Dealing With Payment Irregularities

There are a number of reasons why maintenance payment irregularities may occur from time to time. Administrative hiccups could result in child support payments being reassessed or recalculated, or even a delay in collection or distribution. A change in the financial circumstances of the non resident parent, who is paying maintenance, can also create financial stress and concern.

What Could Cause Problems

If a parent uses the services of the Child Support Agency (CSA) to collect, or pay, maintenance this will usually be done by collecting the payment from the non resident parent and distributing it through a bank direct debit facility. Sometimes this payment can be taken directly from the non resident parent’s income, via their employer. Either way, the payment will be heading for the parent with care’s bank or building society or Post Office account.

From time to time many people experience problems with bank charges, direct debit hitches and other difficulties caused by dealing with a financial institution. If this occurs it is important to contact the bank and CSA as soon as possible. Failure to do so may cost the parent further problems, as they could incur additional charges on their account.

What You Can Do

Where possible it makes sense to be well-informed. If a parent with care has a private maintenance agreement with a non resident parent, having the agreement officially accepted by the courts will mean you protect your future payments, and any changes to circumstances can be considered.

Irregularities often occur when information provided becomes out-of-date or invalid. Ensuring that any maintenance claim details you provide to Child Support Agency staff, or legal representatives, are relevant and up-to-date will help keep irregularities in the payment of maintenance to a minimum. If you suspect there may be problems notifying the CSA as soon as possible will also help speed up the process of rectifying any issues.

Outstanding Debts

A non resident parent is able to clear any outstanding maintenance debt by paying the full amount using a credit or debit card. Ensuring they have sufficient funds to cover the cost, or that they will be able to pay the amount back to the credit card company without it affecting future maintenance payments is worth checking.

Dealing With Changes

When dealing with any kind of changes – whether it is a change of address details, employment, changes in the child’s educational needs etc – it is necessary to allow sufficient time for the new details to be processed. Any new information a parent may provide will be require processing through various channels and departments before the changes are accepted. In the case of most financial institutions 5 working days must be allowed for processing. Understanding and accepting these conditions will help a parent deal with any delay in maintenance payments.

Worth Remembering

Although being inconvenienced in some way can be annoying and frustrating for the parent with care, who is in need of maintenance for their child, it is worth remembering that all arrears will be collected.