Child Support Agency

[martin2006]

Ok, i can see you all running for cover at the very mention of these people, but i have a genuine question.

Firstly i had an assessment from the csa for £0.00 around 8 years ago when my daughter was around 10/11 years old. I have now received a demand for £538.

I have no idea how or where they have calculated this figure from as i believed i owed nothing.

I spoke to them and they have told me that this relates to arrears from prior to the zero assessment. This must be at least 9 or 10 ago.

Question.
Can they still chase this debt without first getting a court order and can i get this statute barred.

My daughter will be 20 in november.


Any one brave enough to advise on the csa?

Many thanx

martin

[Bookworm]

I don't think it's got to do with bravery, Martin, I think it's to do with knowledge, or lack thereof.

As far as I can find out from trawling t'Internet, the 6 years limit doesn't apply to the CSA any more as it was removed but the change only affects debt incurred after 12th July 2000.

The ParentsCentre Forum: CSA demanding money after 11 years (Forum) #5 is where the info is, but some of the links are out of date.

That's all I can find at the moment.

[macca160670]

mmm. I think you may find that they are a law unto themself.

I've been speaking to a really nice guy at the csa about my partners payments, I say his nice as I can't think of anything better, he has no idea of his system and seems to work off his own back rather than any guiidelines.

The only thing I can think is that perhaps that claim would be on the old system and the old claims are going onto the new system and this may have generated a bill. My partner has 2 children, 2 different partners, one was on the old system and never persued it and when the other ex claimed on the new system it automatically reinstated the old claim so he pays both through the csa despite having an agreement with the first ex to pay her direct.

I try not to get frustrated when I ring them as they never reply to letters or e-mails and are very vague on the phone, what I do know is that they can take what they like as they just deduct it from your employer. Thats what they have done with my partner, they even took £200.00 extra this month from his salary as his account showed in arrears due to his company making late payments to them, all should be up to date by mid july so we need to write for a refund and if they don't forget and pay it out no refund will be due!!! disgusting service....

[martin2006]

OK im still getting the odd letter from Eversheds, who are the dca but not nearly as often and the phone calls have all but stopped. I just asked them to substantiate the alleged amounts owed but as yet ive recd nowt. Will just see how things pan out on this one for a while.

[emmaf01]

I can only think that perhaps a Subject Access Request to the CSA direct could be an option.

I only worked for the CSA briefly and in a very lowly position I'm afraid, so my knowledge of them is limited- apart from the fact the whole system was one almighty mess and some of the stories I heard made me glad to leave and return to university.