CSA Changes - Yet another stick to beat single parents.

It was announced yesterday that the government plan to scrap the (toothless) Child Support Agency and replace it with the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission will bring with it new powers to deduct child maintenance directly from non resident payers' pay packets.

Now, before we all get too excited (and by "we" I'm talking about the many thousands of lone parents who receive little or no child maintenance) a quick delve into the proposals and remit of this new agency reveal some worrying changes. More about that later.

I have a very personal interest in the way our society deals with parents who do not provide financial support for their children, mainly because I am one of the majority. Yes. Stop and read that last line again. It is estimated that three out of five resident parents receive no financial support from the non resident parent.
I have two children and I divorced my husband, due to unreasonable behaviour, back in 2005. I have never received a single, solitary penny in support. For years I decided that this was OK, and I didn't want to "rock the boat". The reasons that I didn't turn to the CSA years ago are many and after speaking to other people, I find that my experience is not unusual.

Fear
"Much better to be poor but safe"
The fear of reprisals - either physical (Parents who have fled abusive relationships are often terrified of any contact with an abusive partner) or emotional (Refusal to maintain contact with the children after a claim has been lodged).

"I don't want disagreements over everything from haircuts to holidays"
Fear of Control - There are many women (because, come on, let's be honest, 90% of lone parents with residency are women) who suffer financial control within their relationships. Women are more likely to be primary care givers and therefore not working. During my conversations with other people in my situation the number of people who are relieved that they do not have to account for every pound they spend on their children to the non resident parent was shocking.

Frustration
"What's the point? All that hassle for £2.50 per week?"
The endless battle to force a non payer to actually face up to their responsibilites can drive many claimants to distraction. On a personal level I find it infuriating that the father of my children has refused to answer any of the letters sent out by the CSA and has, as usual, buried his head in the sand as far as this whole matter is concerned. I'm tired of phoning the agency, only to be told that he has not responded and that another letter will be sent. I am only 3 months into the process and I cannot imagine how it feels to be 3 years in and still without any financial benefit.

Karma
"They're the ones missing out and Karma is a bitch"
This is the constant, heartbreaking, cry of many of us. We tell ourselves and one another, that there is a divine force at work, one that will settle our scores and make things equitable in the end. Of course, it's a lie. A necessary one, a lie that helps us to cope with the day to day struggles, but is it a damaging one? I believe so - this belief weakens us and encourages passivity. Karma won't pay that electricity bill this month will it?

The Children Will Know
"One day the children will know all that you did for them and all that he didn't"
Well, no, actually. Thank you very much. I don't want my children to hate their father - how damaging is that to their psyche? I want their father to be forced to pay. It is, after all, the very least he could do.

I finally batted away these fears and "reasons" in August of this year. Six years after my divorce and 8 years since my final separation.

I have now been awarded a payment of £40 per week for my two children. This works out at £2.85 per day, per child. Just about enough to provide them with an evening meal every day, however I am one of the lucky ones. The majority of awards are in the region of £5 per week. That's a whole 71 pence per day. Of course, he hasn't paid anything and is now £440.00 in arrears. When I contacted the CSA to find out the status of my claim, I was informed that they are unable to start further proceedings until the arrears total £500.00 or 13 weeks of non payment. That's just great for those who are truly impoverished and are relying on child support just to pay for food.

There's something very wrong here, and I'm starting to wonder why our society puts more effort and vigour in chasing parking fines than it does for non payment of child support. I'm starting to wonder why there is a blanket acceptance that this is "just the way it is". I'm starting to wonder why there are high profile campaigns for fathers who want to fight to see their children (Fathers For Justice for example) but nothing for those women who are on their uppers trying to provide for their children.

I'm starting to wonder about it all.

Remember at the start of this post I mentioned that there are changes afoot?
One of the changes proposed is that, apart from survivors of domestic violence, the use of the CSA to set maintenance and chase the parent for payment will be chargeable. That's right, going forward if the non resident parent refuses to pay child maintenance, the parent who is not receiving financial support, will be charged by the agency to force the issue.

You can read more here

So what can we do?

You can start by reading about the campaign by Gingerbread, the wonderful charity which campaigns and gives practical help to single parents and getting involved in anyway you can.

50 Still Nifty: Join the #frothers!

50 Still Nifty: Join the #frothers!: Anger and frustration with the coalition government is growing. The recent demonstrations/strikes by the unions, which saw 2 million worker...

Who Are The Frothers?

