New (man) to Claiming from the CSA

A question about : New (man) to Claiming from the CSA

Hi Everyone

My first post here, and hopefully you will all be as helpful as ever!

I have just started the process of claiming from my childrens' mother through the CSA. Already I am having problems, firstly because I am a man, it seems and secondly, because they claim to have lost my application.

So, my first question is : How bad is it really? ... and is there any hope for me at all?

I have gone two years without receiving a penny from their mother, and despite my application going in five months ago, I have yet to receive any word of acknowledgement from the CSA.

Is that normal?

Hopefully, you wise ones will be able to assure me that it will all be rosy in the end ... won't you?

Best answers:

• Hi Enemes
  Nice to see you here I have to say that it doesnt actually matter whether you are a man or a woman the CSA can be just as bad with both!
  There SHOULD be hope for you because it is the welfare of the children that are at the heart of it. Do you have any record of sending the claim in, or do they have it on their system at all? If they have it on their system then the claim will start from that date even if you have to fill out a new form. If not then you need to complain complain complain! I have discovered that the more you ring the more gets done, if you dont ring then your case languishes at the bottom of the pile.
  The CSA does not tend to send out acknowledgements in my experience, are you sure they have had it? It takes them some time to contact the NRP and they have to give them a reasonable amount of time to supply the information. Then if they need more information they then have to request it and give them further time to produce it - unfortunately it can be a long drawn out process.
  The good news is that once you have an assesment from the CSA it is legally binding and your ex has to pay it, along with any arrears from the date that the claim was first made. Getting there though can seem an uphill struggle sometimes.
  First port of call is to ring them and find out if they have had your claim and which office is dealing with it. Then call that office and ask for an update on your case, giving them the benefit of the doubt it could be they are awaiting information. If you find that you are having to call a lot to push them along you can claim compensation for the phone calls and time that you spend.
  Good luck with it, and please remember that the person on the other end of the phone is not at fault, they are just as frustrated as you!
• The start date is the date they send out the MEF to the NRP, so if they haven't done that, then there is no start date yet. You need to make sure they have firstly got the form, and secondly that they have sent a MEF to your ex.
• Thanks to you both kelloggs and Kimitatsu.
  Your postings are both informative and assuring. I have no illusions that I have a long battle ahead, both with the ex and the CSA.
  I have been in touch with the CSA regularly, and to the point where the lady at the end of the phone actually gave me her direct number, for which I am very grateful. So, there is proof that SOME of them are trying their best.
  The main problem seems to lie with the fact that after being told some weeks ago that an assessment had been sent to me ex, the following day I called agaion to be told that nobody should have said that, as I wsn't even on the system!
  All I hear about is old, new and migrating systems. I seem to be familiar with the logistics of what is going on behind the scene ... but they are unfamiliar with my application. I am tempted to send in another one, but fear that will cause more problems in the long run, with duplications etc.
  Can I assume that an MEF is an assessment form they send to my wife? Sorry, but I am not up to speed with the terminology yet! Do I get notified when this is sent to her?
  Once again ... many thanks, and I already feel that I will be a frequent visitor here.
• Yes the mef is the form they send to your wife asking for her details. I would send in another, clearly marking it a duplicate and do it by recorded delivery. Old and migrating cases are CS1 cases (the old rules which ceased for new applications after March 2003) which migrate over to the new system. As yours is a new application it won't affect you in any way.
• Speaking from bitter experience, the fact that you are a man and have the cheek to claim against a woman will certainly count against you (not in law, the CSA doesn't discriminate of course - ha bl**dy ha).
  Stick to your guns, even the institutionally sexist CSA will have to deal with you eventually. It might take a while but the payments for maladministration you can clock up will make it kind of worth while.
  Eventually.
• Just to explain the migration conundrum. My ex was claiming from the CSA when we were married from her first husband, thus she was on the old system apparently, and as a result I was seemingly on the old system as a "significant party". When the case worker tried to enter me manually on the new system over the phone, I flagged up as being on the old system so I couldn't be entered on the new. Therefore, a double whammy, not only have they lost my application but I can't even be entered at their end manually!
