Child Support Agency

The CSA Big Picture
The CSA was set up to act in the financial support of children following separation of their parents.

The CSA was then called CMEC and is now the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) - presumably the change of name will make everything now work correctly.

The latest changes to the rules came into force on 29 July 2013 and is what is described here. You may be interested in Child Support Agency, old rules.

Who pays who
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. See also CSA and Child benefit

Child Support is payable for children who are in full time education (not higher than A level) and up to the age 20 (this was increased in 2013).

Income asessable
The NRP's income is taken from the tax historic records: employment, self-employment and pension (the pension may be ignored, see Reg 40, 2012 Regulations). If income has changed by more than 25% from the tax records then current income may be used. The income is what you are paid before income tax and national insurance are taken off, this is your gross income.

If the NRP's income exceeds £156,000 a top-up application may be made to court.

How much is paid
More is paid for more children. There are two bands depending on the NRP's income:


 * Up to £800 per week:
 * 1 child 12%
 * 2 children 16%
 * 3 or more children 19%


 * £800+ per week. Income over £3,000 per week is ignored:
 * 1 child 9%
 * 2 children 12%
 * 3 or more children 15%

A reduction can be made if the NRP has children living with him. This depends on their number: 12% for 1 child; 16% for 2; 19% for 3 or more. These percentages are a reduction in the assessment, not the gross income.

You may find this calculator useful: http://www.cmoptions.org/en/calculator/ It asks questions and will say what should be paid.

Reduction for shared care
If there is equal shared care then there is no support payable, it remains to be seen how that is assessed in practice. If one parent has the child benefit book it is assumed that they are the RP unless proven otherwise.

If the child spends nights with the NRP there is a reduction, there is no reduction for time spent during the day.
 * 52+ nights a year with the NRP they will have a reduction of 1/7 of the assessment,
 * 104+ reduction 2/7,
 * 156+ reduction 3/7,
 * 175+ reduction 1/2.

Organisations that help with CSA problems

 * Child Support Solutions
 * NACSA They can do so free of charge, but only via enquiries@nacsa.co.uk or by writing to them at PO BOX 4454, Dudley, West Midlands DY1 9AN
 * Child Support Analysis
 * Child Support Agency Hell

Press Comment about the CSA

 * Guardian Absent fathers need not just be seen as walking wallets
 * Melanie Phillips Feckless women, not men, are to blame for this CSA calamity

Notes on Dealing with the CSA

 * Deal with them on paper - this cannot be over emphasised
 * When you receive a letter from them: "you need to instinctively put it under your pillow for two-three days, go out fishing, and do nothing about it for the duration. Just sleep on it." Good advice: haste will result in mistakes.
 * S.40 of the Administration of Justice Act 1970 will help you if the CSA harasses you with many letters & phone calls. See
 * It can be useful to get a copy of their records on you, do that with a Subject Access Request.

Court Cases

 * Mr Justice Mumby - 9 March 2006 said that magistrates had to ensure that the amount of the liability order was correct.

Paying the CSA
The CSA will attempt to get payments via a direct debit or a deduction of earnings.

They will also accept standing orders, although it appears that some members of CSA staff are not aware of this. Standing orders are to be preferred since you are in control and not so much at the mercy of their errors. Make standing order payments as follows:
 * Bank: HSBC
 * Name: Child Support Agency Client Fund Account
 * Sort: 40-34-18
 * A/C: 41775448

You must give a payment reference, this is your CSA case number with '01' appended to the end.

Their bank address: HSBC CITY BRANCH 110 GREY STREET NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE NE1 6JG

Freedom of Information
There are some interesting results of Freedom of Information Requests that have been made to the CSA, including their procedures manual. See http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/csa

CSA enforcement procedures
2012: found to be in breach of Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights