CSA decided my income was higher than it really was

May 22, 2012

I’ve been paying child support outside the CSA for nearly 3 years, but recently for the first time ever I was a couple of days late making a payment when I switched bank accounts. My ex when to the CSA, I wasn’t too bothered, but my calculation I’d actually end up paying a little less.

Imagine my surprise when they decided my net weekly income was £70 higher than was on my payslip.

I have a percentage of my pay kept back in a holiday fund that pays out when I take time off and any left over gets paid at the end of the year. The money goes in gross and comes out net in when I take a holiday, so it smooths my pay out over the year.

So instead of my weekly income being £318.70ish, they say it’s £388.38 and I’m paying an extra £8.14 a week or £423.28 a year.

Ok I said, then times I take the holiday pay I won’t be paying maintenance? Of course I will, so effectively I’m paying maintenance twice on this money.

I asked if I took all the money up front and took unpaid holidays would I not pay that week. No, can get an adjustment for a short period.

I asked how other contractors deal with this as surely there is another way to do it. Some people go on a whole year figure. Ahh I thought, just what I need. No, can’t do that, you are paid weekly.

I have no problem with paying maintenance, they are my children and I love them and want to contribute. I have a new family that I have to support now and we are tight enough to our budget that even £8 a week is going to hurt. I just want to pay a fair amount and paying twice on some of my income isn’t’ fair.

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