New system

Heard somewhere that the CSA have started a new system for maintenance. Anyone know anything or have I dreamt it???

(fingers crossed it can get some maintenance out of my ex and his ltd co.)

The new maintenance calculation
A new scheme for calculating child maintenance is expected to be introduced in
2012.

All new claimants will have their claims calculated under these new rules.
At a later date, a process of closing all existing CSA cases will begin, and any
parents who wish to apply to the new scheme will have to do so in the same way
as new applicants.

The new calculation will be based on information from HM Revenue and
Customs on the non-resident parent’s gross income for the latest available tax
year. The amount will be fixed for one year unless his income varies by 25 per
cent.

As the new calculation will be based on gross income rather than net income,
as currently used, the percentage amount that the non-resident parent will be
expected to pay will change.

For a non-resident parent whose weekly income is £800 or less, the rates will
be:

Ï 12 per cent for one child;
Ï 16 per cent for two children;
Ï 19 per cent for three or more children.

If the non-resident parent’s income is over £800 a week, the following rates will
apply to the excess over £800:

Ï 9 per cent for one child;
Ï 12 per cent for two children;
Ï 15 per cent for three or more children.

The gross weekly income taken into account will be reduced if the non-resident
parent has other relevant children.

The flat rate will increase from£5 to £7.

And this is taken from:

www.cpag.org.uk/publications/extracts/CP...book_1112_sample.pdf

Does anybody know when exactly in 2012 these changes in the CSA''s method of calculation will start to be used? I''ve been searching the web and can find no definite dates...

Sounds like a good thing, although the ''fixed for one year'' rule doesn''t. It means that NRP''s won''t need to disclose a pay rise, but will definitely be on the phone if they lose their jobs.

Can you tell me if Theresa May''s proposed charge to access the CSA has been dropped? It caused a storm a few months ago, but I haven''t heard much since.

Also under the old system the amount depended on the number of nights with the NRP. I can''t see that mentioned in the information you posted. Any idea how it will work?

I found the following information on the Gingerbread website regarding the proposed charges for using the CSA. It indicates that there will still be an ongoing charge for using the CSA but the initial charge for applying through them will be £20 rather than the £100 initially proposed.

www.gingerbread.org.uk/content.aspx?CategoryID=574

"An on-going charge of between 7% and 12% on any maintenance paid to parents who rely on the future CSA to collect their child maintenance, as well as an extra 15-20% charge added to the non-resident parent’s payment."

Hope it helps

Again, another system that will cause greater upset when it commences. If both parents need to use this system for whatever reason why does the NRP get charged 15-20% but the PWC will only get deducted a maximum of 12%?

The difference between the charges is because the calculation will be based on the NRPs gross income where as the PWC will be paying from their net income.

Parents will be able to avoid using the CSA altogether if they have a written private agreement which may be enforced through the courts. The family solicitors organisation, Resolution, has produced a sample form here;

www.resolution.org.uk/site_content_files...or_child_support.pdf