Please advise me on appealing against the CSA

67 thoughts on “Please advise me on appealing against the CSA”

1. My son, my daughter, my children …..

   Why should he contribute anything for children that do not appear to be his?

2. They don't investigate and have no time too. I worked as an advisor at the citizen advice bureau and i cantell you this, appeals take ages and isn't worth it. When you take the CSA route it will just piss him off and you will be far worst off. When youtake the CSA route, they either deduct from his wages or tey recieve from him, either way you don't get the full amount, you only get a small percentage and the rest goes to the treasury. Your better off negotiating with him, its the best solution and option for both of you.

3. Shaban – why does the RP(parent with care) get on a small percentage??

4. Well that last comment is not so true get on the phone to the CSA they do get assessments on. Non paying / self employed / non resident parents , I know this as my other half has been helped quite well by the CSA.

5. To the treasury ? What are you on that's crap.

6. Rob, thats what i thought since they introduced the white paper (April, i think) enabling all parent with care to KEEP all maintenance paid, even when on benefits!

7. If he is self employed they can get information on his tax submissions to help them do an assessment. If this is low ask them to look at this assessment again. Then you could appeal on what is called the departure route if there is evidence that his lifestyle is inconsistent with what he claims is income relates to. Does he have a house, mortgage, holidays, nice car, etc… And this can then lead to a tribunal where they can look right into his bank accounts !! You have to drive the CSA to work for you get on their case , they have better powers you need to push the right buttons .

8. I think shaban is right at the end of her comment and if the two parents tried to work out something fair then the csa wouldn't be able to ruin so many lives and does rob work for them cause i think he needs to read some more on here and he would find they ruin lives of good people

9. Kevin yes if parents could do this then great! but in the majority of cases the NRP does their most to avoid paying for their children full stop! although their are exceptions to this and I know many NRP fathers who pay well over what the CSA would assess them on. BUT I know more NRP fathers who totally avoid paying ANYTHING at all for their own kids! go self employed and lie their way through life in some warped mission to spite the parent with care. If the CSA are ruining the lives of good people by getting them to pay for their kids then perhaps as you say they should make agreements between themselves as adults. If not then as long as the kids are supported with CSA intervention then tough. No I do not work for them. If I did there would be many thousands of NRP paying for their kids I can assure you!

10. It is worth noting that there are still approx 800,000 clients still on 'old rules' system. A system so cocked-up that arrears were created BY THE CSA! you may know many NRPs who are avoiding paying any maintenance at all, Rob. I do too..but the majority of the ones I know aren't even involved with the CSA, strangely enough.However, I know plenty more who are indeed paying money to the state because they have arrears..through no fault of their own!

11. Su, yes you could ask the CSA to reassess your ex but the reality is they won't and they will ask you give them absolute proof your ex is earning. And if you do get that proof they find another excuse. You may strike lucky and find one in the CSA worker that actually does their job effectively, but they are few and far between. Most are rude and and won't hold a proper conversation with you regarding your case.If you contact them knowing this I would suggest that you keep your wits about you and note everything they say and ask for it to be put in writting…this will never happen……particulary dates they give you as these change dependant on who you talk too!I had pretty damming proof my ex was on a very good wage, they still wouldn't accept it. My solicitor said a judge would have and would at least ask for a more in depth earnings report to be done.At the end of the day you need to think of the unbelievable stress the CSA are going to put YOU under weighed up against the very faint possibility they may look into your case again.

12. God this is depressing! I am a parent with care and receive only £5 a week from a NRP who manages finds all the money he needs to fund his ultra lavish lifestyle, whilst his son wears second hand clothes and receives free school dinners. There seems to be a growing number of PWC's finding themselves in the impossible situation of having to produce proof to the CSA that their estranged (and in some cases abusve) ex-partner is fiddling not only thier kids, but the rest of the tax-paying nation by lying about his or her self employed income. I'm sick of trying to argue with the CSA. I sugget we turn all this on it's head and instigate a press campaign urging all NRP's to go self employed in order to avoid paying for their kids. It's a risk but one which would attract a lot of unwanted negative publicity for the CSA and may galvanise them into taking action instead of just ignoring the voices of the dissenting few…

