I have a chance of a good job but worried what the csa will take off me?

Question

i have a chance of a good job £300 per week ( unemployed at the moment )( what does that equate to after tax ? i am worried what the child support agency will take off it . i don`t pay any rent / bill`s etc . but i do have my child ( who is 14 now ) every weekend and all the school holiday`s . and i take him on a 2 week holiday every year to spain . but his mum is very akward and still has bad feelings towards me ( even though it was her who had an affair ) she will not inform the c.s.a of the times i have my son . i have told them but they have contacted her to ask if it is true and she has replied to them that i do not have him . she works so she knows that she will get any money paid to the c.s.a by me . how much would the c.s.a take from my wages after tax ?

Just befor all the do gooders start with " you should pay your way etc " The fact is i have paid for the upkeep of my son since birth he has never wanted for any thing if he needed anything he got it without question .

Forgot to mention the fact that my son comes home from school sometimes go`s without tea and has gone out by the time his mum get`s in from her job ! he has told me he wants to live with me when he is old enough . he hates it at home !

Answer 1

Hey what go`s around comes around ! why don't you put in for custody yourself and then claim child support off the ***** ? if your son hates it at home then he is old enough to say to the authority`s " Hey i wanna live with my dad i hate it at home and my mum is never in and i sometimes don`t get fed " i am sure they will listen to him and you together . as for the job after tax you will prob get around £240 a week . if the c.s.a get ya then your take home pay will be around £170 a week . there is a lot of what i call Dogooders on here saying Pay your way , but obviously they haven't read your full statement and i hate dogooders anyway the world would be a better place without them ! Good luck for the future , the c. s. a are a very nasty company set up by the government for absent fathers but it shows no compassion to guy`s who do make an effort . My best wishes to you .

Answer 2

Start with thoughts of the yourself working. A job rather than being unemployed must be something that will give you a lot more self respect. This must surely be worth a very large amount. How you feel about yourself being unemployed will be transferred to your son even if you try to hide it.

Taking a job will loose you a lot of benefits, but we are now living in a culture where, once on benefits, it is often financially a backward step to become an employed person.

Emotionally however, taking a job will do wonders for your self esteem.

You will often wonder if it is worth it. All that work you will be doing, yet you will have less in your pocket than you did when you could laze around all day.

The CSA seem to have some sort of calculator that does not include a logic button and they will try to ensure the male will suffer.

When I divorced, I paid my ex an amount that I considered a very respectable amount. As she had never worked, she then claimed benefit and the CSA automatically became involved. As the amount they insisted on was somewhat high, I asked for a breakdown. A large proportion was for rent, rates, heating and lighting.

As my ex and son were living in what had been the family home and I was paying the mortgage and all the utility bills, I was somewhat surprised. I contested this proportion of their suggested payment and suggested it be ignored. (Without this proportion, they would have been asking me to pay less) . I suggested that I continue
to pay what I was, including continuing paying the mortgage etc.

When I then offered to pay their amount but said I would stop paying the mortgage etc, they were happy.

But the house will be repossessed I said.

No problem said they. We will arrange for them to be rehoused.

After a couple of years my ex found her dream man and remarried. At the same time, my son came to live with me. I decided to see what would happen if I put in acclaim against her. I did not want nor need anything, but did it as an experiment to see what would happen..

Guess what. I was treated as an agro.

My son still lives with me. He has some mental problems. Help from anyone, nil.

But then I am male.

Sorry, but you will be torn apart. You are the wrong sex.

Answer 3

Sorry, don't know how much, but you can tap in 'Child Support Agency' or benefits into search, in one of those sites there is a calculator that works the CSA stuff out. Why don't you show the CSA receipts or prove yourself that you have your son so regularly? The csa can only take what is reasonable, your child is 14 and has financial needs that have to be met and as his father you have to stump up! Take the job for your own values and pride and to set your son a good example, not because you don't want 'her' to have your money. She has to pay all week for food, bills, fashion, mobile, school stuff etc etc have you worked out how much she has to pay??!! Personally, having just seperated from a long relationship, have a baby and young child and was left with NOTHING, I still refuse to give my husband's info and don't want the CSA involved, as I trust, regardless of our problems that he will support his kids when the dust settles, but the benefit system makes it very difficult for the 'mums' not to get them involved, manipulation and bullying tactics come to mind! so maybe it's not all her, call a truce and sort it out properly.

