I wanted to know where I stand with my recent situation.
My ex wants half of the childcare paid by me and half by her, This was ok, but now she wants to work 5 days per week, as appose to 4.
I work 5 days too.
This means childcare cost goes from £44 each per week, to £66 per week,
I cannot afford to pay this increase - it is her choice to change her working hours.
I used the calculator for CSA and according to that, based on my gross income being £750 ish per week - I would be paying almost £70 tp her??? This is shocking.
Considering when I pick my daughter up - every other weekend, Friday evening to Sunday afternoon - I pay for train fare to get her and RTN her to her mother, feed her and entertain her all weekend.
I do not buy her anything else, ie clothes or any other support at all, I pay half her childcare, and we have a weekend each with our daughter - I am constantly told that what I pay is childcare, that allows us both to work, and not maintenance. She decides to buy expensive clothing and things, not me, and I have a lot of debt through gambling, she doesn't have any of this pressure.
Is there any way I can appeal against what the CSA might suggest I pay her, based on the additional costs of having my daughter? - or is that likely to be ignored considering I do this only every other weekend?
Any advice would be appreciated
I wanted to know where I stand with my recent situation.
My ex wants half of the childcare paid by me and half by her, This was ok, but now she wants to work 5 days per week, as appose to 4.
I work 5 days too.
This means childcare cost goes from £44 each per week, to £66 per week,I cannot afford to pay this increase - it is her choice to change her working hours.
I used the calculator for CSA and according to that, based on my gross income being £750 ish per week - I would be paying almost £70 tp her??? This is shocking.
Considering when I pick my daughter up - every other weekend, Friday evening to Sunday afternoon - I pay for train fare to get her and RTN her to her mother, feed her and entertain her all weekend.
I do not buy her anything else, ie clothes or any other support at all, I pay half her childcare, and we have a weekend each with our daughter - I am constantly told that what I pay is childcare, that allows us both to work, and not maintenance. She decides to buy expensive clothing and things, not me, and I have a lot of debt through gambling, she doesn't have any of this pressure.
Is there any way I can appeal against what the CSA might suggest I pay her, based on the additional costs of having my daughter? - or is that likely to be ignored considering I do this only every other weekend?
Any advice would be appreciated
- Also I have another daughter that I haven't paid for for 6 odd years.
CSA have sent bills that I haven't responded to - will my 2nd daughter and her mother even see any payment that I make or will go all toward my first daughter that the mother doesn't allow me to see.
I would prefer to pay the mother directly of the daughter that I do see, but we cant seem to agree that £44 per week is enough -
I think if you have two children, it's 16% of your income split between the two mothers. That should be your liability.
Costs for contact are not taken into consideration. Anything you pay above the CSA minimum is your choice.
If your ex decides to go to the CSA to open a case, it is as Yoda says, 16% of gross income split between your two children and if there are arrears for the first child they may well take extra to pay it off.
There isn't really any way to appeal, as long as they have calculated the amount correctly. Child maintenance is a contribution towards the care of your child calculated on a percentage of your income, but they can make a reduction if your child stays overnight with you, for each overnight they would make a reduction of 1/7th of the weekly amount. They can also make a reduction for special expenses, which does include travelling expenses to see a child, you would need to ask if you qualify for that. They will also make a reduction if you pay into a pension.
As far as the CSA are concerned any extra payments you make towards child care are discretionary, as they consider that all of your financial liability is included in the amount you are asked to pay.