13. Oddly enough, Many PWC's are in receipt of child benefits and tax credits. I understand child benefits an WFTC's are there to financially support the child, then there is the issue of claiming for CSA payments, and originally, It is true the percentages of CSA payments did go into the treasury especially if the PWC was on benefits, CSA payments became additional income and deducted from benefits. However, I have the pleasure of shared care and fortunately am not required by law to make CSA payments even though I am on benefits due to my disability. In fact, my 13 yr old son detests the CSA due to how poor his financial situation was while residing with me on weekends and holidays while his mother was having a great time and his mother is PWC. Althoug I was working at the time, I was unable to provide a lavish lifestyle for my son wich had I had a lavish lifestyle would have included his benefiting. Unfortunately, the CSA do not consider this and aim to cause the NRP to become financially destitute by creating calculations of arrears instead of a steady regaining of arrears by a smaller percentage, the only way I was able to repay my arrears was to work overtime and not declare overtime to CSA, then my child could have a wonderful time financially while he stayed with me, I made sure my son benefited financially rather than his motherthe PWC benefiting financially.

14. Katy why dont u do something about it then and get a god damn job>??! just because he is doing well doesn't mean you automatically should!!

15. I find that remark quite offensive Jay in that you are making assumptions about me or my lifestyle in order to make your point. I realise that some absent parents get a very raw deal from their ex's, many of my friends and family included, but none of us are going to get very far in tackling the failings of the CSA if we resort to making sweeping generalisations about eachother. The CSA will win simply by 'divide and rule'!I'm not the least bit interested in my ex's money, but his son does have some rights here. A small part of the responsibility of having children involves providing financially for their upbringing and that surely includes being prepared to make some sacrifices yourself. Before I had my son I was a television producer/director, a job which provided a very healthy income and a lifestylewhich I thoroughly enjoyed. The appalling lack of adequate affordable childcare in this country and the unsociable hours required of a single parent means that is a career choice which no longer works for me and my son. I do however spend the vast majority of my income in making sure my son is adequately provided for. Why should this not be the same for the both parents?Whichever way you look at it. lying to the CSA and the Inland Revenue about your income in order to deny your kids a fraction of the lifestyle you are enjoying is surely wrong?

16. Statistics have shown that when the CSA is not involved and parents can amicably agree to maintenance, money flows far more freely between them which benefits the children immensely ~ both parents can provide a good lifestyle for the child/ren.It's such a shame that the CSA have to become involved, whether through fault of the NRP or PWC.

17. Unfortunately, many PWC's are intent on causing the NRP intense difficulty in financial matters, the PWC usually during a divorce comment on their wanting to take the other for every penny they'v got. Why would it be any different in reference to the CSA. Play the system while lies pour so fluently off their tongues, funnier still when the NRP turns out not to be the true father cases, that the CSA continue to persue the same NRP. however! there are those that are intent for the sake of the money rather than financial support for the child on top of Working Families Tax Credits plus Child benefit plus ther are those that include Disability Allowances and request the CSA to get more money out of the NRP. I advise all NRP's to know where you stand in legal obligation and financial obligation, Make sure you assess all your income and if they correspond legally by accurate calculations, Some NRP's are paying more than they should be, if they are, then the CSA is commiting a criminal offence. they are only entitled to make deductions by accurate assessment and calculations, any further deductions that cannot be accounted for in the calculations is immediately to be considered as theft,which is a criminal offence by UK Law.

18. think you should change that to the minority. Some NRP's are intent in causing the PWC huge financial hardship with no thought to the welfare of the child they help make and tell the PWC 'I am going ensure you never get a penny' and some NRP would rather see the PWC on the street with the children than support those children.Allan, there are two side to every generalised swiping statement!

19. I don't think Allan was generalising..he did say 'many' and not 'all'..but I do get your point Helen :-)I know of a fair few PWCs who have gone to the CSA despite actually receiving maintenance for their children privately. I am not one of those, and I know of a fair few PWCs who wouldn't touch the CSA with a bargepole, and they either have a private arrangement or would rather go without! I have been in both situations..I do have to add to Allan's post too. Why on earth is a PWC considered to have 'no assessable income', even when they earn a wage?

20. get rid of PWC and NRP neologisms and look after your child. I'm a PWC and A resident parent. I don't get ANY 'maintenance' the state can not maintain your lifestyle. You'll have to get 4 jobs like me.

