They found it amusing that I might lose my home
I have held numerous conversations with the child maintenance (all conversations recorded) where I have tried to explain my situation without any success, even one phone call where the person I was speaking with (13/04/2015) found the idea of my losing my accommodation and living in a cardboard box amusing.
I am not against making child maintenance payments in principle, in my current situation it simply isn’t possible at the current set level, I have asked if my arrears could be frozen and paid later this was rejected.
On the 27th of February I received my NHS band four net pay £1085.00, my barrister fee alone was £1250.00 (Contest hearing Sheffield 16/03/2015) , I have given up food to have a relationship with my daughter, these court fees’s have left myself in massive debt.
My daughters ‘mother’ who lives at home with her parents is the director of the family business (I believe in Australia the circumstances of both parents are taken into account prior to maintenance levels being set, a very sensible and fair model), one reason we separated was because I would not support her decision to smoke whilst pregnant, I believe no addiction is stronger than the health of a child, in addition I did not want her elder sister deemed a risk to her own child taken at birth into social care associating with my daughter.
In February/March I had to make an decision, pay child maintenance or not pay and see my daughter, no person at the child maintenance would tell me which option they would choose.
As of the letter dated 13th of April my payments are now set at £251.85 I have since received further letters but haven’t had the courage to open them , I must stay focused on being there for my daughter.
In addition I gave my vehicle to my daughters mother to build her confidence and independence prior to our separation, this vehicle was ultimately replaced with a NHS salary sacrifice vehicle which is needed for my continued employment, it goes without saying that I would be more financially stable and suffer less anxiety and depression if I were to quit the NHS employment I love which is second in my life only to my daughter.