Civil way: 10 January 2014

CHILD’S PAY

The Child Support Agency (CSA) is dying: the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is alive and running two miles a day as from 25 November 2013 with more than a little help from SI 2013/2947, the title of which is so long that we will spare you its recital. Indeed, the CMS is now taking all applications for child maintenance and applying the so-called 2008 scheme (see “Civil way”, 163 NLJ 7569, p13 and 163 NLJ 7573, p 11). The CSA will not touch a single new case but will continue to manage existing cases under the 1993 and 2000 schemes until the last rites are administered once existing cases have been gradually closed down over the next couple of years. Parents will be given six months’ prior notice that the CSA will be shot of them and invited to make their own arrangements or to apply to the CMS.

Here’s the catch. Before you can apply to the