21. Who mentioned anything about the state supporting their lifstyles, I do believe however that our lifestyle is making sure our children recieve all that they are entitled to legally whilste also protecting the rights of of ourselfs as a legal obligation to protect the rights of our children, Is this not a war of antiterrorism, why when the CSA commit a terrorist war upon our children can we not declare our voice as one nation against the oppressive regime supported by the greed to obtain what could most certainly be considered as a stealth tax. Do you claim from an NRP? As an NRP, I personally make sure my child is happy, well fed, clothed, entertained, as a father with his son, I make sure he benefits from all that I can provide without providing his mother any financial support. however, the comments are refering to how the CSA cause conflict betwen PWC's & NRP's likewise, we choose here to debate and see others points of view rather than a selfish desire for judgement & critisism of the NRP's & PWC's, We debate in protection of our children, I would like to most certainly believe that is to every NRP's & PWC's desire here! To create a system fair to our children! Thatislooking after our children is it not?

22. Take no notice of brokenfather as he is obviously got a broken attitude towards the support of th children.

    Departure Appeal – Lifestyle inconsistent, etc. Get Criminal Compliance Unit to check him out via credit ref agencies, then needs to go to enforcement, i.e bailiffs, deo (deduction of earnings if paye) also called attachment of earnings. If self employed – pray! Please join facebook group child support agencies failings, and others to see how others have coped, support and advice, all free and unfortunately too many of us, especially with the ex’s who are self employed!!

23. The four most important jobs for the PWC & NRP; 1) feeding 2)clothing 3)supporting 4)entertaining our children… 4 jobs more important than financial gain. do you refer to 4 jobs that are benficial to our children either of love for the child or for financial support. If it is financial support, does your child feel they have enough time with you or are they happier to see the money. My child prefers to spend time with me. My child always asks if it's ok that he have this or that, or will refuse if he thinks it's expensive. dont care about the expense but he is concerned how little my income is after CSA deductions take a chunk! Yes, I'm open to my son and he knows I will always do my best for him.

24. I Apologise Katy, I know every case is different, in my case however, i was forced to pay maximum wack CSA, whilst she took my baby abroad to Northern ireland with no consultion or warning, its a fucking disgrace! and now i dont have a phone number, i cant call and talk to my baby, her reasoning for this .. is that the more isee her the less money she will get from csa, i ALLWAYS paid privately in excess of the amount of csa but now she wont close it, even though its less money because shes trying to cut me out of my baby's life and she uses the csa to further that end!! AND THEN — she even got me to pay half of my baby's nursery fees on a 'coorpation thing' so she could work, fed me all these lies about how much she loved nursery etc and how much she was progressing, but i found out my baby never went to nursery, she just pocketed the money and used it to live a very nice lifestyle!!!!!

25. Lorraine how can it be a shame that the CSA get involved when the majority of NRP choose not to meet both moral and lawful responsibilities to their children. If parents fail their children in this way then someone needs to step in to protect the child from poverty and to support the RP in caring for the child. In this respect it just cannot 'be such a shame that the CSA get involved' they are charged by the taxpayer with the responsibility and they in the whole do a half decent job of meeting the responsibilities we place on them. If NRP got a grip and faced up to their responsibilities the CSA would not be needed!!!

26. I agree with you Rob. Don't you understand that? I think it's a shame that the CSA is NEEDED at all..as in reality, they care even less about the children then so called NRPs do..FACT!It is also a well known fact that the majority of monies collected by the CSA is from 'NRPs' who were already paying maintenance in the first place. Child poverty has not decreased, in fact the CSA has contributed to the appalling state of affairs. You cannot force a negligent NRP to pay for their children, or even have contact with them. The majority of those who never paid never will. It usually left to the decent NRPs to carry the can.A half decent job? I am sure I am not alone in disagreeing with that statement..

27. Jay why on earth would you come out with such a ridiculous comment like this…."Katy why dont u do something about it then and get a god damn job>??! just because he is doing well doesn't mean you automatically should!!"Did you not read any of what Katy said? The father of the child is a lying /deceitful self employed loser who from what she said is self indulgent and has sod all interest in paying ANYTHING for his own flesh and blood.He may even be dressed as BATMAN or ROBIN as I tyoe! Why would your x partner take your child abroad ?

