We are crippled as a family because of the CSA

May 29, 2012

My husband and I have two children together , 3 and 1. He has a daughter from a previous relationship, 17. He fell out with his daughters mother over I-Don’t-Know-What and it’s been hell. We never had a payment scheme, we always just bought what she needed when she needed it, shoes, holidays, school things, whatever.

The mother went to the CSA and told them that he’d never paid a penny. We were stung with a £6000 arrears balance, plus regular maintenance. We talked for hours on the phone to them begging to be listened to. They weren’t interested and for the last 18 months we have been forced to live on £750 per month wages as they went and enforced at DEO of £220 per month to pay the arrears off. My children haven’t had any birthday or Christmas presents, and even though I work as well, every day is a content struggle to stay out of the overdraft.

I hate the CSA. They are cunts. They don’t care how crippled we are as a family, they don’t care that I’ve had to sell pretty much everything of value including my engagement ring to keep food on the table and the rent up to date.

They’ve ruined my life, and my children’s lives. I hate them. We’re stuck paying till January 2014 until his daughter turns 19. I’m sorry in advance to those of you who support the CSA….. They are ruthless and I hate them….

Comments

  • Alice says:

    You are responsible for the child till she is 19 years old if she is in college.If she leaves collage this June and does not go back to collage in September then you should finish paying 1st Monday in September,because she will either have to claim JSA or be in work.My stepdaughter leaves collage in June and because she is not going back to collage our CM will stop on 1st Monday in Sept.If the stepdaughter does go back to collage in September then it stops Monday after 19th birthday,(payments in arrears).Go on to the NACSA site,page 3 ,4 and 5 give you leaving dates.I have never been sure why when a child reaches 18,CM does not stop because the law states that at 18 you can marry,vote ,smoke drink ,mortgage etc but to CSA this adult is still classed as a child.

  • jay. says:

    We know how you feel, but csa should only take from the date they had a claim, question the arrears, as 90% of the time its wrong! Also start being ruthless, you need to know whether the child is in full time education and doing an appointed course set out by child benefit, in order for it to be claimed….I’m glad we investigated as we found out daughter in our case left college and home, it saved us £4000.00 for this year!! They also had us down as having no dependents living with us because we didn’t tell them….why wouldn’t we? They lie! It’s a long road. Also if you are struggling as a family go see your mp asap to get the deo payments lowered, csa say they want arrears to be paid within two years, this is just a guideline and not a rule/law.

  • Steph says:

    Thank you guys. It sounds strange but it is a comfort knowing that we aren’t alone in this. Thank you for your advice, I’ll be looking into it today, maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel after all 🙂 xx

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