they deducted £800.00 per month leaving me with just £200.00 to live on and to pay my mortgage and other bills.When i phoned them up to ask why they were deducting so much money i was told it was back pay and when i asked backpay for what they told me it was arrears.(how could it of been back pay when i had only been split from my former partner 6 months and that my former parner was in another relationship living in a house that was already bought and paid for.The person i spoke to told me i was an absent father and that i shouldn’t expect another man to support my child i told him i didn’t as i had already worked and supported him upto the first 6 years of his life till when me and his mum seperated and even then i was giving her £100.00 a month to help out . The amount was reduced to £600.00,£420.00 then stabilised at £264.00.
In 2004 they told me i owed them more money because i had pay rises which i hadn’t informed them about.I went to my local MP Who arranged for me to meet and speak to a reprsentative from the CSA at his office but this was to be of no avail so i went to the Yorkshire Evening Post and my MP Took my case to Parliament but again this was to no avail they were still as stubborn as ever in their stance.It was only because of the embarrassment that the publicity had caused my former partner that she decided to call the CSA off i recieved a phonecall off my former partner New Years Day 2005 telliing ne the CSA wouldn’t be bothering me anymore,by this time my son was 19 years old and they were still making me maintain him because he was in further education and months previously he was working that summer.I worked out over the 6 year period i was paying maintenance for 1 child i had paid £19,000.00 in maintenance in this time my former partner had a holiday to Jamaica and weekend stays down in London whilst me and my new partner and 2 young children struggled.2008).Me and my other partner seperated agin after 10 years(I lost my job in the process)I found temporary employment although we split up i had to fight my former partner through the courts and paid CAFCAS £300.00 To take her to court and at this time CSA were deducting £500.00 per month from my salary once i was allowed access to my children my former partner was telling my children to tell me they needed clothing so i was still taking them for weekeends with a few sleepovers providing food and taking them shopping and on day trips out.
Again i went to my MP for assistance against the CSA He arranged a meeting between mr and a representative from the CSA.This was when i gave him receipts for clothing i bought for my children and money i’d spent on them he took the receipts back to the CSA This was when they called me back 2 weeks later and asked the clothes i bought for them were gifts!During my meeting with this representative he openly told me that the reason why the CSA treated men the way they did was because the system they used was an American one and that Government had bought the system which cost millions of pounds the system didn’t work and the only way they could recoup the money back was to place attatchment of earnings on mens salaries and deduct as much money as possible in order to make their money back.This gives rise for great concern regarding the integrity and purpose of the CSA.(Has this been the hidden agenda all along)??Similarly considering more recent events with this new Univeral Working Tax Credit Scheme spearheaded by Sir Ian Duncan Smith It has cost £30,000,000 and has already been slated as a failed system that doesn’t work.How do they intend to recoup the costs this time? and who will be made to pay for their mistake and failure yet again this time??
22 thoughts on “A victim of the CSA since 1998”
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U talk Asif it’s just men? It also affects women!…
James Dennis liked this on Facebook.
Most if not all nrps on csa1 are treated like crap, robbed and verbally abused by csa staff, if you complain you are given the run around, passed from one department to the next until you lose the will to live.
Mps seem powerless to correct the injustice being dished out to the victims of this currupt organisation.
I am starting to think thats its the mps and not the csa who are to blame for all of this, the csa may well be just doing the bidding of the government, whichever party are in government the crap just carries on and on.
Totally fucked off nrp,
Woody
Hi woody, in our case our mp has been fab….having major issues with the csa and how crap they are to the point our mp is taking it to Westminster if they won’t sort things out….the time delays on my husbands case is nearly 3 years to sort out basic mathematics and how they have treated us as a family is appalling!
Hi Jo,
My mp has been trying to help sort out made up arrears and the ongoing lies and harrassment off the csa for 18months, at first he seemed very keen to help, but lately they are giving him and me the run around, nothing getting resolved, they just keeps coming back at us with the same old crap from a different csa workers everytime.
