General Chat

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Child Support Agency facing axe The troubled Child Support Agency (CSA) is being axed, while absent parents face being electronically tagged, under plans to be announced by ministers. Parents will be encouraged to make their own arrangements over child maintenance, with a new agency focusing on parents who refuse to co-operate. New powers would prevent absent parents from going out after work and allow passports to be confiscated. But the Conservatives are not convinced the changes will make any difference. 'Tough enforcement' The reforms will be unveiled by Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton in the Commons. They are intended to allow parents to keep more of their maintenance allowance before it affects their benefits. They come as a response to a review of child support arrangements by Sir David Henshaw, whose report is set to be published on Monday afternoon. He is understood to favour the replacement of the CSA by a new organisation that will not handle payments for all parents. Lord Hunt, a minister from the department, said he wanted to see more parents resolving issues for themselves without state interference. But he warned: 'It's very important that where parents are not prepared to support their children, there is tough enforcement.' He said the government had 'every right' to get tough with absentee parents, but he would not confirm reports of tagging, curfews or passport confiscation. It is thought that the agency will be given the power to use debt collectors, and a residual agency will be created to deal with the massive backlog which has grown under the CSA. 'Broken families' Liberal Democrat work and pensions spokesman David Laws urged the government not to write off the £3.5bn of child maintenance arrears and 330,000 strong backlog of cases. 'The government must not abandon the hundreds of thousands of families failed by 13 years of CSA incompetence,' he said. 'The reforms which are being announced must be judged by one test only - will they get more money through to the children living in broken families?'

I am not surprised, the whole thing has been shambolic.

Good waste of tax payers money, Lil

Their a waste of space, I havent heard one positive thing about them.

Good job - does not work - and causes my son loads of problems, he willingly pays but what he is left to pay his mortgage and live on is buttons. Surely they can think of a better system my son and many others still have to live. Mary

The Csa very nearly pulled my family apart when we nearly lost our home, the stress was utterly horrendous, they attack some families and leave others alone. carolxx

Hubby once recieved a letter from CSA stating that a certain female had named him as the 'probable' father of her child, In actual fact, the CSA had randomly sent letters to all men who had the name that she had given,,!! Imagine the unrest that could cause between hubby and wife..??? How cavalier of them,, OH rang them and raised merry hell ..oh the tales i could tell of the CSA,,,

About time too! It seems it will take years to sort out though - probably be too late for us. They are a complete waste of time - cripple those Fathers who are honest and leave very many others alone when they pay nothing at all. We pay fortnightly or monthly and they still send us letters chasing up payment and they still get my Step Son's Surname wrong! Kaye x

I contacted the CSA after my ex decided to pay me when he felt like it. They were great while he paid but now I haven't received anything since 21st April. They are going for an attachments of earnings order. He's just changed jobs so it may take a while longer but I should get the money (and arrears) in the end. The hardest thing for me is understanding why he does not want to pay towards his own daughter. She stays at his house once a week and if it happens to be Sunday I have to send her with a cheque for her dinner money! He never takes her anywhere apart from the pub, which he seems to be able to afford to visit several times every week. He doesn't buy her anything - clothes, shoes etc. He takes his 2 stepdaughters on holiday (13 and 16) abroad every year but never takes Ellie(9). I hope the new lot tag him so he can't go to the pub!!!!! Jack x

Jack thats so sad, My Son had a right time trying to get them to take his money, he got in contact as soon as he and his partner split up, they sent him a letter which said we cannot process your application untill his partner applied what a joke, went to court etc £8,000 later they decided they would take it, never got any support from them at all just hassel, lucky he had put the back dated money to one side Lil

Does this mean that those of us who do actually get regular payments wont be getting any in the same way. My ex pays the csa through a standing order at the moment and I receive it everyweek, so will this mean that he wont have to do that any more? Sorry to sound thick here but I dont really know the ins and outs of how they do things, or not do things as the case maybe Marie

Lil, looks like your son is like my new partner. Good for him, he obviousley cares very much about his child/ren. Dean pays more than he would have to through the CSA and buys his boys clothes, shoes, footballs, pays club subscriptions, football stickers etc. His ex still complains if she doesn't get her cheque the day he gets paid lol, if only she knew how lucky she is. Jack x

Marie, they'd be mad to cancel any agreements that they already have in place! Jack x

Thank god for that I was getting a bit worried there! Marie:)

The CSA has been a failure since the CONCERVATIVE GOVERNMENT STARTED IT! You can't blame Labour for EVERYTHING.... they have made enough mistakes of their own. Deanna X

You can blame Labour, they have had ten years fo fix it and have failed.

Jack, as they say you reap what you sow, and thank god we did, Lil

About time too!! I never got a penny out of my daughters Dad, despite 10 years of trying, they actually admitted that it was far too time consuming for them to chase him when there were other men easier to target. I was disgusted. My ex had loads of money, a posh house, several holidays abroad each year, and then when he had 2 lads later in life he gave them everything. My daughter has had 2 birthday cards and just £20 from him in her 21 years............so is it any wonder she refers to him not as her father but her sperm donor!! I am bitter about all the times i had to struggle to feed her while the CSA looked the other way, but equally disgusted that all those decent men (and women) that have been fleeced over the years when they willingly do their best for their child/ren have been victimised. I doubt we will ever get an apology! Yvette (getting off my soapbox now, lol)

to be honest I havent had any probelms at all with the CSA.......so this news will be right up my ex's street as he will do his utter damndest now to get away without paying a penny for his kids..... can just see him rubbing his hands with glee