What costs should child maintainence to cover?

October 31, 2011

I am trying to establish exactly what child maintainance payments cover?

This query relates to my partner as the arrangement he and his ex wife have over the children completely differs to my own and has therefore raised questions.

I personally use my CSA payments to cover everything – all clothing, childcare, activities – everything my daughter requires. I pack a bag for her nights with her dad and he sends it back. This all works well. no blurred lines. Anything my ex hisband chooses to buy for our daughter is entirely up to him but not a necessity or requirement.

I would like your advice as in my partners case both parents have been in touch with the csa and been given differing answers.

This would enable us to make decisions based on fact rather than emotions.

Should the non resident parent (NRP) purchase clothing for the children to have at their home?

Should the NRP pay for extra curricular activities on the days that the children are in their care?

Should the NRP pay for childcare on the days the children are in their care?

school dinner money etc etc the list goes on.

obviously there are grey areas in this and common sense and judgement is always required as most costs are negligiable and petty to quibble over.

Your guidance would be very much appreciated in this matter.

Comments

  • Mick says:

    There are NO grey areas where the CSA are concerned. If the NRP ( your partner ) is paying maintenance via the CSA, he should only be paying for the nights when his children are actually in the care of the PWC. This should cover everything. If your partner has his children stay over night with him more than 104 nights per year his CSA assessment should reflect this and he should only be paying maintenance on the nights when his children are NOT staying over night with him. ( i.e if his kids spend 2 nights each week with him, his weekly maintenance should be reduced by 2/7ths to reflect this. Therefore, on the nights your partners kids are in his care and staying over night with him, no maintenance should be payable to the PWC because she has no expenses for the children on the nights they are not with her. The crucial deciding factor is does your partner have his kids stay over with him more then 104 nights per year? This is what the CSA would go on.

    If the answer to the above question is yes, for the nights he is not paying maintenance to the PWC he should incur any and all out of pocket expenses for his kids on the nights he he not liable for maintenance to the PWC. If the answer however is no. He is then paying maintenance for every day of the year to the PWC regardless of how many nights his kids are with him if less than 104. Unless of course a variation has been made in his assessment to allow for the nights when his kids stay over with him. If no variation has been made then any out of pocket expenses he incurs he does so by choice as he has already paid maintenance to the PWC for the nights in question. I hope this helps to answer your questions. In an ideal world it would be better if your partner and the PWC could come to a private agreement and take the CSA out of the equation completely. Then what ever rules the CSA are supposed to work to wouldnt apply in any case. A mutually agreed arrangenment would eliminate any such grey areas.

  • I have to find my sons father who the csa cannot find.I have nothing at my disposal and apparently he has committed a crime by not informing of change of address but that does not invoke any drastic action.

    I have to tell the csa what my daughters father earns when we have been separated 9 years. He runs a company and employs people and claims no wages apparently and i am asked to prove he does. How can i? He is alive, eating , running two homes, keeping a new girlfriend and baby and that isnt proof enough he has income apparently.

    Arrears are in thousands on both cases and i go months without any payment , a year on one occassion, no interest, no charges no penalty. I just don’t get the money and no one cares.

    I am really really fed up of working hard, and having nothing to show for it, when some fairness in respect of contribution to my childrens upbringing from their fathers would change that dramatically.

    if you go on forums, threads stop dead.. its not interesting. There are no websites offering any solution other than the csa and benefits for assistance in costs of children

    No information of nailing down irresponsible parents.

    Why can’t i take ny daughters father to court, and why can he not be made to sell one of his five properties to pay for his daughters upkeep. Because she lives with me he doesnt have to make the choices i do.. he carries on regardless leaving me to feed, clothe, house and keep her warm

    When is this country going to stand up to this problem and sort it out.

    I

  • chall says:

    susan,

    Re; Your son’s father – The agency have numerous options available to them to trace NRP’s, ie; DCI, Common Enquiry service, HMRC, NI Contributions Office, local authorities, DVLA/DVLNI, credit reference agencies, deposit takers (eg bank), etc.
    Obviously if the CSA have his NI number etc, it could make the search a bit easier.
    Have the agency tried these?

    Re; Your daughter’s father – Do you know the companies trading name?
    Have you asked for any dividends to be taken into account.

    Your welcome on the forum at afairercsaforall

    chall ~ afairercsaforall

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