My mp has recently been promoted, and is now one of the pms lap dogs, so almost never in his home town anymore, so getting to see him takes months.
I am starting to feel my mp has high ambitions, maybe in the cabinet, and no longer wants to be dealing with csa crap.
Hopefully i am wrong, i am speaking to him on friday to see where we go now.
Glad your mp has helped sort your csa stuff out though.
Regards,
Woody
I too was a victim of this ‘not fit for purpose’, complete and utter ‘shambles’, for 13 years. They made mistake after mistake, stitched me up with £6400 ‘made up’ arrears and like woody, my M.P. and the PHSO (Ombudsman) turned a ‘blind eye’, whilst I was being scapegoated by the scum at the CSA.
I had never said that I did not want to provide for the children (our children). Not the governments children, but what I do object to is incompetent, amateurs, interfering in my private family life., which has f–k all to do with these brainless idiots!
My advice is complain, complain and keep complaining. Question everything that they do and say. Get everything in writing as evidence, for the time when there is a ‘class action’ against them. Mis-sold your PPI……..No! been screwed by the CSA!
To the author:- ask your M.P to refer your case to the Ombudsman on the frounds of prolonged and continued maladministration.
Good luck to all.
@ woody….yes we’re finding the csa are doing this too, not good is it?
In our case they’ve thrown on 2000.00 pounds of arrears by saying my husband never told him he had a family and was single…our argument is, why wouldn’t we? We have everything joint together but csa do not look into this, I’ve even had my own case with them which they’ve failed to link up and said I had no children
in our household! They’ve lost our letters and conveniently all our phone records deleted. I said to the csa agent you’re telling me I should have claimed as a single parent as it make no difference to their legislation if we’re together? I’ve been
with my husband for 7 years but to the csa only been 3….its hurtful not existing especially when we lost our first child from the date csa put these arrears on so too right I’m fighting it….not having his ex who’s been sat on benefits for 20 years getting our money she technically isn’t entitled to.
@ Sarah Louise white
Hey ” nrp hater” fuck off!!
Gonk
I agree completely with John and will fight them for as long as it takes. Through my investigations and if this helps anyone I have uncovered a department that the CSA does not want us to know about, its,
Finance and Commercial Division
Department for Work and Pensions
Room BP9251
Belsay House
Benton Park View
Longbenton
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NE98 1YX
This department can investigate acts of internal fraud for example made up arrears and acts of serious and gross misconduct by the agency employees.
Abuse of the Civil Service Code which these DWP employees are contractually bound to uphold is also an act of misconduct.
Also look up the Governments own Internal Audit web site for their definition of fraud.
Get copied evidence from your SAR with a covering letter of explanation of this agencies failings then send it recorded delivery.
I hope this information helps.
Thanks Neil, do you have to prove that fraud has gone on beforehand before they investigate your claim?
Hi Jo,
It helps anyones case if you can prove that they have been deceitful towards its ‘customers’. By this I mean for you to cross reference paperwork such as letters and your SAR and look for conflicting information. Basically making individual CSA employees accountable for their actions. It certainly makes them listen and adds weight to your argument. Through this process one of their employees has just been reprimanded for serious misconduct and I believe adds weight to the investigation ICE are currently carrying out on my behalf or for possible future legal proceedings. Check paragraph 1.2 of the Governments own definition of fraud at,
http://www.dfpni.gov.uk/index/finance/afmd/afmd-corporate-governance/afmd-internal_audit/fraud_and_the_government_internal_auditor.pdf
It states,
1.2 The Government Internal Audit Standards define fraud as any illegal act characterised by deceit, concealment or violation of trust. These acts are not dependent upon the threat of violence or physical force. Frauds are perpetrated by parties and organisations to obtain money, property, or services; to avoid payment or loss of services; or to secure personal or business advantage. Actual gain, benefit or loss to another does not have to occur for an act to be fraud.
