My ex is self employed and fiddling his CSA payments
November 30, 2009
When I left my ex 11 years ago, he paid me £40 cash each week, he told me to go to the CSA after he stopped paying and said could work the system – being self employed.
After many maintenance assessments forms sent to him, many dif. addresses, over many months, CSA said would make an interim assessment, then he finally sent the form back!
He told them he was paying me £40 but they said he only had to pay £28 (2 children).
He wouldnt pay on time or at all until they chased him. I wrote and saw my MP, Independent Case Examiner, anyone, saying the same thing, my ex. is lying about his earnings! The ICE have completed approx. 5 full reports and have agreed that the CSA has failed. My file has been lost, moved to dif. departments, offices, etc. Ive had numerous special payments due to their incompetence.
Bailiffs have been involved, 3 liability orders, even asking for prison sentence – as he would default on payments all the time and never make them up! The CSA never had the papers in order, didnt turn up for court once, etc.,
Ive had numerous tribunal appeals, my ex. sometimes didnt turn up or did but not with info they have asked him for and it has been ruled in my favour – as they had an accountant – but my ex has NEVER paid the assessment that was re-calculated at £114 pw on one of them and then £116 on another – finally in 2006 – on the basis that my ex had brought a house (£11 k deposit) and that I had a Solicitor to sue them and Watchdog were coming to film about my case. I immediately was telephoned and the CSA confirmed that it was due to the media – that I was offered an advance payment in the region of £15k plus interest. I had no choice but to accept as I needed to pay off the debts I had got over the years! (I have worked majority of the time p/t apart from when made redundant)
My ex even gave fake payslips and upon my investigating the company (that give payslips for money called Business Activities) confirmed my ex had never worked for them! The reason for this was because the CSA had contacted his sub contractor to get money. It was established that my ex was still self employed and always had been!
As you can see my ex has fiddled the tax man (by claiming a lot less money he has earnt with fake accounts that dont tally with his bank statements – which the tribunal picked up on in 2006 as well as another government agency the CSA! In one of the CSA’s proposals/policies it states that this is a criminal act to give false or misleading information – so why hasnt my ex been arrested for fraud / money laundering?
He has another child that the mother – who has never worked and made it clear doesnt want to and wanted another child (already has one by someone else) so not to work – well she was given money that should have gone to me re: special payment ! (dont know if they ever got that back from her) so I have to have my money halved now – but she calls herself a different name from her real name which makes me wonder if she is fraudulent claiming other benefits and not declaring csa money? She has been done for benefit fraud in the past. They were only together a short time.
My ex was giving me £55 pw in arrears now as my children are 19 and 22 but decided yet again, in Dec to only pay half of it. He is a law onto himself as he will pay what he wants and the CSA never chase him or do anything about it! In fact as long as he is paying me something they dont care – they have admitted this! In July 2008 it was established by the Criminal Compliance Unit that he earns approx. £38,500+pa and has 5 bank accounts with approx. £25 k in savings. But he claims to the taxman that he earns approx. £18k pa. He is self employed – Electrician working in London.
So my argument is I want what my children should have got for the past 6 years (as told can only go back that far) from 2008 back to 2002 at least – accountant at work calculated approx. £20k is owed as my ex only ever paid half the money that was calculated in 2006 – adding interest.
I went to the Appeal Tribunal to get this recalculated again – which the CSA says the maintenance assessment should be recalcualted – as they said they wanted prove he was a liar, well they have it now and have done nothing with it! The tribunal throw it out first saying out of time, which of course it would be, I asked for it to be reinstated under special/exceptional circumstances, it was but denied due to lack of evidence – ie. the CSA never gave me the full 6 years only 1 year and only brought some to the Tribunal but had other evidence which hadnt given to me and did not submit to the Judge/Chairman at the Tribunal – it was denied. Due to the Data Protection Act Im not allowed to have it, so how can I build a case when Im not allowed to see or have the info but the CSA do but dont submit it!?
So Im back to square one trying to get this re-assessed on the basis that my ex has lied.
I had a letter today from Chris Barras, Complaints Review Manager, again no further action is going to be taken by the CSA to recover the full amount I should have got.
The CSA have let my ex lie for 11 years and when they have the evidence about this, do nothing with it.
I have gone from full time time to part time now due to lack of work/hours cut at work – Im not entitled to benefits now but as on a low income going back to the Solicitor to sue them (as have to get legal aid).
I wont give up as I know Im right and they and my ex are in the wrong.
