Child maintenance payments are unfair

June 28, 2012

My story concerns the unfairness of the assesment of child maintenace payments and how the CSA only use a limited number of parameters.

My ex wife and I separated some 4 years a go. I gave her a lump sum of monay, but surprise the CSA telephoned the next month to arrange maintenance payments. The payments were agreed and paid, with the necessary adjustments for when my child came and stayed the night, and then when my new partner and I had a new child together.

Whilst paying was not an issue, my daughter decided (even though the divorce papers say she is meant to come 4 nights a fortnight), not to come. In addition shortly after we split, I had to get an IVA to cover the debt my ex had run up on the credit cards in my name so this was being paid every month too.

Had another call from the CSA today, my ex wife has called the CSA to get my maintenance payments reasessed because my daughter is not coming to stay (she lives in the next village!). I am now going to have to pay the full amount, the IVA too. My wife and partner earn £100,000 jointly per annum, my partner and I £40,000 per annum, we also have another child, plus my two step daughters who stay with us half of the time. My ex has no other children and spoils my daughter to bits but does not do anything with her, i.e. gives her money to go out all weekend with her friends – at 14 years old.

I am so frustrated, we have always paid maintenance and want my daughter to stay as she did, I am being penalised twice.

Comments

  • chall says:

    Matthew,

    When you gave your ex the lump sum 4 years ago, what were you under the impression the money was for and did you take advice from a solicitor?

    Can you confirm, did you split from your 2nd wife and was the IVA to cover the debt she had run up?

    chall ~ afairercsaforall

  • Carol says:

    It’s unfortunate your 14 year old does not want to stay over but that is normally what they want to do at that age, is spend time with friends.

    The CSA won’t be interested in the income of your ex and her partner. They only want the % you are due to your ex from you, regardless of your financial position.

    Have you applied for a variation for the CSA to take into account the debts you have taken over from the marriage breakdown?

  • richard says:

    I pay 313 a month plus debts I am working paying for three kids 2 years old 13 years and a seventeen year old who is not in education or on any kind of training ect this means I cannot afford to rent a flat bedsit or even a room I am homeless live in a van and struggle to hold down a job

  • >