CMS been in touch , complications

[Merlin836]

CMS have just been in touch in regards to starting child maintenance starting from this week .
My ex was not interested in trying to arrange child support but I did put a bit aside and I also paid her a lump sum .
Unless I've calculated it incorrectly on the gov website it seems they charge around 20% on top of arranging it through them which is shocking !

Any advice

 

[Scotay]

They only charge 20% if they have to force you to pay, if they have directly taken from your salary.

 

[Merlin836]

They only charge 20% if they have to force you to pay, if they have directly taken from your salary.

I'm willing to pay so hopefully I've misunderstood that I have to pay on top of that . They said they're setting up an account in her name which I pay into . I've not yet received their letter which they said they sent out last week but all the details are on there .

 

[Ash]

If she has said she wants no direct contact with you - even to the point of a standing order each month, then they will use that system. And yes it’s shocking it’s 20%. I’m sure it used to be 6% a few years ago.

So if you gave her £2,000 - did you tell the CMS that? It may be though that they don’t count that if there’s nothing in writing to say it’s CM.

Unfortunately, yes, you will need to pay the assessed rate and do what’s expected. Even if your ex does get it, one of the biggest complaints is they can do whatever they want with it - they don’t need to show it’s been used for the child. So not much you can do about that - however galling it is.

It could be worth contacting CMS and saying things has been informal until now and you gave her £2,000 upfront to last two months. Do you have a record of that transaction.

 

[Merlin836]

If she has said she wants no direct contact with you - even to the point of a standing order each month, then they will use that system. And yes it’s shocking it’s 20%. I’m sure it used to be 6% a few years ago.

So if you gave her £2,000 - did you tell the CMS that? It may be though that they don’t count that if there’s nothing in writing to say it’s CM.

Unfortunately, yes, you will need to pay the assessed rate and do what’s expected. Even if your ex does get it, one of the biggest complaints is they can do whatever they want with it - they don’t need to show it’s been used for the child. So not much you can do about that - however galling it is.

It could be worth contacting CMS and saying things has been informal until now and you gave her £2,000 upfront to last two months. Do you have a record of that transaction.

The 2000 has ran out going off the child maintenance payments sadly about 3-4 weeks ago .
The 20% on top is a killer I'm left with next to nothing after paying my mortgage and everything else . My ex doesn't work and she will have more money than I'll have it's a shocking system .
It's got to me because she was corresponding with me just a short while ago and since the hearing didn't go her way she's stopped all correspondence.
I know its not much but the messages off my ex telling me what my daughter was up to meant so much when I've got nothing and she's even gone and stopped that .

 

[Roblox]

I don't think they can go for the 20% unless there is proof that you've not been paying.

Is there any paperwork you can share with names removed etc

Sorry just reread you are waiting the letter

 

[Merlin836]

I don't think they can go for the 20% unless there is proof that you've not been paying.

Is there any paperwork you can share with names removed etc

Sorry just reread you are waiting the letter

I'm not sure but there is a direct payment service with the CMS but both parents have to agree.
I don't think she would as it wouldn't be about the money more to make me pay more as she'd only lose 4% of the money for the collect and pay service whereas I pay 20% on top .
Maybe it will become clearer once I receive the letter .
I even have her bank details as I've paid her before but she has now cut all contact with me since our last hearing , she was fine getting in touch with me not so long ago but now wants to break me even more .

 

[Ash]

I wonder if it's worth just paying by direct pay and then telling CMS you are already paying it. Surely she can't object to receiving money in her bank account! If you do that, do it by standing order and have a reference of "Child Maintenance" on the standing order. The amount might go down a bit once you have an order for overnights, but that could be some time, with the age of your child. If she doesn't object to the money going into her account after the first payment, then you could tell CMS that can be taken as agreement as she hasn't objected.

 

[Merlin836]

I wonder if it's worth just paying by direct pay and then telling CMS you are already paying it. Surely she can't object to receiving money in her bank account! If you do that, do it by standing order and have a reference of "Child Maintenance" on the standing order. The amount might go down a bit once you have an order for overnights, but that could be some time, with the age of your child. If she doesn't object to the money going into her account after the first payment, then you could tell CMS that can be taken as agreement as she hasn't objected.

I received the letter and it asks if I want to pay direct so I've requested that and hope she accepts it . They're going to calculate payments within 6 weeks so I'll put it aside till its sorted