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Help.. Child maintenance..

By (user no longer on site) OP over a year ago

Me and my partner have recently been through a rough patch an have spoke about splitting.. Trouble is that we have a 5month old baby..

Would I have to pay CSA or is there a way round it as adults?

If I do have to pay how much of my wages will it be?

Help!!

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By *Kgirl80Woman over a year ago

South Coast

"Me and my partner have recently been through a rough patch an have spoke about splitting.. Trouble is that we have a 5month old baby..

Would I have to pay CSA or is there a way round it as adults?

If I do have to pay how much of my wages will it be?

Help!!

There's an online calculator you can use but you are encouraged to sort it, without the input of the CSA. If payment goes through them, there's now a 'handling fee'

Hope you get it all sorted

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By *otsoSnowWhiteWoman over a year ago

My Ice Castle! South Wales

"Me and my partner have recently been through a rough patch an have spoke about splitting.. Trouble is that we have a 5month old baby..

Would I have to pay CSA or is there a way round it as adults?

If I do have to pay how much of my wages will it be?

Help!!

Directgov site is good for advice on all that kind of thing.

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By *ndykayMan over a year ago

Falkirk

Try and come to an agreement between you. As has been said, CSA now takes a cut of any payments

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Csa ask fir between 10-15% of your wages. However if the two of you can come to an agreement then theres no reason to involve them. If you offer 15% hopefully your partner will go for that and u wont have to deal with the torrent of mishandling the Csa provide.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Try and do it between yourselves . I know for two kids it's 20% of your wages dependant on how often you have the child . Not sure how much for one .

Csa are great though

they are helpful

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By *eryBigGirlWoman over a year ago

East Yorkshire

Talk to each other and come to an agreed figure always better than going through csa although using their online calculator as a guide is good advice. Good luck with it all

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

The CSA (or whatever they're called now) would actually prefer you to make your own arrangements.

I understand that their is helpful information on their website to assist you with calculating your payments.

Not sure when (or even if it's happened already) but the CSA have advised that they will be introducing charges on Maintenance payments made through them, so it will be better for you if you can behave like grown ups.

How much it will be really depends on a number of things.

Obviously, you are not required to pay maintenance for times that the child spends with you etc.

I would strongly advise you to gen up on family law too. There have been a lot of changes over the past few years. The government have been trying to bring us more in line with countries like Germany concerning access and contact. In Germany, it is law that a child spends half the time with it's mother and half the time with it's father.

If in doubt, consult Citizens advice or a solicitor. You can usually get 30 mins free advice from a solicitor.

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By *andixxxMan over a year ago

Gloucester

These days,if you can make a mutual agreement,the CSA doesn't have to be involved at all....if they are however,the will take around 17% of your salary. Should you have another child with a new partner,this will be reduced by a few percent,they will also want to know,how many nights a week do you have the baby and then they will calculate....if you do split up,I'd make sure I have a legal document from a solicitor outlining your mutual agreement to contact and maintenance. It will be for you to have something to fall back on,if god forbid,things go wrong. Good luck with it all,it's never easy to split up when kids are involved...

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

For 1 child it is 20% of your salary after tax. However i believe this is to change to 20% of gross salary soon.

The CSA is also to introduce a handling charge if you go through them but you can agree a Memorandum of Understanding with your partner than can include how much and when to pay as well as access to your child. That said the CSA wont get involved in any access issues and leave them to the Courts. Hope you get sorted but dont let the money get in the way of seeing your child.

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By *eryBigGirlWoman over a year ago

East Yorkshire

"These days,if you can make a mutual agreement,the CSA doesn't have to be involved at all....if they are however,the will take around 17% of your salary. Should you have another child with a new partner,this will be reduced by a few percent,they will also want to know,how many nights a week do you have the baby and then they will calculate....if you do split up,I'd make sure I have a legal document from a solicitor outlining your mutual agreement to contact and maintenance. It will be for you to have something to fall back on,if god forbid,things go wrong. Good luck with it all,it's never easy to split up when kids are involved...

