GLOSSARY OF TERMS: CHILD SUPPORT AGENCY

Alleged non-resident parent - this is someone who is named on a maintenance application form as the non-resident parent, but who says that they are not the parent of the children for whom maintenance is claimed.

Appeal - this is the term applied to the process of appealing to an independent tribunal if you are not happy with a decision received from the Child Support Agency.

Application for Child Maintenance - An application for a child maintenance calculation can be completed by:
• The person with care
• The non-resident parent; or
• A qualifying child of 12 or over who lives in Scotland.

Child - for child support purposes someone is a child if they are:
• under 16; or
• Between 16 and 19 and in full time, non-advanced education. This is doing a course that is not higher than A level standard.

Child Maintenance Calculation. This is the method that the Child Support Agency uses to work out how much Child Maintenance a non resident parent must pay.

Child Maintenance Enquiry - this is completed by the non resident parent and can usually be dealt with mainly by telephone.

Child Maintenance Premium - The child maintenance premium allows a person with care who is on Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance to keep up to £10 per week of any maintenance paid. If maintenance payments are less than £10 a week, a person with care keeps all of the maintenance paid.

Child Support Agency - part of the Department for Work and Pensions, responsible for the calculation, collection and payment of child support maintenance under the Child Support Acts of 1991.

Child Support Agency Centre – this is the main regional processing site where maintenance calculations are made.

Child Support Maintenance - The correct term for maintenance awarded under the Child Support Act 1991, this is often called 'Child Maintenance'.

Child Support Officer - Child Support Officers are the people who decide whether child maintenance must be paid, and if so how much must be paid.

Child Support Reform - The new Child Support scheme which came into effect for new cases from 3 March 2003. Existing cases will transfer to the new scheme when the Government is sure the arrangements for new cases are working well. You should receive a letter explaining when your child support maintenance will change.

CS 1 – this refers to cases that are under the “old system”. Due to the enormous problems that the CSA has had, there are currently approx: 920,000 cases still under this system.

CS 2 – this refers to the CSA’s new Windows based Mainframe Computer System that was incorporated in March 2003. All cases recorded since then are referred to as being on the “new system”.

Deduction from Earnings Order - If an employed person fails to pay their maintenance the Child Support Agency can order their employer to make deductions direct from their pay. If the non resident parent is in the UK Armed Forces, this is referred to as a 'Deduction from Earnings Request'.

Default Maintenance Decision - this is a decision made when the information needed to work out maintenance cannot be obtained straightaway.

(Deoxyribonucleic Acid) DNA testing - this is a test of the genetic characteristics of the parties involved and it is used to establish parentage where there may be some doubt. This test is a quick and easy way to decide parentage. The current fee for 3 people (2 parents and 1 child) is £194.13 for discounted or £257.58 for the full rate.

Department for Work and Pensions - The Government Department responsible for the administration of the UK Social Security policies/legislation.

Direct Payment - Where maintenance is paid straight into a bank or building society, or Post Office card account.

DNA Testing - See Deoxyribonucleic Acid above.

Independent Case Examiner - The Independent Case Examiner provides impartial investigation into complaints about the way that the Child Support Agency has handled your case.

Initial Payment Period - this is the period between the Effective Date of the Assessment and the date that the first maintenance payment becomes due.

Jobcentre Plus - part of the Department for Work and Pensions, responsible for the payment and administration of UK State Benefits

Maintenance Calculation - this is where the CSA have worked out how much child maintenance must be paid, it is also referred to as a 'child maintenance calculation'.
Maintenance Direct - this is where the non-resident parent pays child maintenance straight to the person with care, rather than through the Agency.

Non-Resident Parent. (NRP) – the parent who does not have the main day to day care of the child or children. If the children stay with both parents, the non resident parent is the one who spends fewer nights with the children.If the children spend an equal number of nights with the parents normally the non-resident parent is the one who is not getting Child Benefit for the children.

Parent with Care (PWC) - means a parent (natural or adoptive) who lives in the same household as the child for whom maintenance is sought.

Person with Care - somebody other than a parent who has day-to-day care of the child for whom maintenance is sought. This can refer to a guardian or grandparent.
Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration - Ombudsman - investigates complaints about injustice caused by maladministration by government departments.

Partner - means a person you are married to, a civil partner, or someone you live with as if you are married or civil partners.

Pre-child maintenance calculation parentage dispute - this refers to where parentage is disputed before a child maintenance calculation is worked out.
Post child maintenance calculation parentage dispute. This is where parentage is disputed after a child maintenance calculation is known.

Qualifying Child - this is a child who the non resident parent must pay child maintenance for.
Shared Care - If care of the qualifying children is split between the parents, and the non-resident parent has care for 52 nights or more per year, then they are said to have 'shared care'. This can have an effect on the amount of child maintenance that has to be paid.