CSA Advice for Fathers

Dealing with the CSA is one of the most stressful things that a non resident parent has to do, and it can seem that you’re simply banging your head against a brick wall. It’s often hard to find anywhere that can offer CSA advice for fathers and mothers who live away from their children, with the Child Support Agency themselves seemingly only interested in how much money they can take and how quickly they can take it.

Luckily, websites such as ours at CSAhell.com offer advice for fathers on dealing with the CSA. On our site you can read tales of how other non resident parents have had to deal with the CSA, and how their advice can help you with your own case. We feature daily posts from other parents who are in constant contact with the Child Support Agency, and by reading and sharing in their experiences you can use their knowledge to help yourself.

As an idea of the sort of CSA advice for fathers that you’ll get from our site, here are some things that you should bear in mind when the CSA come calling on your door, either by phone or by letter.

Always record everything
When you speak to the CSA on the phone you should record the call. You do not have to notify them that you are doing it. The law states that as long as one person is aware of the call, it can be recorded. It is only when calls are recorded without either party knowing that there are issues. When you send them letters, always send them recorded delivery and keep all correspondence from the CSA, filed chronologically.

Never lose your temper
This can be difficult, especially when they are demanding money that you do not have. However, you should keep your cool and stay calm. Never raise your voice or resort to using abusive language. They probably will still refuse to help you, but you do not want to give them any encouragement to persecute you further.

Save as much money as you can
As soon as you are contacted by the CSA about a child who does not live with you, you will begin accruing arrears. The CSA will want these arrears paying, so you should put money aside to help cover those costs. As a rule of thumb, you will end up paying 15% of your earnings for one child, 20% for two children and 25% for three or more children. Treat it like a tax, and save for it as they will enforce the collection of arrears, usually through a deduction of earnings order.

You can read more advice on dealing with the CSA such as this on our website, and in our daily posts on the Child Support Agency.