Don't bother with a legal document from a solicitor. I had a separation agreement drawn up by my solicitor but when it came to the actual divorce I discovered it wasn't worth the actual paper it was written on

total waste of money!!

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

The CSA will only get involved if your partner is unemployed, if she works they won't get involved unless she asks them, I split from my ex 6 years ago and ive never had a penny, because I don't get any benefits they don't seem to care and have never made him pay a penny

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

It's 15% for 1 child. They are now adding a charge to which I think is 5% on top for the non resident parent and then they keep 2% of the 15% too. Would be much better to sort it between yourselves if possible

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

If you do it yourself, make sure it's recorded.

My mate did a deal only to fall out later with his partner. She told CSA he never paid her a penny and he had to pay 2years arrears.

Be a good dad and pay what you have to, but you must keep records, such as direct debit / standing order and make sure she acknowledges it

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By *luezuluMan over a year ago

Suffolk

Surely it's NOT an IF

Try and sort it out between yourselves, don't let the CSA get involved, it just brings in animosity.

Now sit down together before I come up there and bang your heads together to sort it lol

Good luck

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"The CSA will only get involved if your partner is unemployed, if she works they won't get involved unless she asks them, I split from my ex 6 years ago and ive never had a penny, because I don't get any benefits they don't seem to care and have never made him pay a penny "

Even if you are unemployed they won't automatically get involved, it definitely hasn't been the case for 6years (atleast) my daughters dad hasn't paid a penny and told them right out he is working cash in hand and they've told me there's nothing they can do. I decided to leave it then, too much hassle

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"If you do it yourself, make sure it's recorded.

My mate did a deal only to fall out later with his partner. She told CSA he never paid her a penny and he had to pay 2years arrears.

Be a good dad and pay what you have to, but you must keep records, such as direct debit / standing order and make sure she acknowledges it

Making it sound like I work for them now lol

they don't back date anymore. They will only backdate from the date they contact the non resident parent

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Surely it's NOT an IF

Try and sort it out between yourselves, don't let the CSA get involved, it just brings in animosity.

Now sit down together before I come up there and bang your heads together to sort it lol

Good luck"

Just be careful about sorting it out yourself, if she isn't working or is working and gets tax credits, help with rent/council tax and they find out she has been getting cash off you without declaring it she could end up having a bill from people claiming over payment of benefits

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Surely it's NOT an IF

Try and sort it out between yourselves, don't let the CSA get involved, it just brings in animosity.

Now sit down together before I come up there and bang your heads together to sort it lol

Good luck

Again maintenance makes no difference to benefits, used to have to declare it and would only get £20 if you were on benefits but that stopped a few years ago too.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Please agree a reasonable sum for your child and do not use the CSA, they are a shower of shit! My personal opinion is that the absent parent should pay £50 per week but this obviously also depends on how often you will have your child staying overnight with you.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

CSA is or has been replaced by the Child Maintenance Service. They advice parents to come to a settlement themselves. If you have to use them to work out a figure it is a £20 fee reduced from the original £100 to get a correct figure. If you have to use them to collect payment then there is a 24% charge of the amount they have to collect. 20% payed by the paying parent and 4% payed by the parent receiving.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I am soooooooooo pissed off that my son's maintenance in the grand old sum of £28.30 per month is going to be reduced by 4%. Don't know who I hate more, my ex, the CSA or the government!!!

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I am soooooooooo pissed off that my son's maintenance in the grand old sum of £28.30 per month is going to be reduced by 4%. Don't know who I hate more, my ex, the CSA or the government!!!"
And the fact your ex will have to pay an extra 20% but you wont see a penny.. Thats if it effects you of course im not sure if this new system effects only new claiments.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I am soooooooooo pissed off that my son's maintenance in the grand old sum of £28.30 per month is going to be reduced by 4%. Don't know who I hate more, my ex, the CSA or the government!!! And the fact your ex will have to pay an extra 20% but you wont see a penny.. Thats if it effects you of course im not sure if this new system effects only new claiments."

It will be brought in for existing Claimants like within the next 2 to 3 years. He will probably stop paying and the CSA won't do anything about it!!