When the Conservatives came to power last year, the only slight consolation was that there was a feeling amongst Labour voters that the party would be swept through. Out with the old, in with the new. New personalities, new policies, new ideas, a new beginning.
Since then, the Tories have cut swathes through the heart of Britain. Slicing into the NHS, tax credits, benefits, Sure Start, DLA...
With little or no opposition from the Labour opposition. Have they gone to sleep?
Has anyone else noticed the absence of any kind of positive movement from the opposition?
I don't mean the normal, "We oppose the cuts, we oppose the ConDem policies", but constructive, hard hitting criticism.
Why do the parties on the left of the political spectrum lose the propaganda war?
It is something that I have noticed, not just in UK politics, but in other countries too. The conservative parties are great with sound bites.
Lazy benefits scroungers should be forced to work
Criminal Immigrants should be deported
No to a European Superstate
Where is the strong rebuttal of these statements? Why is the left so silent?
When the Government announce one of their crazy schemes such as the Youth Unemployment one, I want to see the leader of the opposition on TV, stating in clear and strong words what exactly is wrong with the scheme, and most importantly what Labour would do differently.
Ed Miliband stated today, on Mumsnet webchat

We have set out an alternative for now: Labour's five point plan for jobs and growth. Cut VAT, a bonus tax to help the young unemployed, bring forward investment in infrastructure, cut vat on home repairs, and provide a national insurance holiday for all small firms.

He went on to say:

Our bankers' bonus tax would be used to fund 100,000 jobs for young people and build 25,000 more affordable homes. That's a good policy - in contrast to what this government is doing in giving the banks a tax cut this year while piling on the bills for everyone else.

I want to know exactly what he means by that. How would they fund 100,000 jobs for young people - because the present plan is useless. How would they fund 25,000 more affordable homes?
Not wishy washy sound bites. Clear and concise information about his party's alternative solutions to the slash and burn ConDem nightmare.
The Labour leadership's reaction to the nationwide strike yesterday was pretty appalling. If you cannot get the Labour party behind you when protesting against Conservative / Lib Dem cuts, when can you expect support?
I am not alone in my frustration. There are blogs and activists galore at the moment, but they are swimming, aimless and leaderless. We need a strong oppositional figure to raise behind and support.
This week one of those disenchanted voters wrote on Mumsnet:

I'm not quite a frothing berserker but I am getting rather cross with our government messing with the good stuff.
Just off the top of my head:

• * Student fees
• * Public sector workers terms and conditions (otherwise known as moving the goal posts after the match has started) * Women (Report on Fawcett legal challenge result here)
• * Sure Start
• * NHS
• * Erosion of employment rights
• * Removal of EMA
• * Removal of universal child benefit
• * Unfair changes to DLA<
• * Unfair changes to ESA assessment

I am getting more and more fed up that these decisions are being made to take away some of the things we should be most proud of and that took years to be achieved.
This thread is a safe haven for some ranting as I know some of us are feeling sick and tired of it all.

Within a few days the thread had over 700 posts and a blog was being set up in which the self-proclaimed #frothers could get worked up and rant.
Ranting is only satisfying for a little while, at some point the posters felt that something more was needed.
And so a blog was born.
A blog that shall be used by various posters to share their experiences, their advice, their ideas. Where we can shout out about injustices, where we can direct those who oppose these unfair cuts how best to protest against them.
The posters used the #frothers hashtag as a nod to the "frothing beserkers" of the thread title and it kind of stuck.
Go and have a look. Join us in frothing. Use the #frothers and share on Twitter and Facebook if you like what we write.
By the way, Ed Miliband was pointed in the direction of the #frother thread

KateMiddIeton
We are the frothers Ed
you can join us here
We're not political. We've just had enough.
#frothers is our hashtag. Because we are getting organised...

Ed's reply:

I am not surprised you are angry about it. I support the campaign against what is happening. #frothers

******************* EDIT ***********************
Here is an example of what I mean.
Ed Miliband was asked on Mumsnet about Housing Benefit cuts:

lubeybaublely: Dear Mr Miliband<
I would like to know what your thoughts are on housing and the coalitions 'social cleansing' policy. Namely the capping of housing benefit to levels that force the working poor (and all poor) to move away from the jobs they have and areas where they and their children have been settled all their lives, or be poverty stricken in order to meet the shortfall between benefit and rent.
With a lack of Affordable Local Authority and Housing Association properties and also NO regulation on what private landlords charge, it puts people in an impossible, unfair and unworkable situation. What can Labour do to oppose or change this, or what would Labour do if back in government about these issues? <
Sincerely LB #frothers

Ed's answer was:

I'm in favour of reform to Housing Benefit but I think the Government is going about it in the wrong way, cutting too far and too fast with counter-productive consequences. Even before the cap is introduced, we're seeing people forced to leave their homes and go on the homeless list - and that may end up costing the taxpayer more in the long term. And yes, I agree, there should be better regulation of private sector landlords.

This was just tweeted by the Conservatives Press Twitter account:

@ToryPressHQ
#EdMiliband on #mumsnet said he OPPOSED #coalition cap on housing benefit at £400/wk & wants up to £2,000/wk kept. #Labour don't get it

So that will be the sound bite then? Misquoted, completely twisted and often repeated in pubs throughout the land.