I don’t trust what the CSA has told me. Please can someone advise?

October 25, 2012

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone can shed light on being a fulltime student with nil assessment, as well as working part time.

Brief history; Husband made redundant in August just as a DEO was set up for payment.

CSA was advised of redundancy by him and also given the evidence of his course that they requested. Nil assessment put in place. Whilst on the phone my husband asked the advisor about wether he would have to pay if he got part time work (he hasnt yet) and he was told NO he didnt.

I am not so naive as to take this as gospel from them as I have read to much on this site! Also, I have read he would have to pay if he was earning over 100 per week being a student , other people say 5 per week, some say all of it is assessed?!! I have searched everywhere but cant find anything credible and I certainly dont trust what hes been told on the phone by the horse’s mouth as it were.

I just dont want to be in the situation years down the line (his course is 3 years) of having amassed huge arrears which they will agressively pursue back.

We are living on my wage at the moment, and its a huge struggle, so would be beneficial if he could work, but not if the majority of it would be swallowed up by an extortionatley high maintenance amount, as we were previously.

Comments

  • Alice says:

    if an nrp is a full time student thier assessment will be nil – they will have to send the agency a copy of the letter of acceptance onto the course, this letter will state if the course if full or part-time..
    If they decides to take part-time work they will not be assessed on their earnings as long as they remains full time on the course.
    If they have outstanding arrears from when they were previously working they can ask for payment towards their arrears. If they does not get work and has no income and have arrears which they are not in a position to pay at the moment the arrears will be temporarily suspended for collection at a later date, the agency will contact them periodically to see if thier circumstances have changed and if they are in a position to pay something towards the arrears.
    If after they have finished their course they go back to paid employment they should contact the agency and give them the details of their employment and income, at this point a new assessment will be done and they will be required to pay their weekly liabilty and something over and above towards the outstanding arerears.

    If an nrp is not in full time education and works part-time earning less than £100 per week they will be assessed as being liable to pay £5 per week, if they have overnight care of their child/children for 52 nights or more per year they will be awarded a shared care allowance which cancels out their £5 liability. They will not be awarded an allowance for any child/children living in their household. The same rules apply to an nrp who is in receipt of certain state benefits.

    If an NRP earns more than £100 but less than £200 er week, and is not in full time education they are assessed at £5 for the first £100 and a % of the amount over £100 – the % is based on how many children they are paying for and how many children they have in their household (these do not need to be the nrp’s children, they can be children of their new partner) they can be awarded a shared care allowance if they have the child/children overnight for 52 nights or more a year but this will be a fraction of the liability (1/7th for bandwidth 1 2/7ths for bandwidth 2 and so on)

    If an NRP is earning over £200 per week and is not in full time education they will be assessed at a percentage of their net income in accordance with how many children they are paying for. The will be given an allowance for any children in their household and also a shared care allowance based on the bandwidths for the £100-£200 income assessment .

    Hope this helps

  • Karen says:

    Thankyou for your detailed reply Alice. My husband has been onto the CSA again this week, and asked for written confirmation of the rules when a student works part time, but alas we just received another copy of the nil assessment letter instead.
    Verbally over the phone the advisor told him this time, that if he were to work, he would only have to notify CSA if it was over 16 hours, whereas last time it was you dont have to tell us whilst your a student. It seems a very grey area still, and to be honest it doesnt really sit right with me that nothing is ‘written in stone’ and depending on who you ask, a different answer is given!
    As much as it pains me to toe the line with the CSA after the way we have been treat over the DEO, I would be inclined to be upfront and honest and just tell them if he goes ahead with job, then its their mistake if they dont sort it out. I have set up a file at home solely for CSA, and all phone calls are logged, receiots for sending recorded delivery, as well as all letters from me to them & vice versa in it. They absolutely scare me and make me feel very vulnerable when I should be able to have faith in them. I sincerely do want to have faith! At least I can produce all docs if it does hit the fan further down the line and hopefully no madey-uppey arrears or the like shouldnt happen to us. Thanks again for your reply, I appreciate it and hope your right x

  • chall says:

    Karen,

    If the NRP is a student and their eligibility is for the nil rate of CS, the PWC can apply for a variation re; Income not taken into account.
    Only net income over £100 pw can be taken into consideration.

    When working out the earnings of a student, normally the total income for the year, ending with the relevant week, is added together and divided by 52 to give a weekly amount.
    The weekly value of additional income is added to other income from benefits.

    chall ~ afairercsaforall

  • wilf says:

    How very fortunate that somebody else will incur the cost of raising a child whilst the father indulges in studies instead of earning a living.

  • stuart says:

    How very fortunate that somebody else will incur the cost of raising a child whilst the father indulges in studies instead of earning a living.

    Does a father not have a right to study?

    How fortunate that a PWC can have an NRP pay for a 20 year old child!!! Jesus christ 20!!!!!

    We all pay for the dossers and scroungers and for me a choice to improve yourself is the same as one to work. if it keeps the CSA away even better.

    The government can pick up the tab…….oh yeah thats our money too!!!

    We are in a corrupt, unjust, unfair land Wilf, don’t knock anyone for trying to have a life. The CSA try to take it away from you and time people stood up and gave it back.

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