I’ve been paying by standing order – so what’s this extra CSA charge?

May 30, 2013

Hi all, basically today I received my wage slip for the month. On the deductions part is my tax and NI and also a new one deo, the deo is £419.00 underneath this is a £1 admin fee. Not knowing what this was about I did a little research and found it to be the CSA.

What I don’t understand is I have been paying mantanance of my lad, paid by standing order from my bank account to the ex’s of £25 per week. What do I do where do I stand? As its bank holiday weekend I can’t do a fat lot about this now till Tuesday but any advice from you guys would be very much appreciated. Thanks Wayne.

Comments

  • Adrian says:

    Sounds like you been lucky so far. First thing is cancel the standing order. Probably ask your ex why she went to the csa. But bare in mind she may have been forced to go to them if she on certain benefits. Then it’s a long drawn out process to get the scum at the csa to drop you down to 30% I say this because you say you have 1 child. And 419 a month for 1 child is a lot. So I’m thinking they stung you for arrears as well which will take 40% of your income. If I not mistaken your ex can cancel and go for a private agreement with you. The £1 charge isn’t the csa it’s the banks admin fee for processing payments. Nothing you can do about that. Since you already been paying by standing order you got proof you been paying. The csa will say no. Not intrested. Don’t give up though you keep fighting and fighting. Give them pricks something to do cause they do naff all else apart from rape ya wallet. Everything in writing as well. God I’ve wound myself up now. Good luck

  • derek miller says:

    its more than likely the £1 charge is from your employer for handling the payments.
    here is my opinion on what to do:

    1)cancel the standing order and ask your ex why she’s contacted the CSA. as Adrain stated PWC’s can be forced to use the CSA . but as far as I would be concerned this CSA payment is ALL you should pay. nothing extra such as clothes etc.
    2) contact the CSA, initially via phone(but right down everything they say, and tell them you are recording the conversation). remind them you have had no contact from them and ask to speak to a manager. they wont like this but push for it. They will probably tell you that you have arrears so ask for an explanation verbally and written. I must tell you that normally they will make you feel like shit!!
    3) contact your MP to follow up the case, it gets you treated differently.

    if your ex contacted the CSA because she felt you where not paying enough, well as I said, the CSA payment is ALL you should pay. and make sure you push for as many nights as you can with your child.

    also go to https://www.gov.uk/calculate-your-child-maintenance and check want you should be paying.

    good luck and keep us all infomed so we can help.

    oh and remember, don’t lose with the CSA as the employees are 95% morons, and same with your ex

  • derek miller says:

    last paragraph should have read oh and remember, don’t lose IT with the CSA as the employees are 95% morons, and same with your ex.

  • Davie B says:

    If The DEO was applied without your knowledge (ie no prior warning) then it was put in place incorrectly as they have to give you a chance to pay and also inform you of the DEO prior to its enforcement. From what you are saying they haven’t given you prior warning so get them to remove it..I have ..TWICE, then set up a SO from your bank..good luck

  • stuart says:

    Legally your employer should have informed you of this also, would ask them why they failed to do so. Also get a copy of your CSA file it costs £10 and will show all the errors on your case that led to this action. You WILL need this to argue your case properly. E-mail your MP and ask for his help sorting them out.

  • Lisa says:

    Sounds like you have been royally screwed, did your ex not give any indication she was asking the CSA to get payments? Seriously they have done wrong by just sticking a DEO on you, did they not inform you by letter or phone call, this is illegal if they haven’t and you could ask for it to be removed, ask your ex to close the case and get a private agreement, sounds like she wanted the money so badly, have a look at the website our group has set up http://www.csa-ripoffs.co.uk the facebook group link is also on there for you to join if you so wish, good luck

  • Lisa says:

    Stuart the employer doesn’t have a legal right to inform the employee, they get a letter from CSA and it states in bold capitals DO NOT TELL THE PERSON CONCERNED ABOUT THIS LETTER its to stop the employee leaving there job

  • Alice says:

    There is no requirement for a PWC on benefits to have a CSA case – this is the PWC’s choice.
    Prior to a DEO being imposed the NRP should be contacted to set up payments to the agency if the PWC has asked for agency collection, if the NRP does not respond to calls then a letter should be sent – this would normally be an arrears warning letter which will be sent to the address the agency have on file.

    If the situation is that the case has been open for some time and set to agency collection but you have been paying the PWC direct then you should tell the agency about the direct payments – they will initially ask the PWC to confirm that she has received these payments and have her sign a declaration form so that the payments can be deducted from any arrears showing on the case – the case can also be made maintenance direct (so the accounts will stop charging) if the PWC says she is happy to continue receiving the money direct from you. If the PWC does not confirm that she has received money from you for child maintenance you can send the agency your bank statements showing the payments and they will look at whether they are able to adjust the accounts

    You need to speak to both your ex and the CSA to find out if the PWC has contacted them to start collecting the maintenance

  • Sally says:

    @ Alice – last year you said that you frequently went to your bosses with issues re CSA…. This is one of the biggest issues and weakest links…. The CSA rely on the word (not proof) of the PWC and its up to the NRP to prove otherwise!!!

    they will initially ask the PWC to confirm that she has received these payments and have her sign a declaration form so that the payments can be deducted from any arrears showing on the case – the case can also be made maintenance direct (so the accounts will stop charging) if the PWC says she is happy to continue receiving the money direct from you. If the PWC does not confirm that she has received money from you for child maintenance you can send the agency your bank statements showing the payments and they will look at whether they are able to adjust the accounts….

    The CSA will ‘look’ at whether they are able to adjust the accounts!?!? They should be adjusted as standard in these situations!?!? The PWC should be fined, issued with a DEO for ALL money owed when the are caught lying!!! But no…. That will never happen, you have to keep the PWC on side to ensure yous have a job!!

  • Carrie says:

    Definitely Sally -Like I said the other day (on the same subject) we sent PROOF of all payments to the pwc and the CSA chose to IGNORE them. Where do we go from here? Totally unfair !!

  • Wayne perry says:

    Hi all, thanks to everyone that has commented and that’s helping me out with this. On Friday the asked me to send them proof of payments made so I printed off my bank statement showing all payments, not one payment missed. Yesterday (Monday) they left a message on my phone asking why I have sent no proof into them yet! After them saying it must have got lost in the fax room they asked me to fax it over a gain and send a hard copy to them just incase it gets lost again!!! How very convenient!! Where do I stand now? Can I get this deo removed and how do I go about doing so? I have been talking to many people at work and other friends about this and they are saying that because she is actually receiving benefits that this money that the CSA take from me will not go to her and instead goes to the government as part payment of her benifits? This is real stressful, they told me on the phone that the ex rang them in march saying I have stopped payments but clearly showing on my statement. It’s so wrong that people can get away with is, I have read that no parent has ever been prosecuted for making a false claim, isn’t this wrong?? Allowing them to get away with it? More and more will do it and get away with it it’s not fair. Single parents living without there children at home have no leg to stand on, I’m trying my very best, paying my rent and bills so I have somewhere of my own so I can have my lad stop over, buying food so we both can eat. But the ex, not ever worked a day in her life, bearing 3 kids, has a 3 bedroom semi detached house, rent paid most bills paid, nice car, petrol fridge freezer full of food and she don’t have to work for it, sits round the house drinking tea and dunking her biscuits all bloody day. Someone somewhere needs to make an example out of this. I would love to give it a go but can’t do it on my own!

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