Answer 4

As expected, there are a lot of answers from bitter twisted fathers who try anything to avoid paying for their children!!

You sound like you are a caring father who wants to contribute, so here goes;

For one child, the CSA will take 15% of your take home pay to start with. After that there is a calculation on shared care. If he stays with you for up to 52-103 nights per year 1/7th taken off, up to 104-155 2/7th etc etc - so you're only paying for the nights your son is not with you.

As for her disputing the shared care, i'd advise you to keep a calander/diary from now on, of the dates your son stays with you. When the CSA are trying to decide who to beleive, they'll take copies of the diary/calander as evidence.

You can go onto csa.gov.uk and use the New Rules calculator for a more accurate calculation.

Contact me if you need any more info.

After your last addition - he's old enough to live with you now, and you can claim CSA from her. I'd do whatever made him happy, he's the most important person in this situation.

Answer 5

Formalise your childcare arrangements and send it to her via a lawyer, there are many council run/social services run projects where can get free legal input (welfare rights etc). Make it clear the choice is what you will pay for your child in maintainance, what arrangements for childcare you will undertake etc versus what she will get if you have to remain out of work due her CSA games (ie very little or nothing) If it is spelled out in a legal contract she will stop her games and bite your hand off for the cash. The CSA cannot touch you if you give her a legally binding choice and she agrees to what she can get from you and signs for it. The CSA will only bother you if you are working and not offering to support your child practically or financially. Make sure you have tip top bank records as evidence you pay her as agreed, do it by standing order only. Keep up the good work in maintaining a relationship with your Child and comfort yourself that in 4 years your child is an adult which takes your realtionship to new terrritory and you can also forget your x for good then! She will have no power over you anymore!!

Answer 6

Gingertod who just answered your question is talking rubbish. The CSA are monsters, they are thieves and liars and they don't give a dam about children or mothers or what is right and good and proper, they are only interested in stealing money for the Government and they will lie and cheat to get it. They will screw you for as much as they can. You will not be better off working you will be worse off, the CSA will make sure of it. Why do you think so many male CSA victims have commited suicide?

They want me to give them £4000 for a child that is not even mine. I informed them that I will commit murder before I allow them to steal my money and I will if they push the matter. They threatened to send the bailifs round so I told them if they did the bailiff would get a knife in his guts. They sent the police round so I told the police to **** off and they did. The bottom line is I will not back down ever because I know I am in the right but I do sypathise with other men who are morally but not technically in the right.

Answer 7

Tax and NI accounts for about 25% of your wages. Personally I would advise that you do not tell your ex about your new job and wait and see what happens - but if you've got no living expenses you can probably afford whatever they ask from you (approx. 25% to 30%)
You're unemployed and you're able to take your child on a 2 week holiday to Spain every year - how can you afford this? Where is this magical place where you can live with no bills?

Answer 8

Isn't your child lucky to have a father so willing to pay for their upkeep and spend 2 days a week with them. Get a job and pay for your child. If you were still living with the mother, you would pay more. There are several words to describe a father like you, unfortunately, they can't be printed here. Men like you make me angry. Get on with it and pay your way.

Answer 9

Tell your side of the story to the csa - they are not monsters who believe every word 'mum' says. However do not make excuses - if you have a son you should pay towards his keep - if he does not live with you then you probably do not understand how much it costs to keep a 14 year old. I don't know how much they would take but I do know you would be better off in a job than on benefits & you should not begrudge your son however much is taken

Answer 10

"but his mum is very akward and still has bad feelings towards me ( even though it was her who had an affair ) she will not inform the c.s.a of the times i have my son"

So, no bad feelings about it from you then?

How about taking the job and then informing the CSA yourself about your relationship with your son.