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I am soooooooooo pissed off that my son's maintenance in the grand old sum of £28.30 per month is going to be reduced by 4%. Don't know who I hate more, my ex, the CSA or the government!!! And the fact your ex will have to pay an extra 20% but you wont see a penny.. Thats if it effects you of course im not sure if this new system effects only new claiments."

It will affect all people using the service, they have so many years to notify everyone of the changes. Although saying that I think I read that people who have suffered domestic violence will not have to pay to use it

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By *luezuluMan over a year ago

Suffolk

"Surely it's NOT an IF

Try and sort it out between yourselves, don't let the CSA get involved, it just brings in animosity.

Now sit down together before I come up there and bang your heads together to sort it lol

Good luck

And so she should

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Surely it's NOT an IF

Try and sort it out between yourselves, don't let the CSA get involved, it just brings in animosity.

Now sit down together before I come up there and bang your heads together to sort it lol

Good luck

And so she should"

Child maintenance is disregarded when calculating benefits, has been for a few years

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Me and my partner have recently been through a rough patch an have spoke about splitting.. Trouble is that we have a 5month old baby..

Would I have to pay CSA or is there a way round it as adults?

If I do have to pay how much of my wages will it be?

Help!!

It used to be 15% of net income for 1 child, rising by 5% of net per further child.

I'm not sure about "getting round it" but if you and your partner are adults you can make a private arrangement and not involve the CSA. Probably the best way as if you do, the Agency will make charges on the payments which will come out of the funds which go to her (not additional charges on you)........... Good Luck

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Me and my partner have recently been through a rough patch an have spoke about splitting.. Trouble is that we have a 5month old baby..

Would I have to pay CSA or is there a way round it as adults?

If I do have to pay how much of my wages will it be?

Help!!

It used to be 15% of net income for 1 child, rising by 5% of net per further child.

Actually their will be additional charges to the non resident parent. Apparently an extra 20%.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I did mine with the ex myself. Did it through standing order its there in black and white and there is proof its being paid

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By *irtyGirlWoman over a year ago

Edinburgh

I think I must be a but odd but I never think you can put a price on it. How do you work that out to a percentage?

Surely your child needs what your child needs and therefore you'd behave like grown ups and share the costs as they come. Two to tango.

That's in general not aimed at anyone... but not being a parent, what do I know.

I guess I'd just hope that my ex partner was a decent bloke and wanted the best for our kids. I know it's not always that simple but that's what I'd hope for.

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By *ove bi guysWoman over a year ago

Birmingham

Have a look on cmoptions website or call them ... better to come to a family based arrangement, better for the child if parents can communicate well, its less expensive for both parents.

If going with family based or direct pay arrangements then ensure you pay through bank with each pymt referenced with child name and childmaintence on it too for good records

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I'm going threw sort of the same thing but me and my partener split 2 years ago, I have opened 2 savings accounts for my little man and my ex said that's good enough as I'm paying for his future.. but don't hesitate to offer clothing, food ect

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By *econdhand RoseWoman over a year ago

Nr Dumfries

You said "thinking about splitting up" - is there no way you can work through this. Having a young baby is such a tiring time and I found relationship stuff gets shoved to the back. Is there someone who can take the baby for a few hours so that you can have some time alone to discuss your issues?

If you do split, my advice would always be keep it civil, work it out between you and stay away from as much officialdom as possible!

Vixen x

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Hi my brother is going through this CSA like you to come to a mutuel decision but if not the CSA charge you for using them.they expect you to pay 19% of your take home wages but they take into account if you have the child stay with you if you do for eg over 50 times in a year they will reduce the rate.to be honest it would be better if it can be sorted out between you then set up a standing order.you can get information on directgov.com if that helps.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

If it does get to the stage that you split , hopefully you'll resolve things . The Child Maintenance Scheme has a great website. There are forms on there where you can write down all costs for a child - helps to lay things out in black & white sometimes. If you can agree a regular amount between yourselves, that's much easier. If not, mediation is a good option and then if push comes to shove , can use the Child Maintenace Scheme. Like others have said above, there is a cost for this though , for both the parent paying and the parent receiving payment. So, that admin charge is lost to the child.

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