Last-Updated: 28 January 2003
Frequently Asked Questions for uk.gov.agency.csa .

Posted FAQ version 3.1. Last updated 2003-01-28.
(Updated mainly to answer question 9 below!)

Users of this newsgroup compile this FAQ in good faith.
This is a self-help group, not a panel of experts.
If you need someone to be legally liable for advice then
ask a professional who has indemnity insurance!

QUESTIONS:

1. Are you feeling suicidal or despairing?
2. What is this newsgroup about?
3. Where is the complete newsgroup FAQ?
4. Who can I talk to for advice about dealing with the CSA?
5. How can I sort out my social security problems as well?
6. Where can I examine all the child support legislation?
7. Where can I find calculators for my assessment?
8. Where can I read about the CSA – history, details, reform, etc?
9. When will the reformed scheme (2000 Act) start?

ANSWERS:

1. Are you feeling suicidal or despairing?

     Samaritans
     The Samaritans is a registered charity based in the UK and
     Republic of Ireland that provides confidential emotional
     support  to any person who is suicidal or despairing.
     Call: 08457 90 90 90 in the United Kingdom, or
     1850 60 90 90 in the Republic of Ireland.

2. What is this newsgroup about?

     The newsgroup uk.gov.agency.csa has a charter at:
     http://www.usenet.org.uk/uk.gov.agency.csa.html
     In summary, the charter says:

     It will be dedicated to the exchange of views, information and
     support of people involved with the Child Support Agency.
     Anyone interested will be welcome to participate in
     discussions about, but not limited to:

     - Information relating to Child Support Agency procedures.

     - Guidance on filling in the various forms issued by the CSA.

     - Support and Advice on all relative matters of users problems.

     - Group discussions of all issues related and pertaining to
        both parents with care and absent parents rights.

     - Group discussions on methods of improving relationships
        between absent parents, parents with care, and the
        Child Support Agency.

     - General discussions on the effectiveness of the Child Support
        Agency in distributing of maintenance monies collected to
        Parents With Care.

     This newsgroup is neither Government owned nor moderated,
     and is for the discussion of the operation of the Child Support
     Agency and the resultant difficulties experienced by absent
     parents, parents with care and any other persons involved.

     Short (less than 20 line) announcements of events relevant to
     readers are permitted; blatant off-topic or commercial
     advertising is not.
     Binaries are not permitted on this group, however references
     to relevant FTP-able material and Web URLs are welcome.

3. Where is the complete newsgroup FAQ?

     The article you are reading now is not the full set of questions
     and answers available. The topic is now much too big to attempt
     to cover in one serial article.

     The last "full" FAQ to be posted to this newsgroup was
     version 2.6. It was last updated 1999-07-28, and is out of date.
     It is available (127 KB long) in the Google Groups archive at:
 http://groups.google.com/groups?as_umsgid=200353@pcserv.demon.co.uk

     That version 2.6 has been superseded by a hypertext version at:
     http://www.childsupportanalysis.co.uk/faq/index.htm
     The latter is now the only maintained full version of the
     official FAQ. Even that FAQ only covers a subset of the topic.

4. Who can I talk to for advice about dealing with the CSA?

     There is a lot more information about sources of advice at:
     http://www.childsupportanalysis.co.uk/advice_and_debate.htm

     uk.gov.agency.csa
     This newsgroup is a key resource for anyone wanting advice.

     NACSA Ltd
     http://www.nacsa.co.uk/
     NACSA (National Association for Child Support Action) are the
     most important lobby & advice group specifically about the CSA.
     NACSA run a number of forums for members, concerned with
     obtaining advice and many other things, on their web site.
     To contact an advisor in confidence call between 10-4pm Mon-Fri
     and 10-1pm Sat on: 0870 240 3343. 
     The web site also provides emails addresses, etc.

     CANCSA
     http://www.cancsa.org/
     CANCSA is an Independent Voluntary Group giving free advice.
     Advice groups that are part of CANCSA or identified on their 
     web site cover these areas: CANCSA North East; CANCSA Staffs 
     and Cheshire; West Yorkshire; Lincoln; and Glasgow.
     Infoline 01782 646646 or email info@cancsa.org

     CSA Advice Glasgow
     email csaadvice2002@aol.com
     Meetings: first Tuesday of every month from 7pm to 9pm:
     Fire Brigade Union Building at 42 St Enoch Square, Glasgow.