28. Yep, and the CSA hasn't helped Katy either, and alas never will..as I have constantly said, the deadbeat NRPs will get away with it the majority of the time. It stinks..

29. Rob, the reason why any PWC would take their child abroad is quite clear! Maybe they intend setting up a different life away from the NRP. this will prevent contact being easy, also with less contact, NRP will have to pay more, if NRP pays more, more money in the pockets or bank accounts of the PWC, an issue that does not concern the welfare and needs of the child but the financial gain at NRP's expense.. If it was the NRP who disappeared abroad to some place were the CSA cannot persue the NRP, you would find a way for the desire of critisism against NRP in same manner, I speculate you are angling for a comment which you can pass judgement on, "why the PWC took te child abroad. this forum is not about passing judgement against selfish PWC's and NRP's but fighting for a fairer system for our children by involvment and acceptance by both NRP and PWC. the CSA often has negative effect upon the compliant NRP's and not the NRP's who refrain from providing for their own. there are also the PWC's who aim to cause problems to the NRP's financial status for the purposes of scoring points rather than for the child, there are several PWC's who only had children to have an easy life and live of CSA and benefit payments, some attempt to claim their child as disabled just to get extra monies at the cost of the tax payer, I do not see your critisisms in regards to those cases though, any critisisms in regards to the latter would obviously prove your dedication to the best interests of the Children, because it is very clear the CSA have have less consideration for the childs welfare than non compliant NRP's. It is the children of the compliant NRP's that suffer when Compliant NRP's children do not recieve the full CSA payments made by compliant NRP's.

30. I am a compliant NRP who has arrears calculated although incorrectly calculated by the CSA, I do not make CSA payments while having shared care of my son, I am disabled yet I make sure my son benefits from monies I recieve rather than allowing his mother PWC to financially benefit out of my income as she and her husband recieve a wage from 2 jobs, WFTC, and child credits. they are very financially stable, I have no help for supporting my child while having shared care, I do not and have never made intention to request help financially from PWC although PWC is far more financially capable of supporting my childs welfare than I. So Rob, pls feel free to critisize this.

31. BTW Jay, this is no comment implicating yourself as a selfish NRP, I am generalising only the non compliant NRP's and from what I have read, you are compliant and are very concerned and commited in the issue of providing fatherly support by both contact and compliance to CSA demands for the sake of your child, I hope you manage to resolve your conflict ammicably with your ex for the sake of your child.

32. Admittedly Rob is probably looking at the CSA through his own experiences, in that he is with a partner/wife who has fought for maintenance through the CSA because her ex wasn't paying anything.That is certainly fair enough, however it doesn't mean that one should be blinkered to the failings of the CSA. Many, many clients are waiting for maintenance and have done ever since the CSA was created. It is a total shame, regardless of how many have had maintenance received..why? loopholes, that's why.Too many 'rules' which work on a 'one size fits all' basis, which in the real world is totally unworkable. As has been said many a time, a non compliant will always find ways to get out of paying. I remember a case worker telling me that the reason they get so much money from the compliants is because they basically pay for those that don't…and of course, the ones who do pay probably would have paid anyway..or were already paying through a private arrangement.Anyone in their right mind can see that a reduction in contact so that the PWC receives more money is outrageous, unlawful & downright immoral. Certainly not in the best interests of the children…but of course all the CSA are interested in is finance.If the CSA has been successful, and deemed 'fair'..then can someone answer why one client will have to pay arrears off within 2 years, and another get's 50 years to pay a smaller amount of arrears?