I just want to know why he has been allowed to get away with all this even when they know the truth, isnt that discrimination against me and my children – who I thought the CSA were set up to help the children not the self employed liars!
CSA make it impossible to see my son
November 29, 2009
In the early part of this year I recived a letter from the csa asking me to contact them. I did this and they told me i had court order attached to my wages of £135 a fortnight. This came as quite a shock as I used to see my son every week end and supported him financily. They told me that i owed them £8,500 and most of the money i was paying was for arrears. As a result of this i now only see him once a month as he lives some miles away, I dont drive and depend on public transport.
I have sold every thing i had,All i have left is my lap top and clothes. If i want to see my son its a choice of do i eat for a week or do i see my son. I have always been a part of his life. I have always supported him. How come it has taken he csa all this time to let me know i am debt with them. His mother has never worked a day in her life and lives on state hand outs. She has a 5 bedroomed house lives with her boyfriend who works full time and is claiming benifits she is not entitled to.
Yet i have to work all the hours i can to pay the csa and im still expected by his mother to have him once a week(I wish i could). Since the csa started taking the dad tax off me i have had to move twice so i can live with in my means i now lodge with a couple and get roughly the same as some one unemployed. Wheres the common sense. Wheres the justification
What is a Variation Order?
November 29, 2009
I’ll try to get to the point quickly!! I went through a horrendous divorce, falsely accused of numerous allegations e.g. harassment, driving without due care, fraud, implied sexual abuse to name just a few.
The sexual abuse was quickly dismissed by the Caff Cass officer (he said my ex wife said that my daughter had probably had too many sweets!!!) I won’t go into details. In the end most of the accusations went to court and I was proven to be innocent to ALL the allegations. No apology was forth coming!
When this was going on my wife made it impossible to see my daughter’s who were 3 and 8 years old. Numerous contact orders were broken but the courts did NOTHING! I spent ALL my savings trying to get justice in the family court but she played the system like a song. In the end my eldest daughter who was my angel refused to see me after my ex wife’s persistent brain washing. If anyone has heard of Parent Alienation syndrome (PAS) then they will fully understand what I am talking about. Now I haven’t seen either of my daughters for over 2 years (this includes ALL my family too) the pain is unbearable.
Now many of you will have already drawn conclusions!!! Now let me tell you the other side of the story?
I owned a successful children’s Nursery and was a successful financial adviser. The business I owned my ex ran. The ex had met someone and planned to take me to the cleaners. Six months prior to getting me arrested she got me to finish renovations on the business and finish payments on the car. The business was valued at £800,000!
Out of the blue I was arrested for harassment, when I was at my parent’s one morning. The police turned up with a van, patrol car and three officers! I still remember the police officer in the police station speaking to my very upset Father saying “Has he not told you what he has been up to?” I hadn’t even said a word! Guilty as charged!!
Because of the stress and constant breaking of contact orders I lost my job. Fortunately I met my new partner who was very supportive and saved me from going under. For the last year I have looked after my son (who I had with my new partner) on a full time basis (a house husband).
Now I said I would try to get to the point quickly!!! I received a financial settlement from my ex which was not good but there was nothing I could do. The settlement was full and final (or so I thought).
The ex recently applied for a “Deviation Order” she says I am living beyond my means as she has found out that I have been on holiday when my partner was on maternity leave. The CSA say that I must have an income but I explained that I was drawing the money out as and when I needed it to live on. I don’t receive ANY benefits or handouts. The ex got the business and has a very good living from my efforts over the last 20 years, now she wants to take money off me now from the divorce settlement which is ear marked for my future.
Can anyone tell me what I can do?
CSA Case Worker tells me to ‘Pay up and Shut up’
November 29, 2009
During the divorce, and for some time after (2 years in total!), my ex and I shared the house with our two children, the youngest under 16.
Through her crafty solicitor she claimed money off me through the CSA during this time, whilst I paid the mortgage and all household bills, including the food and childrens clothing.
Despite repeated claims this was unfair the CSA treated me like s**t and one of their male Birkenhead office staff told me that as an absent Father I should pay up and shut up.
I took this further over the first year, and finally received a letter from a Dame in the House of Lords saying she had looked into this and gave me a name of a man to contact at their Birkenhead office – yes the same person, and yes I got the same result. I then took his advice and shut up for 4 years.
Now the CSA have changed and they listen to what people say so I decided to give it another go – their helpline was very helpful and agreed they had definately been wrong in collecting this money, but I would have to take it up with their local Birkenhead office – so I did.
