The Child Support Agency (also known as CSA) was launched in the UK in 1993. This UK Government Executive Agency is responsible for implementing the Child Support Act of 1991, and all subsequent legislation. Up until 1991 the Treasury was responsible for benefit payments to lone parents, which were made to help reduce child poverty.
The CSA calculates how much child maintenance is due, and organises collection and transferal of these payments. Before the CSA was launched all disputes were handled in court. However, because absent parents could not be traced, the CSA was introduced to provide consistency in the assessment of payments, collection and distribution.
What Is Child Support?
Child support is the regular contribution a non-resident parent pays towards the maintenance of their child’s growth. This payment is made to the adult the child lives with, which could be a parent, grandparent or legal guardian. The amount that is paid in contribution can be mutually agreed between both parents, but in some cases this decision is handled legally.
Initially the CSA used a complex method of calculation that took into consideration the age of the child/children and parental income after subtraction of allowances. Today maintenance payments are assessed by a more simple method of working out a fixed percentage of the non-resident parent’s income.
If one or both parents receives income-related benefits all child maintenance payments received must be declared.
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The Child Support Act of 1991 was passed to allow for a regulated system of collecting child support to be established. Child Support was created to financially help and support all separated families, where one parent lives with the child/children and the other parent lives elsewhere. This form of payment is of great benefit to the parent in charge of the child’s upbringing, as it provides financial assistance with the costs of raising a family.
On separation/divorce the CSA is able to issue forms to the parents, which are later processed to calculate the payment amount due. Once an award has been made payment notices are sent to the absent parent. This usually includes a request for payment of arrears, based on the date the application for Child Support was made.
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
The CMEC
The CSA was replaced by the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) in 2012. The CMS now handles child maintenance calculations and collections, providing support to parents with information on available options.
Powers to confiscate passports and driving licences, and to introduce curfews and the tagging of non resident parents who fail to contribute financially.
A ‘name and shame’ programme that lists details of all non resident parents who fail to pay child support.
Compulsory joint birth registration.
A charging scheme where payment is made for CMEC services.
As I understand non of these things are taken in to consideration, the CSA just look at my regular earnings and base my payments on this.
Reading through your website under appeals it seems that outgoings are not taking in to consideration.
Is this correct?
I would also be interested to understand how the CSA have arrived at the % figure they apply! I travel abroad extensively and know that in Denmark for instance salaries are banded and payment is fixed depending on the band you are in. If I was to receive a substantial payrise for a promotion the payment would increase, even though the cost of living does not!
There is no accountability on the receiving parent to prove that the maintenance is going on the child and I suspect as many others who pay do, that the child does not benefit from this but rather the resident parent. I manage my childs trust fund and despite a considerable increase in payments last time and the agreement that the excess would be paid in in 2 years I have not seen any increased payments being made!
Yet I have no course of action to address this imbalance.
I have no issue in making payment at all however feel the process and the calculations are flawed because at the end of the month (I have my children every weekend by the way) I cannot afford to treat them to even an ice cream.
Thank you
Amazingly, and luckily for all concerned, my ex has not objected and we're working out the details now. According to old CSA rules, for parents with shared custody there's no obligation for me to pay maintenance to my ex. Does anyone know if this is still true? I'm going to apply take over child tax credits for my son, and I'm worried that my ex will kick off about her 'lost' income, and refuse to allow him to move in with me.
I already have confirmation that my son's move is his decision, not his mother's, but it would be a shame for a financial problem to put a spanner in the works.
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