CSA employees are civil servants and the Civil Service Code is part of their employment contract. The Civil Service Code Is defined by Integrity, HONESTY, objectivity and impartiality. If the Civil Service Code is broken by CSA employees by abuse of this code then this brings into play DWP policies of standards of behaviour and the DWP discipline policy and in particular fraud (as defined).
Every bodies case is different but generally we are treated the same way, you will see that the definition of fraud conflicts with the civil service code if the code is not carried out correctly by the CSA employees.
Good luck and I hope the above information helps.
Hello Again Jo,
Get your copied evidence together and send it recorded delivery to the Internal investigations and ask for an unbiased investigation with your covering letter and include information from my previous post (civil service code, DWP discipline policy, definition of fraud etc). Hopefully your evidence will be incontrovertible and transparent which they cannot ignore.
Thanks Neil, your post and information will be invaluable to some people, why havent we heard of this info before, now the CSA and the idiots working there will be held accountable about time is all i can say!!!!
Our issue is that csa have based an arrears claim by saying they have tried ringing my husband, even though we have sent them letters not to and we have no logs of
these phantom calls and they also state they have sent us letters which we have failed to acknowledge, what letters? This has automatically put my husband as non compliant so have tried to enforce a deo on his wages for 500.00 a month on a 3200.00 debt that should have been sorted 2 years ago and they told us nothing was owing and stopped the deo back then with help of our mp….now its started back up again and we’re having to start over. The arrears are because my husband didn’t tell thrm we were together as a family with young children even though they have calls saying that they have spoken with him and he failed to mention that fact….why would he if I was sat next to him when he took that call? I’ve asked for recordings of the call and what question was asked for him to say he was single. It’s been a bloody nightmare from start to finish.
Forgot to add first arrears was back in 2010 which was supposedly sorted in 2012, csa cancelled the deo and now re opened it again 2013, we didn’t know this until 2014 by sending us a deo notice for 500.00….our mp said the amount was unaffordable to expect anyone to repay a debt in 7 months and couldn’t understand why they have stopped it then restarted it again now? Csa’s response yes we failed to action it properly….no apology nothing.
Hello Lisa and Jo,
Jo my issues with the CSA are similar to yours, whilst over the years being compliant. From what you say and if I was you I’d check the Information Commissioners web site and look at the 8 data protection principles which the CSA has surely broken. The ICO will investigate your complaint based on these principles if you put a good case forward to them with whatever evidence or information you can provide. If the ICO upholds your complaint this will also add weight to your argument for Internal Investigations, ICE, Parliamentary Ombudsman or future possible legal proceedings .In addition send a recorded delivery letter to the CSA insisting that any future correspondence from them is through the postal service (Royal Mail). Save a copy of this letter with the recorded delivery receipt. If you do this then any future letters are documented and at the very least you can see them in your subject access request also referred to as a SAR. If you do this then you can hold them accountable by the ICO if they abuse you in the future. In the last 22 months I have had 4 SAR packs and will be ordering another in the next couple of months. Its amazing to see valuable evidence that I received in the last pack that should have been in the first which I have used against them.
Keep fighting Lisa and Jo as its important that everyone does so and take them to account.
Just a bit more information for you. Article 13 of the European Courts of Human Rights is your Right to an Effective Remedy. The British Government said that we did not need this article as with our judicial and complaints system we have an addequate system in place for dealing with a remedy for injustice. In timescales, I’m a long way off but with the help of a friend (a big lottery winner) I hope to take them to account on this issue as well as others if they do not remedy my situation.
Good luck.
Jo,
Just looking at your post again. Regarding your alleged arrears that the CSA claim you owe. It is only a preferred timescale of the CSA to collect arrears inside two years it is NOT legally binding for clearance inside two years (as I understand it). Try to get an agreed affordable arrangement in place with them. If you can do this make the payments as required which makes you compliant whilst building evidence for fighting them. I have read so many times about this agency coming after compliant people. It must be because they see us as an easy option for their targets with ficticious arrears. Like you, I paid one lot of arrears off for them to come after me again. Its best to fight them (bloody their nose as bullies go away once stood up to) so they do not come back again in a few years time. My Son is approaching 26 with a child of his own and I’m still paying whilst being compliant over the years. I get the impression that they now wish they had left me alone.
