Child Support & Maintenance Experts
The child support agency (CSA) no longer takes on new cases. However, cases opened before 25 November 2013 are still dealt with.
Whittaker & Co understand that Child Support & Maintenance can be a difficult and stressful subject but don’t worry we can help.
How The CMS Works Out Child Maintenance
The CMS and CSA use different methods to calculate child maintenance. It all hinges on when the case was opened against you.
- Before March 2003 are called ‘1993 scheme’ cases – OLD Rules
- After March 2003 is ‘2003 scheme’ cases – NEW Rules
- Cases opened with the “CMS” are called ‘2012 scheme’ cases.
Moving To The 2003 Scheme
The CSA has to use the same rules to work out maintenance for every child with the same paying or receiving parent.
The ‘Paying Parent’ is the parent the child doesn’t live with. The parent or carer they live with is the ‘Receiving Parent’.
The CSA Will Automatically Move You
The CSA will move your case to the march 2003 rules if all the following apply:
- You’ve made a new application or have been named in one on or after 3 March 2003
- The children in the new application have a different parent to the children in the existing case
- The CSA will contact you and the other parent to let you know if your case needs to be moved.
Child Maintenance Service (CMS)
New rules introduced on the 25th November 2013 state that if you don’t give the CMS or CSA the right information, you could be taken to court and face a fine of up to £1000. You must:
- Give the service managing your case the information it needs
- Do not give the service information that you know is false.
This applies to any person or organisation, who by law must give the CMS or CSA information. This includes:
- Employers
- Accountants
- Either parent
How Your Earnings Are Verified
The CSA or CMS can get the information they require about your earning directly from HMRC.
When Maintenance Payments Stop
The CSA or CMS can get the information they require about your earning directly from HMRC.
- Maintenance payments usually stop when the child reaches 16 (or 20 if they’re in full-time education not higher than A-level or equivalent). But there are situations in which they’ll stop sooner.
- When payments are reduced to zero (in certain circumstances) – this is called ‘nil rate’.
- When child maintenance stops any unpaid amounts up to that point must still be paid, these are known as ‘arrears’.
Please get in contact with Whittaker & Co and let us advise you on this difficult subject
To Find Out More About How We Can Help You
