Forum Topic

Question on Child Maintence

If you have a child and the father only see's the child 1 a week 4 2hrs and the Mum is on Benefits and the Father pays Child Maintenance threw the CSA does that get given to the Mum or does it go towards the Child Benefits she Recvs for the Child?  If the CSA does pay the Mum The Child Maintenance paid by the father does she get the full Amount or just part?

Simon Anderson ● 4559d6 Comments

Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission  Child Maintenance and Enforcement CommissionThe Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (CMEC) is a Non-Departmental Public Body which holds the responsibility for the child maintenance system in Great Britain. They were established in July 2008 after a report written by Sir David Henshaw recommended that a radical change to the existing system was required. The CMEC is accountable to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.The CMEC has three core functions:•Promote the financial responsibility that parents have for their children.•Provide information and support on the different child maintenance options available.•Provide an efficient statutory maintenance service, with effective enforcement.From 2012 the CMEC will introduce a new statutory maintenance system, this will be a ‘gross income’ system based on latest available tax year information from the HMRC. It is hoped that using information from a single source will significantly reduce the time it take to calculate child maintenance. The Maintenance award will be fixed for a year unless income varies by more than 25%.Clients on the existing CSA schemes will be encouraged to either, make there own arrangements for child maintenance, or will be migrated slowly to the new ‘gross income’ system. During this transitional period employers must be able to handle both the existing and new systems within their salary calculations.It is predicted that by 2015 a single system of child maintenance will be in place.Gross Income CalculationThese rates will be applied against Gross Income:- 12% for one child - 16% for two children - 19% for three or more childrenWhere the GROSS weekly wage is higher that £800 the above rates will be applied to the first £800pw plus the following rate will be applied to gross income over and above £800pw- 9% for one child - 12% for two children - 19% for three of more childrenThe maximum wage to be included within the calculation has been raised from £2000pw to £3000pw.

Vanessa Smith ● 4556d

Hi SimonIt may be worthwhile your friend contacting the local Citizens Advice Bureau as I am sure they can provide the up to date details

Paul Fisher ● 4556d

Thank U Vanessa.

Simon Anderson ● 4556d

As far as I know Child Support has nothing to do with the Child/Family Allowance, the maintenance can be paid to the parent with care in varying ways, directly through a bank account, cheque, whatever is decided on or via the CSA as was. Yes, if it's paid in cash it should be declared although it would be a case of he said/she said. The parent who is the primary carer would get all the money unless she is on benefit (when it should be declared) and in that case it would affect her benefit amount. As I say things have changed but that was what used to happen.

Vanessa Smith ● 4557d

I know a woman who is on JSA and gets Benefits for her 14yr old son. The father works but only see's the child every Saturday for 2hrs. The woman tells me she gets around £60 a month off him for Maintenance but i thought that the CSA took the Child support out of your Benefits or work pay and it goes towards the Child Benefits is this Correct?  If he is giving her Cash in hand and she is on benefits is she supposed to declare this money?  Is the Child Maintenance supposed to be paid threw the Benefit agency and if so what percentage of the money they take from the absent Father does the Mum get does she get it all or just some off it?

Simon Anderson ● 4557d

The CSA was very quietly scrapped by the government last week. I understand anyone wanting to use the new outfit the CMA, will have to start all over again and pay £20 fee. The million or so outstanding cases will just be dropped! However if you've an existing arrangement I suspect that will stand. My memory is that if the parent-with-care is on benefit she gets to keep the maintenance, Child Benefit in receipt is taken into account when working out the maintenance payable, I would add it is some years since I worked for the CSA so don't quote me on that!

Vanessa Smith ● 4559d