CS Overhaul - No CM calculation proposals ???

I noticed this www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/strengthening-families.pdf and read it hoping to see some reference to the inequality in calculating CM for NRPs in shared care situations or reference to CB inequalities too.

A lot has been said regarding CB, but that is an issue that has to be dealt with elsewhere.
However I do feel the method of calculating CM seems to be illogical.
1. If a NRP as a parent has 1 night/week care then the CM is reduced by 14% (1/7th) which is clearly wrong and should be reduced by 28%(2/7ths). Hence the abnormally where a PWC with 4 day care/week receives a ridiculous large (58% of full payment) amount for what works out at one day/week extra care than NRP. This is £116 for each 'extra' day for a NRP that earns £1000/week.
2. It is scandalous in situations where the PWC earns considerably more than NRP and then the PWC receives CM + CB + CTC, compared to the NRP who recieves nothing and actually has to pay CM. It is unfair in any situation, not just the one above and there are many NRPs that live in relative poverty and it is the children who also suffer in this situation as they feel the effects of the poverty when living with the NRP.

I propose that CM is calculated based on both parents income based against the number of nights they have care for and an aggregate of payment then worked out. The idea of PWC and NRP has some reason even if just for logistics for CB, but is not necessary at all with CM calculations.

Thoughts on this please. I really feel there are several issues with regard to the actual calculation method and ammounts in respect of CM, yet it doesn't seem to be getting any consideration in this review at all.

Agains all thoughts from 'both sides' on this please.

I do intend to send my thoughts on the matter in response to the Govenment proposal

What would you propose when working out both parents income when the PWC is on benefits and the NRP has a well paid job ??

Basic concept is :
(for 2 kids)20% of each parents wage would be calculated then 1/7th reduced for each night of care. Aggregate up the total and make a single payment one way or the other.

So Sherbet if I can make up some figures in your example :
one parent is on benefit and recieves £70/week and has the kids 5 nights a week.
other parent earns £350/week and has the kids 2 nights a week.

then calculation is:
first parent ~ 20% of £70 = £14 but reduced by 5/7ths for nights of care, so has a contribution of £4 to second parent.
second parent ~ 20% of £350 = £70 but reduced by 2/7ths for nights of care, so has a contribution of £50 to first parent.

Aggregate payment would then be £46/week from second parent to first parent.

It all seems so simple and perfectly fair to me. Certainly beats the present system in all ways. I really cant see any fault with it.

...and then you get the self employed liars like my ex...
How does that work then when he diverts money to his wife?
I admit the CSA runs a seriously flawed system and there are some genuine NRP's who seriously cant pay whats expected of them.
It's the NRP's who are greedy, who try for years (like my ex) to avoid paying CM who make the system so inadequate.
I do agree that NRP's should be allowed enough to have a decent standard of living for themselves but also PWC need looking after.
I've been 3 years now with no CM from my ex for our 2 little ones. I live in a rented house, earn minimum wage and rely on benefits whereas my ex lives in a 6 bed mansion he bought shortly after he left...he has a frivolous life yet it's taken the CSA 2.5 years of criminal compliance investigations to try to get me some support for the kids and he's still evading them! Is it fair that his 2 oldest kids have to wear school shoes from Tesco while his "new" kid spends every other month abroad...no it's not.
The CSA need to scrap criminal compliance and refer any "lifestyle inconsistent with income" cases straight to court...with imprisionment as a penalty for diverting income...would make others like my ex cough up!
CSA....load of rubbish IMO!
Lou xx

I don't see that as fair !!

In this case that would leave a PWC with £448 compared to £1216 for the NRP that's a huge gap !!


Then what would you do about the likes of DLA which is not means tested ??

Can't see how you could touch benefits imo

Also what if with the CB and a wage of the PWC = that of the NRP that means a zero calculation for the NRP when the PWC has the greater cost does it not ??

5 nights as opposed to 2 of course is going to cost more .

whilst I accept that there are many NRPs living in relative poverty, I suspect there are just as many PWC living in similar situations. On paper, I have a 'good' income with the support of Tax Credits. But it goes nowhere when paying bills, the upkeep of a house etc. etc. etc. Like Lou, I have a self-employed ex who makes no contribution whatsoever. I would like to see an overhaul of the system that moves far more quickly to penalise those who won't pay (rather than can't pay).

Flying pig anyone?!