iain mackay says:

My press release

Not everything is as it seems. Take the recent IDS resignation; some political commentators claimed it was over Brexit, others over the reform to disability benefits whilst the man himself pontificates in his resignation letter that “The advancement of Social Justice was my driving reason for becoming part of a ministerial team” Words are cheap, the conduct is in the action.

So let me introduce myself. I am part of a sub class; the press’s painted pantomime villain; vilified and despised in equal measure. I am in Child Maintenance Enforcement Commission (CMEC) speak an NRP or “Non resident Parent” a euphemism for “No Rights Provided”

My complaint began 2,415 days ago when I received a call from CMEC seeking maintenance for my youngest child. Ignoring my financial circumstances, my case rapidly moved from enquiry to liability with no transparency as to the calculation. Along with the demand for money, were regular releases of legal prosecution notices in letters that threatened a wide range of actions from the arrestment of my wages through to the seizure of my driving licence.

And the press look on with the contempt that is only reserved for a pariah parent that is unwilling to meet their financial and moral obligations to care for their children. The general public laud and endorse the Agency to take whatever action is required to enforce payment and the Law Lords remove any legal “Duty of Care” or recourse for redress.

That is the way of the world and I know my place. For the past seven years I have been on the receiving end of CMEC’s wrath. I have been dragged through the courts multiple times; I have had a £13,000 liability order awarded against me at the fourth time of asking; I have had the Agency plot to repossess my house, arrest my wages and instruct bailiffs. Oh how I have suffered as I fall into the abyss of deep depression which led me to foreclose my business of ten years because I can no longer handle the stress that has been brought about by the emotional, mental and financial stress that has culminated in legal fees of £37,000.

Deserved, say the “rubber-neckers” of life, who judge from afar; Result say society who hate to see someone getting away with it; Rubberstamped with a seal of approval by our beloved media. But if you think this is where the story ends you are wrong.
This is very much just the beginning. For those of you who have read this far, you are about to witness and become part of a revolution in social reform. You see, my story differs from my predecessors in that I have gone through the whole end to end process and survived to tell the tale.

What I am about to impart in bright Technicolor glory will echo resonantly amongst other wretched NRPs, but will be heard, understood and witnessed by the high ground moralists who having spent their day pointing their crooked finger and I will evidence that is their high moral horse is beyond lame, it is already in the tanning yard.

You see my substantive complaint has just been upheld by the PHSO at the fourth time of asking, although I anticipate it will require a further iteration before justice is served. It will prove beyond any doubt that CMEC lacks meaningful oversight and accountability at every level. It will demonstrate that CMEC does not always act with impartially; it does not always tell the truth; it lacks the internal governance to redress a wrong and it does not have the internal systems to identify and remedy systemic failings. Yet the Government continually seeks to extend the powers of this feral Agency that is out of control.

It is an organisation that is institutionally discriminatory. It favours the interests of the Parent with Care (PWC), above and beyond even the most basic of rights and justices afforded to the NRP. It is an organisation that has coerced, bullied, threatened and applied punitive legal enforcement to enforce NRP acquiescence even when the Agency knows their actions to be manifestly unlawful.

In my case, CMEC claimed I owed the PWC £13,000 in maintenance. When they were dragging me through the courts, arresting my wages, plotting to reposess my home and raising bailiff action, they also knew that the variation to be unlawful.
At no time did CMEC disclose this information to the external appeals bodies such as ICE or the PHSO, although in fairness neither would be curious enough to ask the relevant questions. The take away, as confirmed by the PHSO, is that CMEC knowingly applied an unlawful variation; CMEC also make liability order calculations that they cannot replicate, that are not documented, recorded or explained and they have a failed appeals process that is geared to reinforce what the last case worker advised.

The very recently withdrawn Special Payment Guide (which is a minor, but telling victory for the little guy) failed within its 58 pages of business conduct and complaint remedies to provide a single example of a NRP complaint, confirming its overtly obvious institutional discrimination. As will grow intimate with my case, every possible wrong, every possible failing, every possible breach in CMEC’s SPG code of conduct that could be, made has been made. . https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/504359/withdrawn-cmec-special-payments-guide.pdf.
CMEC have admitted maladministration and for that I should be returned to the position I should have been had it not been for the “official” error. My local MP at the time [Simon Hughes] was ironically the actual Minister for Justice and passionately concurred. So what would you think the going rate for redressing what is in essence Malfeasance? For the pain, suffering and loss this dispute has brought me? £644.15 in respect of my £37,000 legal fees and a £500 consolatory payment, which is consistent with other similar cases which I see as an open admission that pursuing unlawful maintenance awards is common practice.

However, it’s time for me to stop talking about my case and instead consider the stories of those who unsurprisingly succumbed to the relentless, crushing force that is CMEC. The stories you are about to access all have a common theme post death in that the amount CMEC was chasing was reduced, often significantly: –
1. http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/582307/Dad-killed-himself-after-CSA-demands
2. http://childsupportadvice.co.uk/testimonials.shtml Mr & Mrs S Moody’s testimonial where £64,000 was just written off
3. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1525148/The-CSA-not-only-ended-my-fathers-life-it-ruined-mine-too.html
4. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=870839
I think on this specific subject I should leave the last thought to the Somerset journalist Ross Hemsworth https://www.facebook.com/Fathers4kids/posts/622138894483273

I have written a detailed case study which contextualises my experience against the CMEC regime. It evidences the Agency failings using source documentation and its disclosure will not only shock, but will compel you to campaign for reform. Upon request I will circulate

As for IDS, I believe that particular rat left the ship knowing it is going down. Championing Social Justice!!! I remained surprised if IDS can even spell it