Moving a case from the old scheme to the current scheme
- When was the current child maintenance scheme introduced?
- How many cases are there on each child maintenance scheme?
- Can clients ask for their case to be moved to the current child maintenance scheme?
- Will a non-resident parent pay less if their case is on the current scheme?
- How do parents know if their case is changing?
- If a case changes will parents have to fill in all the forms again?
- How many cases have been converted from the old scheme to the current scheme?
- Will old scheme cases continue to move to the current scheme when the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission take over the work of the CSA?
- What income will be used to work out child maintenance under the new scheme?
Q. When was the current child maintenance scheme introduced?
A. The current child maintenance scheme was introduced on 3 March 2003.
Q. How many cases are there on each child maintenance scheme?
A. As at June 2008 there are 1.4 million child maintenance cases, of which 697,000 are current scheme cases and 658,700 (49%) are old scheme cases.
A year ago there were 616,200 current scheme cases and 744,000 old scheme (55%).
Q. Can clients ask for their case to be moved to the current child maintenance scheme?
A. No. It is not possible to ask for a case to be transferred to the current scheme, the only reason people will move to the current scheme is if their case becomes linked to a new child maintenance application made on or after 3 March 2003.
For example, we will move the first child maintenance case from the old scheme to the current scheme so that both cases are set up on the same scheme if:
- a parent with care already receives child maintenance for one child,
- they make an application for another child on or after 3 March 2003, and
- that child has a different non-resident parent to the child the parent with care already receives child maintenance for.
Another example when we will move a child maintenance case to the current scheme is if:
- a non-resident parent is paying child maintenance under the old scheme
- they have a child with another person, and
- that person makes a claim for child maintenance through us on or after 3 March 2003.
Sometimes a case can be moved to the current scheme if the parent with care asks us to close their case, and they make a new application for child maintenance at least 13 weeks after they asked us to close their case.
Q. Will a non-resident parent pay less if their case is on the current scheme?
A. The amount of child maintenance a non-resident parent has to pay depends on their individual circumstances. In most cases the amount of child maintenance they have to pay will change and so payments could be higher or lower.
Q. How do parents know if their case is changing?
A. We will send a letter to parents to tell them about any changes that will affect their case.
Q. If a case changes will parents have to fill in all the forms again?
A. We will not ask for more information unless we have to, and as far as possible we will use the information we already have to work out the new amount of child maintenance.
However, there may have been a change in the parent's circumstances since we last worked out child maintenance for their case, such as the non-resident parent's income changing, or having other children living with them. So, if either parent's circumstances have changed since we last worked out how much child maintenance should be paid, they should tell us so that we can base the new calculation on the most up-to-date information possible.
Q. How many cases have been converted from the old scheme to the current scheme?
A. Since March 2003 around 79,900 cases have been converted from the old scheme to the current scheme.
Q. Will old scheme cases continue to move to the current scheme when the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission take over the work of the CSA?
A. Yes - the CSA will continue to move cases to the current scheme if they become linked to a new child maintenance application when the Child Maintenance Enforcement Commission takes over the work of the CSA.
But, from October 2008 parents with care on benefits will no longer be compelled to use the CSA. They will be able to consider their choices of arrangement through a new information and support service, Child Maintenance Options.
It is expected that the new system for calculating child maintenance will be introduced by the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission in 2010-2011. All CSA clients will then be invited to apply to the new scheme or to make a private agreement. It is currently planned this process will take three years.
Q. What income will be used to work out child maintenance under the new scheme?
A. In the future the way child maintenance is worked out will be much simpler so that it will be a faster, more accurate and transparent process. It is proposed that we will use the latest tax year information as a basis for calculating a child maintenance liability, unless current income differs by at least 25%. This information will be sourced directly from HM Revenue & Customs and will reduce the time it takes to make a maintenance calculation.