     Durham Legal Services
     http://childsupportadvice.co.uk/
     The main commercial advice & assistance organisation is
     Durham Legal Services. They offer various services for fees,
     but they can often provide free help over the phone: 
     0191 5211123; after hours mobile: 07713 498472.
     email help@csa-advice.fsnet.co.uk

     FNF - Families Need Fathers
     http://www.fnf.org.uk/
     FNF (Families Need Fathers) is a charity that promotes
     Shared Parenting. FNF also frequently makes its views known
     about the CSA, although that is not its prime focus.

     CSA of Great Britain
     http://www.csa.gov.uk/
     National Enquiry Line: for general advice on any aspect on
     child support maintenance call on: 08457 133 133 or for those
     who are hard of hearing and have a textphone: 08457 138 924.
     The CSA web site its own FAQ:
     http://www.csa.gov.uk/FAQS/index.htm

     CSA of Northern Ireland
     http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/csa/introduction.asp
     Contact information includes addresses, telephone numbers
     (hotline, etc), and email addresses.
     Customer Help Line. Phone 9089 6896 if you are calling from
     Belfast, or 0845 713 9896 if you are calling from outside
     Belfast.
     The Customer Help Line also has a text phone on
     Belfast 9089 6704, or 0845 713 9704 from outside Belfast

     Citizen's Advice Bureaux
     Citizens Advice (was previously called "NACAB"):
     http://www.nacab.org.uk/
     The Citizens Advice Bureaux Directory Search:
     http://www.nacab.org.uk/cabdir.ihtml
     Citizens Advice Bureaux websites:
     http://www.nacab.org.uk/dir_emws2.ihtml

     MPs - Members of Parliament
     Alphabetical List of Members of Parliament:
     http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/alms.htm
     Members, Ministers and Committee:
     http://www.parliament.uk/directories/directories.cfm
     Fax Your MP For Free!
     http://www.faxyourmp.com/

5. How can I sort out my social security problems as well?

     The uk.gov.social-security newsgroup is more appropriate.
     Its charter is at:
     http://www.usenet.org.uk/uk.gov.social-security.html

     It doesn't have an FAQ,
     but there is a comprehensive set of links for help at:
     http://www.childsupportanalysis.co.uk/social_security/index.htm

6. Where can I examine all the child support legislation?

     There are full links to all the Acts and regulations at:
     http://www.childsupportanalysis.co.uk/the_legislation.htm

     The above page also points to the "Decision Maker's Guide",
     used by CSA staff themselves, and available as PDF files.

7. Where can I find calculators for my assessment?

     There are links to several free calculators (spreadsheets and
     on-line calculators) at:
     http://www.childsupportanalysis.co.uk/assessment_calculators.htm

     The best-known spreadsheet, catering for both current and
     reformed schemes, using Excel, is at:
     http://www.childsupportanalysis.co.uk/assets/csa_old_and_new.xls

8. Where can I read about the CSA – history, details, reform, etc?

     The most comprehensive description and analysis of the UK's
     child support system starts at:
     http://www.childsupportanalysis.co.uk/

     There is an introduction to the CSA starting at:
     http://www.childsupportanalysis.co.uk/introduction_to_the_csa.htm

     There are links and references, to many books and papers, at:
     http://www.childsupportanalysis.co.uk/links_books_papers_etc.htm

9. When will the reformed scheme (2000 Act) start?

     It will start for new cases (and certain existing cases involved 
     with a new application) on Monday 3rd March 2003.

     Perhaps 12 or 18 months after that, so probably during 2004, 
     existing cases will be migrated to the reformed scheme. 
     But they will not all start immediately at the new amount. 
     Where there is a large difference in the amount, the new 
     amount will be phased-in over a number of years.

     There is more information about the reformed system at:
     NACSA Ltd:
     http://www.nacsa.co.uk/
     Durham Legal Services:
     http://childsupportadvice.co.uk/
     Child Support Analysis:
     http://www.childsupportanalysis.co.uk/

END FAQ

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-- 
Posted by: Paul Carpenter of PC Services, on behalf of uk.gov.agency.csa