Child Support Agency, old rules

Child Support Agency - historic rules
This page contains some the CSA old rules before 29 July 2013 and are here by way of reference. For up to date information see: Child Support Agency.

The CSA works under the illusion that you are either the Resident Parent (RP) or the Non Resident Parent (NRP), the definition of this usually follows who gets Child Benefit. If the child spends 104 nights a year (2/7 year) with the NRP they will have a reduction of 1/7 of the assessment.

There are two systems, in outline:

The maximum assessable income by the CSA is £2,000/week. For a full explanation see.
 * Old system - the NRP paid the RP on the basis of a complicated formula. This was supposed to cease and cases move to the new system, but most existing cases stayed on the old system.
 * New system - started in March 2003. Essentially the NRP paid 15% for one child, 20% for two and 25% for three. All from Nett income.
 * New system (Act in 2008, likely implementation in 2010 -- it somehow got changed).
 * There are 4 rates based on net weekly income. Net is gross minus: Income tax, National Insurance and Pension:
 * Basic rate: income £200 - £2,000: 1 child 15% of net, 2 children 20% of net, 3+ children 25% of net. Allowances for other children that the NRP may be responsible for.
 * Reduced rate: income £100 - £200: £5 + a proportion of the income above £100: 1 child 25%, 2 children 35%, 3+ children 45%. Also allowances for other children.
 * Flat rate: income £5 - £100: £5 no matter how many children there are.
 * Nil rate: income less that £5: nothing to pay.

The future of the Child Support Agency
NOTE that this is a historic future -- beware

In late 2006 & early 2007 the government Department of Work and Pensions conducted a consultation on how the successor to the CSA (C-MEC) should work. They seem to have been selective on the responses quoted and done what they wanted to in the first place. It seems unlikely that this will really improve matters in difficult cases and has great potential to make things worse.

In January 2011 this (Henshaw report) was turned into a green paper

In 2012 the DWP carried out a consultation dealing with: amounts to be paid; how to pay (encouragement of direct payments between parents); costs if the CSA needed to enforce payment.

This will lead to new rules in 2013, these are the draft regulations (not final)
 * an application for child support maintenance a fee of £20 will be payable; waived if the applicant: is under 18; or declares that they are a victim of domestic violence
 * assessment based on tax information, recalculated annually (no extra fee for recalculation)
 * no change within a year unless NRP income changes by more than 25%
 * if the CSA collection service is needed: 20% added to NRP liability, take 7% from what is paid to the RP
 * encourage to pay direct (by bank), the RP will not be able to refuse direct payments
 * increase in minimum payment from £5 to £10 a week
 * Other charges: Liability Order £300; Regular Deduction Order £50; Deduction from Earnings Order £50; Lump Sum Deduction Order £200