does csa cover ''everything''

Havent been on for a while as things have been running ''pretty'' smoothly burt need some advice regarding my stbx csa payments. He pays what csa tell him which is a measley £79 per week to cover both my children. I am on a low paid job having to work part time to look after the children while he is on 3 times my salary. Any extras like money toward passports, school trips, uniforms etc he refuses to pay towards saying he pays csa for this. Surely CSA cannot expect ''everything'' to be paid by me.

CM is considered a contribution towards costs but unfortunately he is correct, and you can''t make him pay for other stuff.

CSA is a blunt instrument. Laws and regulations set by the UK Government regulate the CSA and there is no discretion. Child support is a contribution only towards the costs of raising a child and there is no onus on the non resident parent to pay anything more. All you can do is ensure you are claiming all the state help you are entitled to.

If after taking Child Benefit, tax credits and child maintenance into account there is a big discrepancy in incomes you may be able to claim maintenance for yourself rather than the children but your husband would normally need to be earning above average.

Thankyou for your reply. Its a bit hard on the resident parent I think especially when he must be on about £30k.
So another question, I have no choice but to hand over passports for him to take them away without him having to pay towards them, even if I dont know where he is going for how long who with or anything, give him clothes, toys etc that I have bought the children when he asks for them?

you don''t have to.
He can buy all those things himself to keep at his house for the kids when they are with him. He could argue that whilst he is away with the kids on holiday that he still pays CM for the children to you, even tho they are not with you, but him. Either way, as i see it, it his his responsibility to feed, clothe and pay for them when they are with him.

If you were married and both parents have Parental Responsibility you need consent from each other or permission from the courts to take children abroad. The exception is when the court has granted a residence order in your favour. So it would be reasonable for your ex to provide details of the travelling arrangements and where the children are staying overnights before handing over the passports and for you to agree to the holiday. Actually you can''t disagree without having a good reason.

You don''t need to know who he is going on holiday with and it''s in the interest of the children for you to provide their own clothes and toys so they can enjoy a family holiday with your ex.

If the passports have run out and he wants to take them abroad then I would hand them over stating you need them you pay for them to be renewed.

Obviously if you want take them abroad you might want to negotiate a compromise.