The lady was helpfull, said she would speak to a superior and get back to me – and didn’t! I rang her, but now she said a senior member had told they were correct in taking the money. I insisted this time she has the case re-opened. She said she would retrieve the casenotes and get back to me the following day. She didn’t and 3 days later still hasn’t – it looks as if the “gentleman!?!” from many years ago may still be there and ranks have been closed.
Has anyone any idea what I should do next, or even know if the CSA were right?
How can I reduce my CSA payments?
November 28, 2009
I am in a stuation where I owe the secretary of state (through the CSA around £4500) I recognise this and have been paying not only the amount to the child but also I came to an agreement last year where I could pay the debt off over 4 years, this I could just about manage. In Jan 2009 the company I was working for went under and I was unemployed up until a month ago. My case has now been reassessed and the now have given me two choices, either get a deduction of earning of 40% or pay the debt off over 2 years.
Either way it would leave me and my family very very short, I can just about afford to pay the amount set out over the 4 years add to this I have after some years gained a great relationship with the child and the childs mother and have agreed to pay them directly.
It’s causing me and my familyme much stress, the CSA before were quite helpful but the new case worker and her boss are seeing things in black and white.
I’m not earning as much as before yet they want me to pay more.
CSA mistake means I will not get any money
November 28, 2009
I had a baby in march 2009. I first contacted the CSA in april and gave all my details and the dads.
I kept phoning and phoning to see what was happening and now its november and they have said there is a software error which means my claim cant be processed.
my claim has gone nowhere, it’s not on the computer system whatsoever and wont be they have told me i have to complain they said and then they will try to get it on the system.
they also said they cant get any money from my ex partner because its there mistake which menas for the last 7 months he will not have to pay a penny.
I am just so angry they say they go after absent parents but in my case they wont be until i have made a complaint then it might get dealt with.
Do I have to pay CSA for a one night stand?
November 28, 2009
Some 2 years ago I had a very druken 1 night stand with a girl I had never met before, I woke up in the morning and she and my wallet was missing! I kicked myself for days about this and couldnt beleive I had been robbed by a girl that seemed to be nice (maybe a bit rough).
18 MONTHS later after completely forgetting about this druken mistake the csa contacted me at work to say I was a father and would have to pay for a child I knew nothing about!
I have taken the DNA test and the child is mine, I have no clue who the mother is apart from the name on the form they sent me. This girl must have been planning to get pregnent and took my wallet as a way of tracking me if she feel pregnent, how can this be allowed to happen? Why should I pay for a child that has been made simply so the mother can have a life on benefits?
I have just had to tell the women I am in a relationship with and it has broken her heart as we have just found out she has cancer……………
The CSA do not care that I am now struggling to pay our bills on my own and are demanding I pay £240 per month. I feel like ending my life but need to try and be strong for my partner.
Does anyone have a way out for me, I’m desprate………….
I will go to jail if I don’t pay CSA arrears
November 27, 2009
i have been corresponding to the CSA for over a year, i am self employed and sent them my accounts aug 08 after they had set a figure of earnings for myself at £373.00 per week, they awarded me £48.00 per wk on this figure.
When they got my accounts they changed the weekly figure to £10.00 per week but kept 4 mths at the £373.00 figure earning me arrears of £1106.00.
i have corresponded to everything and not one reply in return in over a year to my worries ovrer this figure, i had court appearances cancelled and finally today i attended 3 magistrates in Bradford, who could do nothing to help me and knew what i had told them was correct, but stated their hands are tied and they have to issue liability orders as the CSA demand require and nothing they can do.
Devasted to be left with a £1106 arrears order which i have 2 years to pay in full or got o jail for 42 days. Work is imppossible to get at the moment and i am struggling to manage.
They dont care, the enforcement woman was un-sympathetic new nothing or did not wnat to she just had to get the order through. I told her i had contacted the assessment people in Belfast as she told me (no reply) nothing unusual the CSA have never replied in over ayear to me over this matter.
She told me ring them in 2 weeks if nothing. She told me in the year i should have used the word Appeal not assessment. The story goe on and on, errors which my sister contacted them and she was told typing error he has paid, no letter which errors changed or an appology.
I am thoroughly drained after so long and severly depressed at this liability order which i dont owe.friends and family are hossified that the courts have no power over this organisation so they can go in with incorrect ammounts and get liability orders for large sums of money and questions are allowed to be asked where they got them.
My sister has written to her Mp and will not rest on this she is disgusted as is everyone else today. Frightening to know the legal judges and courts have no power to question the inaccuraccies that are blatantly put in front of them and nothing they can do. Every dad today were paying dads as were the ones i spoke with in Leeds court in July 09.
