The Times claims the CSA’s successor could be worse

September 7, 2008

According to the Times Online, the successor to the Child Support Agency, the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, could be just as bad, if not worse. It claims there are doubts over the effectiveness of the new system.

The new system, CMEC, comes into play next month and plans to make parents decide among themselves how much they’ll pay in maintenance for their children.

The idea is that by doing this the CMEC will be able to spend more time chasing fathers who try to avoid paying. There is currently £3.3 billion outstanding and the CSA have a backlog of 300,000 cases.

Comments

  • kelly says:

    under the new rules from the csa they have given me the option to sort out a payment and an amount to pay direct to my kids who I have joint custody off but cant live with me at the moment but my x husband refuses and wants to got thought the csa I think this is mad because I could then meet him half way with what the csa would take as their cut and it would go to my kids ..is their a way I could force him to accept the payment direct.?

    he’s not worked since our divorce for 5 years because of the benefit him and his new partner get,his partner also has 2 kids with no father in sight ..surly even if he go’s though the csa this would still have an affect to his benefit in some way ..the csa are not very fair I been paying him for the kids direct over the last 5 years I by the kids clothes and I have them over the holidays he moved to Birmingham not long ago and now its a 80 mile trip each way to see my kids and its now harder to see them than ever before,then the csa got involved and their is no talking to them,they don’t want to know they said if I don’t pay what they want they send a agency around to collect money or goods,I don’t own nothing apart from my car to see the kids,im one min wage and they going to take half of it..why things where good before and I was doing my bit now I feel im going to have to give my job up and pay nothing because their is no way from what they asking I can pay and not live a new life..someone help please I really need some advise and fast

  • SB says:

    Kelly, as i know to my own experience in the past, as soon as i type what i am about to i will have someone come on and diss it!! but here goes- you are now experiencing what evry

  • SB says:

    try again!!!!!! – every PAYING father does under the grasp of this agency, and i’m sorry but no one can force the other parent to make an amicable agreement!!!! under new rules he can keep far more of the maintenance before his benefits are affected,same as if it were you with the residency, there are thousands of fathers out there who wish their ex would reach an agreement but alas they don’t.
    You see everything you typed is stereotypical of the non resident father and what they have to go through, it’s very frustrating.
    Are you sure that they have your correct income? are you sure they have assessed you correctly?

  • CSAusafsa says:

    how can you agree to pay anything to an agency that is incompetent , mismanages money and and makes up its own rules . further its just another money making quango for the goverment . to parents if you want residence for your children then you have to accept financial responsibility too – not make the other parent pay for it on your behalf!! sheer exploitation that is uncontrolled.you can’t make the other parent fullfill their financial obligations any more they can make you full fill yours – note not all resident parents are the mothers -more and more are becoming fathers and they are exploiting the system no less! its a mess and lost its credibility – the CSA should be disbanded totally. it will never ever work.

  • melanie parton says:

    Totally agree all this agency doesbis give the pwc control over the nrp and their wallett ALL THE KIDS SUFFER 1st 2nd and 3rd families they habe got ours sooooooooo wrong weve had everyone involved its back wiv minister of state to see if we can it shut down as case vlised a yr ago n still vlaimin we owe arrears…..ice have upheld they have failed 2 courts have too but still they chase we have now asked cade to closed as compo as they gabe been orderef to pay compo by ice no money ever received to date…….dont hold ya breath with this agency……needs shuttin down

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