Mr P complained that the Child Support Agency had caused arrears of £11,000 child maintenance to accrue. He felt he should not have to pay these arrears.
What happened
The Child Support Agency failed to take any action to review Mr P's case between summer 2009 and summer 2013, although it was in touch with the parent who had care of the children on a number of occasions, and with Mr P himself. Because of this, maintenance arrears of over £11,000 accrued. Mr P complained to the Independent Case Examiner (ICE), the organisation that investigates complaints about the Child Support Agency.
ICE found that the arrears were correctly owed to the parent who cared for the child, and the Child Support Agency had a duty to collect them. However, the Child Support Agency's failure to contact Mr P had led to the arrears mounting up. ICE noted that the Child Support Agency was supposed to collect the arrears within 24 months, but it had extended this period to 81 months in this case. ICE awarded Mr P a consolatory payment of £250 in addition to the £75 awarded by the Child Support Agency.
What we found
We did not uphold this complaint. ICE had appropriately investigated the facts, identified the Child Support Agency's maladministration and considered the relevant injustice to Mr P.
As the Child Support Agency had failed to give Mr P an opportunity to voluntarily pay his maintenance, ICE recommended that it pay Mr P further compensation. The compensation amount ICE recommended was within the range of reasonable decisions.
Independent Case Examiner (ICE)
UK
Came to an unsound decision
Not applicable