I am at my wits end and will be seeking medical assistance as i am mentally drained of trying to get through to an organisation after over a year and they can get an order for money not oweing and the law allows it. I am using my sisters e-mail address as i dont have one and she has okd this.
Thank you
Derek Wigglesworth
CSA are pathetic!
November 27, 2009
I split with my ex after 14 years in 2007, we have 2 boys who are now 7 & 9.
He kicked us out of our 3 bed council house ( as it was joint tenancy the council would not make him leave, and I was not willing to take it to court ) we had to move back to my home town and live in my mums house. My ex and I had a bank loan ( stupidly in my name ) he refused to pay anything towards it.
So while he was living in a 3 bed council house for £300 a month rent ( which he eventually got evicted from after putting up a fight, and gave away all the expensive furniture, also in my name ), I am struggling with malicious calls from the bank and trying to support OUR 2 kids.
During this time he was paying £40 a week maintenance ( less than 10 % of his wages, and cash in hand job ). I eventually had to declare myself bankrupt, which is near on impossible trying to get paid wages with no bank account! I was working part-time and at college full-time, out 7 days a week. I asked my ex for more maintenence as we were not affording gas and the kids were cold…he said NO.
It was then I went to the CSA. They assessed the case…..sent me a form saying he should pay £76 a week.
But he didnt…so I repeatedly phoned them. They then went about setting up a DOE…which took months. The day came when a cheque was promised…and of course didnt turn up. CSA tells me my ex is having it re-assessed. I then get another form telling me of the new payments which will be £46 a week? I phone CSA..they tell me he has his g’friends 3 kids to support ( none of them are his and all recieving CSA from their own fathers ).
Day eventually comes when cheque is promised again….of course cheque doesnt arrive. So I phone CSA again…they tell me my ex has filled in a variation form ( I asked the CSA for a variation form 3 times…and never got one ). I then recieve a letter telling me my ex apprently has shared care of our 2 boys as he has them stay over 2 nights a fortnight?
So I phone CSA and tell them he hasnt had the kids stay over for 4 months. But the CSA want proof from ME ??? And if I cant provide them with proof the payments will drop to £26 a week..( baring in mind I havnt recieved ANY money since Nov and it was then March ) I eventually flipped and told the CSA to close the case, because I was not going to degrade my children to accepting £13 each a week, and if their father really thinks that little of them that he is willing to lie to get out of supporting them then thats his problem, I have fed and clothed them, worked and held down a full-time college course and would continue to do so.. as I would not let them go without.
It is now 11 months since I have had any maintenance for my kids, and since he has had them stay over. Yet he drives round in a new fully-loaded Chrysler voyager, goes on holiday, buys his new kids a pony and PS3 ( but wont let our kids have their toys back ).
I am told there is no other option to get maintenance payments, it either has to be private arrangement or CSA. I hope my ex someday has a conscience as to the way he has treated his kids. And to all the decent fathers out there I know how you feel …as I have also been on the other side too ( when I first met my ex he had a 2 year old daughter, and in her case the CSA assessed my wages along with my ex’s, and we had to pay £80 a week for one child and this was back in 1994-95.)
But on the brighter side I now have 3 a-levels, and am doing a foundation degree, my bankruptcy has finished and we are renting a lovely little house.
SOD the CSA..and SOD my ex !
CSA are putting me on the dole
November 26, 2009
i’m sure that you have all heard this a thousand times before im having problems with the csa they have stuck a DEO on me wages reckon i owe 7500 in arrears they are leaving me with nothing to live on its a complete joke literally working for nothing at the moment £250 quid a week while they take between £100 to £200 pounds a week !! for 1 child!!
how can they justify doing this i came to some arrangement with them that i would pay £69in support payments and £36 pound towards arrears, which i could just afford. i still think i was too high.
everythime i ask where the arrears has come from i get aload of jargon waffled in my earhole. where does this money go, do i owe it?
i dont even know my ex is on benefits wont let me see my daughter but picks up the money every week no problem it gets me down that im getting screwed over and i cant see a way out they have left me with so little to live on im close to losing everything which ill be honest isn’t alot anyway.
i have rang the csa countless times and get nowhere its like they dont even care told me to goto citizens advice cos im apparently living above my means what a cheeky load of money grabbing gits i need help or advice quick cos im close to jacking it all in.
i have had enough of getting ripped off all i wanna do is work and provide for me an my new family and they seem ta be hell bent on putting me on the dole its pathetic.