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Hello people 🙂
I started paying Child support when my oldest boy was a baby, when he was age 3 i decided to come out of full time factory work and do a modern apprenticeship (low income)
I informed the CSA over the phone and payments stopped as i was on such a low income £60 a week to be exact.
The aprentiship was a 3 year coarse and the owner garage went bankrupt after 2 and a 1/2 years, I wasn't able to get my qualification as i was too old to get another placement by this time.
I went back into full time factory work mostly temporary and 1 or 2 permanent jobs. I was unemployed a lot of the time and never claimed any kind of benefit since my family was kind enough to help support me in the times i didn't have a job.
When my oldest boy reached age 9 I recived a child support bill for over £8,000, I was in a job at the time so they took money directly from my wage for arreas and current payment and left me with £63 a week, I did this for 2 years it took a huge strain on what was my current relationship at the time, My Girlfriend left me for someone else i was devastated at the loss of my girlfriend and my 3 yr old son and the fact i was working for nothing didn't help my mental state.
I'v been out of work for almost 3 years now and have actually been claiming benifit in this time so the CSA have been taking money directly from my benefit. Today i received a letter saying i havn't paid enough National insurance contributions to received benefit. so i'm pennyless at the moment and besides i'm so ready to go back to work. (thats even if anyone will give me a job now)
My oldest child actually lives with me now because his mother has been found as unfitt by the courts to have her children. I havnt claimed any benefit for him, i'm not even sure that i could seeing as they kicked me off my own benefit due to lack of National insurance contributions paid.
I now owe just over £10,000 to the CSA for arrears it has been to court to secure that amount.
Any help and advice would be greatly appricated but main question is: Could i get the amount of £10,000+ reduced through evidence of NI and TAX paid over the years?
Thanks for your time.
Hi,
Thanks for explaining, it sounds quite complicated. The CSA base payments on what you earn. I'm not sure you can get anything back because of tax paid, as that gets taken off the majority of peoples earnings. However, you stated that one of your children now lives with you. Are you claiming child benefit for the child & if you're working, family tax credit & possibly working tax credit? You should be eligable for these if you have custody of your child. Are you currently receiving any of these?
Hi, thanks for your reply 🙂
Yes My oldest boy, the one i owe the arrears for has been with me for 3 months now. His mother had kids with another guy
and something happened to one of the baby's, social services got involved and took all the kids from her, there is a court case going on to establish who is responsibility for her other babys injury. I'v been to count a few times over the last cpl of months they gave me parental responsibility. untill they can establish if she is to be held directly responsibility for the baby's injury.
I havn't claimed anything for my boy but i will pop down to the job centre Monday and try to apply for income based JSA, Child benefit, and tax credit not sure which tax credit i might be entitled too.
CSA have sent a letter asking for £175 a week for the arrears but there going have a [censored] hard time getting what i don't have. I'm not sure what do, I'd really like to get a job and start living life again maybe meet some new people but i fear they will just leave me with nothing again and sink back into that depression..
CSA wasn't what it is now they wernt very clear to me about change of circumstance's and i was only 17(still a child myself) when i started to pay my child support. from what they say there isn't anything i can do because it was my responsibility to inform them of changes in circumstance but im sure i shouldn't owe 10K+
1/2 or 3/4 maybe, i never claimed benefit so i have no proof i wasn't earning anything in the times i was out of work.
They have even backdated the arrears for the time i was doing my apprenticeship..
Hi Bizzy
I'm not sure if the CSA still offer this, but I seem to recall that you used to be able to ask for a meeting with a local representative. I think it would be worth trying to get a meeting with them to try to talk your situation through fully. Additionally, since you are now the resident parent, your ex should be paying you maintenance if she has any income or is claiming benefits - it would certainly be worth asking if these payments can be used to reduce the arrears (once you have established what the arrears should be). I would say that you should be going to court for residence, I think the social services could well support you in this, so I'd have a word with them.
You also need to get out and meet people - if you meet someone and are honest about your situation, then they are taking you for what you are.
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