33. Rob -you're comment is utter bile!, Lorraine i can't actually beleive you agree with this absolute nonsense by 'liking' that comment! if the woman would agree a reasonable amount taking into account the expenses of BOTH parties, you would have a much higher compliance rate overall… as it stands, the NRP gets a fucking shafting and thats that…In answer to you're question, my ex has taken my daughter abroad… because she's a sick and twisted fucking nutter doing everything she can to cut me out of my daughters life! There will be no amicable arrangements as ive spent the last 18months trying to get her to agree to something solid, which she will not!I will drag her through court kicking and screaming to maintain a relationship with my daughter, whether she likes it or not as it is my duty as a loving father to provide a fatherly figure in her life and will make sure everything is written down! when my daughter comes asking why i wasn't there, I will tell her that its not for me to say but she is welcome to read our fight in court where she tried to prevent me from maintaining contact!!She can make her own judgements when the time is right…And lorraine, who says that 15% NET income is a reasonable amount, most people dont even have enough money to pay their own rent and bills, let alone have 15% spare…I am not in this category but i deem myself extremely lucky, this was NEVER about the money for me, its about contact and my ex using the CSA to maintain as little contact with me as possible, and to cut me even further out of my dauighters life!Is it a case that .. my MONEY is good enough .. but not ME?

34. Katy, I apologise for my previous statement too! — I assumed nothing about you,, i read you're post where you said he was wearing 2nd hand clothes, but you you'reself have perfectly groomed hair and look actually quite smartly dressed (no not chattig you up just an observation lol:) .. so something didnt sound right..Did he become abusive after he left, or before? (As rob seems to know perhaps he can answer)Do you have a new partner who works? if so do you and your new partner really need that money?? if so then do you really need you're ex's money? If he#s that bad surely you just want rid,,

35. I agree with Allan here, under the old system the NRP's housing costs WERE taken into consideration… have those housing costs MAGICALLY dissapeared since CSA2 was introduced?

36. I liked the fact that you had been taken up on the comment towards Katy, Jay..I'm not sure where I said that 15% is a reasonable amount?

37. ah you didn't – my bad :] x seems like a nice lil community here!

38. Aha..thank you, I thought I was going slightly mad ;-)CS2 is a weird one, because some are actually better off paying under that system, and some PWCs are better off too..I believe it is a better system if you have a new family as it takes your other children into consideration far more than the old rules did.I still think it is disgusting that there are almost a million clients still on old rules. It's blatant discrimination, actually.

39. Well, my point to Katy was, that just because you're ex has a good life, doesn't mean you're automagically entitled to it.. If he has money, then he has either A) Inherited it or B) Worked bloodyt hard for it .. Why should anyone else apart from the child directly be entitled to any of that, and Should it not be up to him, to decide when he wants to pass on this wealth? Most dads want the freedom to choose how much is paid without some liverFOOLIAN telling you how much of you're wage they WILL Extract and give to you're ex regardless of circumstance!I'm sure a big fund for her university / first house downpayment / car when she is 18 would be FAR more beneficial than a few quid and alot of bad feeling over money extracted via the CSA to a level where it makes every NRP pay supertax on every £1 they earn, 37% is now taken instead of 22 up to the first 40k .. and over that .. it become 55%There is almost no incentive to work at those kind of rates as you are fighting a losing battle!

40. Hmmm…well I do think it is a poor show that Katy's ex is only paying a fiver a week..which is quite typical an assessment when it comes to self employment. Those folk are raking it in, and fail to pay their moral contribution..which of course is where it all stops isn't it? once the CSA are involved clients usually only pay what they are assessed at paying, especially if they have very little or no contact at all.When you consider how much PAYE clients are shafted, it beggars belief!Do you really believe that a NRP who is willing to pay only a fiverper week is going to be putting money aside for uni, car, house etc? I very much doubt it..

41. I bet you he is you know .. he isn't going to tell the mum about it though is he, because she'd want it straight away for her short term gain, and would have the CSA up to all kinds of tricks, seizing chunks of his house or whatever it is they do now!! Makes me sick, he probably lives in fear that any minute someones going to freeze his bank a/c or put an order on his house!

42. Oh there you go again Jay, letting yourself down! you don't know Katy or her ex so how can you presume that is happening?I have been involved with the CSA for 15 years now. I have been on many an internet forum and made many friends involved on both sides of this revolting coin. I can tell quite categorically state than any NRP who has been FORCED to pay maintenance will in no way, shape or form be making future financial provisions for their children.

43. hi, any idea how to go about doing all that?
    My partner’s ex has been told he only has to pay £60 a month for his two children (despite there being a court order that says he must pay £500 and he only pays £100 as he claims that’s all he’s got).

    we wouldn’t mind so much but he owns two houses and a shop, and just bought himself a brand new BMW M3 convertible (at least £50k). How can his lifestyle have been taken in to consideration? clearly he lied about his earnings (self employed) and the CSA have done nothing to help us.

