cant afford life

can someone please advise me as to what to do, i have two children of which my ex is claiming for child support, ive never seen my children for over 2 years due to threats towards me and ex having severe Parental Alienation Syndrome. well shes just trying to dig knife in even further. she has contacted the csa and they say i owe £2000 in arrears, (she forgot to mention cash i used to give her, and a lump sum) ive learned my lesson on that one. anyway i have no money at all now, but this is my problem i hope you can help. jobs round where i live have an average pay of around £200 and usually come home with around £175, anyway csa have been in touch and want £65 per week, how do i live, ?. they dont take into account living expenses at all, so what do i do on this please advise.

Hi, would like to point out that contact and child maintenance do not actually go hand in hand. Just because you don't see your children (although this is sad) this has no relation (other than working out whether they stay with you overnight) to you not paying Child Maintenance.

The CSA has every right to ask you to pay towards your children. For 2 children this would be 20% of your net salary.

One thing I would say though is; you want to clarify the date that your x asked the CSA to act on her behalf. I may be wrong in saying this; but it is my belief that they can only date arrears back as far as when your x made her application to the CSA for them to claim Child Maintenance from you.

Could you prove any of the payments you made to her, or whether you made contributions to the house once you left?

Hope this at least clarifies things for you.

Regards, Sarah

Sarah's right on all counts. Contact is a separate issue unless the children stay overnight with you.

Arrears can only date from date of claim to CSA, not earlier. Your liability is 20% of t/h pay for two children. Your pay therefore has to be assessed to determine your liability.

Contact CSA and request an assessment - but on the figures you give, your liability can't exceed £35 per week - 20% of £175. Grab the steering wheel, try to take control of this process. Good luck, we're here to help.

Will C

May i add if there are arrears with the CSA they are not allowed to take no more than 40% in total of your weekly assessement.

Ancillary relief, child contact, child maintaince are all seperate issues, dealt with by different bodies,
Some parents choose to not see thier children ,
which as sarah says very sad, but this does not mean you dont have to finacially help to support them
It is seeming more and more too me that some parents forget its the child who has the right to see you not your right to see them
Where are the children in all this crossfire
just something to think about if appropriate to you
looby

Ancillary relief, child contact, child maintaince are all seperate issues, dealt with by different bodies,
Some parents choose to not see thier children ,
which as sarah says very sad, but this does not mean you dont have to finacially help to support them
It is seeming more and more too me that some parents forget its the child who has the right to see you not your right to see them
Where are the children in all this crossfire
just something to think about if appropriate to you
looby