CSA appeal failed – what can we do now?

August 10, 2012

My husband has just had his response from his appeal though the post and I am really upset to say the least.

As a mother of two children and I consider my self to be a fair person, I fully agree that all parents who do not live with there children should help towards the cost for keeping those children. I do however have issues with the way that the CSA run things and the way the treat honest people. My husband from the day he split from his ex has fully supported his daughter in both raising her and supporting her financially. As my step daughter was born in 2000 and he was not married to her mother he has no parental rights to his daughter, he has requested these on many occasions even through a lawyer but her mother has refused very occasion even ignoring the requests from a lawyer which has cost a lot of money (which is another matter all together),

My husband used to give his ex money every week without fail, money for school uniforms, school trips, holidays, furniture, basically anything his ex asked for she was given without question as he is a responsible loving father. However after we met, married and when I fell pregnant with our first child his ex decided this was not good enough and contacted the CSA and stopped access to his daughter. Eventually she gave in and access went back to normal one day per week and that is all (not enough I might add) and the Csa set a payment which my husband paid without question every week, when my husband lost his job the problems started with the Csa, he contacted them and informed him of the situation. When he did start working again he contacted them again to inform them of his wages etc and they told him that he had arrears of ove £1000 for the full time he was out of work. He questioned this and after many months of heartache and phone calls, emails etc they found in his favour and the arrears were dropped.

A year or so later my husband lost his job again and again contacted them to inform them of this. When he again found a job he informed them that he was again working and wanted to start making payments, surprise surprise they had no record of him stopping work and had arrears for the full time he was out of work. He again appealed this but this time they said as he could not prove he had contacted them the arrears stand and he had to pay these off. A year later he paid off his arrears and unfortunately lost his job again, this time he decided to start his own business and contacted the Csa to inform them of the changes and that as soon as he was making regular wages he would let them know that and start making payments. A few months later he was contacted out of the blue and informed that he had arrears as he had been making money and not telling them, when he asked what they meant the said that as we had been receiving tax credits (child tax credits and child care tax credits) they are classed as his earnings and he had to pay. Yet again he appealed this and told them that the tax credits are for our two children which the Csa denies exists and that as I am the higher earner they are infect classed as my earnings.

To cut a longer story short 18months later and 3 in Csa appeals we asked for this to be taken further to be investigated we were informed that as he appealed they have looked further into his case and instead of £2000, he now owes over £3000. They sent all the paper work through and we filled in what we needed to, sent them what they asked for, letter stating basically the above we received a letter today saying that as he didn’t send a form in (which we did send to they as well as a letter stating we wanted this appealed and the full reason why) they “assume that all parties have agreed that the Csa findings are correct and he is agreeing to pay they money that they say he should and the appeal tribunal has been cancelled and the Csa ruleing stands”

I am at the end of my tether and I do not know what I can or should do from here out as I am unconvinced that any one will listen to us. I know of fathers who do not care about there children and see them as a burdon rather than a blessing but i am luck enough to say my husband is not one of these men and would do or give anything for his daughters. Why is it fair that the Csa penalise the good parents when they let the bad ones away with everything. I know that he should pay the money for an easy life but I think why should he let them get away with this when they are only interested in getting there cut and do not care about the details or how much them demanding money that is for my daughters child care is taken away from them and we are left to struggle to pay for it so we can work hard to try and make a good life for all three.

Any advise or feedback I would gravely appreciate, and I apologise for the length of this post.

Comments

  • John says:

    You could appeal the tribunal decision to the upper tier tribunal, but only on a point of law. In that the CSA in their decision and the tribunal in their process have not conformed with legal processes.

    Have you tried the Independent Case Examiners’ office, or your M.P.?

  • rach says:

    ok appeal again!!. make sure everything is sent recorded delivery and keep copies of all paperwork. just appeal again and this time the appeal will be heard

  • Carol says:

    Independent Case Examiner I would now think. After that it would be the Ombudsman.

    CSA legislation is very much in their favour but don’t give up on it. Keep the complaint going.

  • not a person says:

    you are doomed there is nothing you can do that will help, the mistake you made was filling out there paper work, you have given them consent to act in this way and now you want to complain about it lol good luck. The CSA are a criminal corupt company that operates above the law. also having anything to do with them now makes you a criminal because you have supported them. there are families in this country committing suicide due to the actions this company are taking it has to stop now.

    No contract No power. No signature No power. No name no Game

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