44. If you can categorically state that; then why was i forced to go through CSA when i was already paying? she actually gets LESS now than she did before in our arrangement between us.The story about 2nd hand clothes grated me a little, because new kids clothes are just so cheap – there is no point in buying 2nd hand ones when new ones really are so inexpensive…. If he is withholding payment (because he doesn't have to cough up under CSA) i can categorically state that there will be a reason for that; and it is most likely animosity between the rowing parents rather than a lack of love for the child…If one parent can give a little on their position then the other will follow suit, pride is not more important than a childs welfare in my opinion and i would back down immediately if she came to me and offered a workable solution..

45. I think I see where Jay is coming from here. If, for example we have someone who splits from their partner and then some time later they start to earn good money, this does not entitle the PWC to assume that they have won the jackpot. It does, however entitle the offspring to gain. The bad thing about the system is that it Is impossible for the NRP to continue paying the PWC a reasonable figure and then to put the additionals into a trust fund for the kid. Instead the PWC can just go and blow the lot on a new car leaving the kid still penniless.Katy – I see your upset and Jay was man enough to say sorry (before F'ing his way through a few more posts). It must be tough and I feel for you but the point is we all have to knuckle down and do the best for the child – for some of that it'll be to get a job, any job and for others to stay at home.Jay – the reason why they ignore housing costs was that NRPs would go, get a massive mortgage and then not be able to "afford" anything while watching their house value rise. Sadly i'n their attempt to throw the bath water out the baby was sent flying too and the regulations penalise NRPs who are attempting to rebuild their lives. For most devastation the PWC waits until the NRP is saddled with the biggest possible mortgage – see my guide to totally screwing up your ex

46. Oh I dunno Jay..there are a LOT of ar5eholes around, guaranteed! my husband was also forced to go through CSA even though he was already paying. Due to various reasons he is now paying less than he was 15 years ago..I can't work it out ;-)However, initially he had to pay more. Plus he had arrears due to the CSA dallying around (as per usual). I know may PWCs who are nothing but gracious, ditto NRPs..but of course there are those on both sides who cannot see beyond the fighting.I still believe an NRP should pay maintenance, no matter what. It's both parents responsibility, however..and I would no way condone a PWC deliberately fleecing an NRP for their own financial gain. That's a different story.In any case, a fiver a week..no matter how the PWC is behaving, is a slap in the face. And of course, it is hurting the child in order to be a wassock to the PWC. Not good.I agree with you RE the pride thing, totally 🙂

47. Yes I understand that Jason. I was just pointing out that there ARE NRPs who don't share the wealth with their kids, and there are of course some PWCs who are struggling with little or no maintenance, it has to be said.I also see where the CS2 logic regarding housing costs comes from. Of course, under CS1 you didn't get much of a housing allowance at all if you didn't have any children living with you. You also got saddled with up to 40% maintenance assessment..ouch!

48. Hi jason, lets talk about the numbers ..That's a good point .. a 'Massive mortgage' in my opinion is 3.5x Salary, and that assumes youy have no debts ontop ..that is a HUGE amount of money for anyone to borrow by themselves, with deposit rates for a mortgage at 15% minimum to get any kind of decent rate im looking at saving up 30-40k just to get started on a one bedroom flat!!So im paying 22% tax on the first 38k of my wage ..Or not .. actually add to that 15% (22% gross) and that comes to 44% tax on that .. Ontop of that any income over 38k .. is then taxed at 40% + the 22% (gross figure as the 15% net is misleading – i needto earn 22% to give away 15% net)So on my post 38k income .. i am shelling out a WHOPPING 62% .. that is SIXTY TWO PENCE in every POUND!there needs to be some kind of cap where they say .. right .. enough is enough – but alas .. i'm not into working for 38p in every pound! its simply not economically viable

49. its like .. OK Here's a pound .. now you give me that.. and i'll give you back 38pence .. deal? 😉

50. Hi Sarah and Alistair,

    Try this link -> http://www.csa.gov.uk/en/PDF/leaflets/new/CSL307.pdf – it will give you info regarding ‘When and how to appeal’.

    chall – afairercsaforall.co.uk