Yeah i hear ya Sarah i was only speaking
from my own experience
and how my ex partners have used the system as a weapon against me
Another interesting point that people can use is article 13 of the ECHR. Article 13 is your Right to an Effective Remedy. The Britsish government said to the ECHR that its citizens did not need article 13 as it citizens are adequately protected due to its complaints and judicial procedures.
What a sick joke!!!!!!!!!!
I would say to people in communication with this agency to quote of your right to an effective remedy to them.
Thanks for info Neil 2013.
I downloaded and completed ECHR forms regarding CSA and my right to a private family life. The ECHR wanted me to use UK courts first before I took my case to them (do they think that I am Rich and Stupid?).
Aside from contacting the DWP, consideration should be given as to whether or not fraud has taken place? My belief is that the CSA are acting outside of the ‘rule or enactment’ that they are entitled to use……therefore Fraud must have taken place, thus making some of their practices criminal, as they are obtaining money by deception.
Serious Fraud Office should be involved to investigate the CSA, lock. stock and barrel!
Hello John,
You’re welcome. I may have more information for people who have been abused by the CSA in the coming months. My cousin provides information to me from high profile people within his contacts through his profession in the media. In addition, freedom of information requests greatly helps. Its a case of asking the right questions to suit an individuals needs/case and try to use it to an individuals advantage.
You are right regarding the costs of legal proceedings and can be lengthy regarding timescales. I think its a two year wait upon a hearing at the ECHR. Regardless of this, I aim to make them accountable for their injustice in the coming years unless they remedy my situation and I’ve exhausted the legal process in this country and/or its complaints system.
I think you are right regarding you’re explanation of fraud. Fraud can be interpreted in different ways and dependent of the decision maker and his/her perception of the evidence received. This agency is biassed in favour of their work colleagues and should be carried out by a completely law abiding and untouchable independent department. However if you use the Internal Investigations, it certainly makes them sit up and take notice dependent of the evidence it receives!
Acts of serious and gross misconduct can be clearly defined by DWP’s own policies which the Internal Investigations can also investigate, especially if its incontrovertible and transparent. If evidence is upheld by them, it can add weight to anyones argument for a conclusion for a remedy towards complaints upon the next tier of the complaints system or judicial system, if it is required.
I would also strongly recommend anyone dealing with this agency to contact the Information Commisioner if you feel that they have abused you regarding the eight data protection principles. If the ICO upholds you’re complaints with its wordings of likely and unlikely, this also adds weight to your argument of abuse carried out. If the ICO receives enough evidence of abuse from different people they will carry out its own in depth investigation of this agency.
I hope this info helps.
Another piece of information which may help is back in 1998 and agin in 2005.(As MP’s may make out they are completely powerless.My MP twice arranged for a representative from the CSA to have a meeting with me in his office.Unfortunately for me both occassions because they played good cop and promised that when they returned back to their office they would help me,i let them off the hook they are all nods and gestures as if to agree with some of what your saying then once they have gone then thats it,they’ve escaped.It may not of had the end desired effect as i would of liked but at least it’s not as frustratin as speaking to a faceless arrogant voice on the other end of the phone.
So i would recommend if anyone gets this opportunity through their MP that they take legal representation /solicitor with them to make notes of all what is discussed and promised then at least afterwards they once they have left they won’t be able to fob you off as easily.
If your MP does arrange this for you even if he sits in on the meeting don’t expect him or her to back you up because end of the day they all seem to piss in the same pot and may engage in the conversation but may only play devils advocate (giving lip service to both sides )and who knows what maybe discussed behind your back once you have left the office and the CSA rep and your MP are left alone together.