  As for the quote "the CSA doesn't discriminate of course - ha bl**dy ha", I have heard the same many times from others and wondered if that would be the case. Having said that, the woman who I have been dealing with, has bent over backwards for me - no inuendo intended - thus so far I haven't been faced with such sexism ... yet! It is nothing new to me, anyway, having had to prove to other agencies of my worth (Child Benefit, Housing Benefit etc) just because I am a mere man. You wouldn't believe the amount of times that I have been asked "What, you are a man, HOW have you got the children?"
• People speak from experience and often make links between the fact that they are either male or female or an NRP or a PWC. The bottom line is that the CSA issues are so complicated and so many, many errors are made which people interpret as they will. My case has been delayed by the fact that they have chosen not to take more direct action against my Self-Employed ex - so my view is that they are soft on non-compliance NRPs and do nothing to help the PWC and the children. However, others find that they have been very zealous in collection and think that they do everything the PWC requests. You can only make your own judgements based on your own experience.
• Sorry kellogs36, I didn't mean to sound as if I was being discriminate. I haven't been dealing with the CSA long enough to form an opinion of them. I take onboard what you say, and can see why people form opinions whether they are NRPs or PWCs. My opinions are purely based on my experiences with other agencies, and as I stated earlier, the woman dealing with my case has been more than helpful, then again maybe she herself is a PWC, who knows?
  I am under no illusion, my problems haven't even started yet. I know myself that ultimately, even when my application is processed, my ex will do everything to delay and obstruct progress. I know myself that when they do catch up with her, she will readily give up her job, rather than paying for the real victims in this, the kids. Sadly, she sees it as "giving me money" rather than contributing towards the well-being of her own children.
  I sympathise with you, because of the advantage that self-employed people seem to enjoy in playing their game. Why is it that people have such a problem contributing towards their own children, that's what I can't understand? I wouldn't want to be the man in the middle, ie the CSA, so I don't envy the horrible job they have to do. Its early days yet, so I am sitting on the fence, albeit a barbed one at that.
• I would certainly suggest that you put a complaint in just because the "computer says no" to coin a phrase does not mean that you should lose your entitlement to put a claim in.
  The CSA should be looking at getting the case where you are a significant other migrated to the new system ( however this one will not neccesarily be converted to new rules) if a problem still persists cases can go clerical (in the paperless office!) but in order for this to happen you need to put a complaint in.
• Thanks aMeLia'S~MuMMY
  One of the thing's on today's To-Do list is to do just that. I am going to put a complaint in. I was advised by the woman that I have been dealing with at CSA, that the best way to do it is via their web site's email. Apparently, any complaint received that way has to be dealt with by a manager.
  if a problem still persists cases can go clerical (in the paperless office!) Wow, nothing surprises me ... must be a huge office! I would hate to think how many trees I am going to be responsible for by the end of this. Thanks again.
  W
• yes i agree, email is the best way
  good luck
• Thanks again aMeLia'S~MuMMY
  I have just done that from there site. Apparently I will have to wait ten days for word back from them. Would be as well walking there and handing them my complaint by hand. Will let you know when/if I hear from them.
• Can't believe it ... wrote in my complaint at the weekend from the CSA site ... and they phoned me back today - needless to say I wasn't in! Have to wait for tomorrow to call them back.
  Someone left me a message, saying that she had my complaint in front of her and wanted to talk about it ... can't wait.
  There is hope after all ...
• Hi
  I phoned them up, and it turns out that it was the woman I have been dealing with all along to say that the complaint has been left on her desk. All she could advise me was to write in again, but be more forcefull!! Going round in circles, by the looks of it. Will post back when I get something more concrete ... huh, likely!!
• Hi again
  Since I emailed to CSA ten days ago, ehen the form on the website stated that I would get a response within ten days, does the fact that the woman who I have been dealing with - and advised me to make the complaint - phoned me to say that she had recieved the email, count as a "response"?
  Should I have been expecting acknowledgement in writing or an email from them? What is the normal procedure here?
• They normally acknowledge the complaint first and tell you what the aim is in terms of timescale to get it sorted out.