Farewell to the CSA: Child Maintenance Service (CMS) phased in ============================================================== ![Farewell to the CSA: Child Maintenance Service (CMS) phased in](https://vardags.com/images/pictures/_360/49af274a427d2de8eb591f1aca212ea8.jpeg)Over the last two decades family lawyers have looked on despairingly as the Child Support Agency (CSA) has changed its various names and formulas. Having shadowed the CSA since December last year - when it took on responsibility for cases involving four children or more for a trial period - the new Child Maintenance Service (CMS) will handle all fresh applications for child support from 25 November 2013. It is hoped that this new body will reform the age-old problems experienced with the slow administration of the CSA. Phasing in the new regime gradually will be the most effective development yet. However, given the mistakes and problems experienced in the past we are not holding our breath. In the early 1990s the CSA began with extraordinarily complex formulas for calculating what a non-resident parent should pay to the primary carer of their children by way of child maintenance. This complexity made it very difficult for parents, solicitors and the court alike to work out exactly what should be paid, and paved the way for dispute rather than greater cooperation. The CSA's last attempt involved a much simpler formula, which family lawyers have become accustomed to, where 10% of the non-resident parent's net salary was payable for one child, 15% for two and 20% for three children or more. The intention now is to close all cases operating under the old scheme and transfer them all to the CMS. The new regime incorporates many changes that are intended to benefit families. The most dramatic changes are that calculations will now be based on the paying parent's *gross* rather than net income. There will also be an automatic reference to the Inland Revenue to verify the paying parent's income, which should reduce time spent calculating and debating this point. Paying parents should not be alarmed by the gross income calculation as it will not necessarily result in an increase in what is due. It may even result in less being payable depending on the nature of their income. The new calculation will simply ensure that the 'whole picture' of the paying party's income is taken into account. We are also promised that enforcement will be quicker and easier and that the CMS will 'review the financial circumstances of the parent paying maintenance annually to ensure levels of payment are fair, accurate and up-to-date'. Only time will tell. We are watching this space. Read more about our [top lawyers for child maintenance](https://vardags.com/law-guide/basic-principles/child-maintenance-support) matters and how they cater for HNW and UNHW individuals. Alternatively, read more about [child maintenance and failures to pay](https://vardags.com/law-guide/parental-responsibility/failure-to-pay-child-maintenance). "Ayesha Vardag - Britain's top divorce lawyer." ![The Huffington Post](https://vardags.com/images/logo/huffpost.png) "Ayesha Vardag - Woman of the Year"![GG2](https://vardags.com/images/logo/gg2-3.png) "Leading, Magic Circle law firm."Mr Justice Coleridge "A handful of firms dominate the so-called 'glamour' end of the market ... Vardags"The Times "One of the best divorce lawyers in the country"Marie Claire "Ayesha Vardag - 'diva of divorce' for the world's super rich" ![BBC](https://vardags.com/images/logo/bbc.png) "Dr Stephen Bence is a financial genius."Lewis Marks KC "Ayesha Vardag - the Queen of divorce"Daily Mail "Vardags brilliantly argued my case to a resounding victory"Pauline Chai (client) "Britain's top divorce lawyer" ![The Telegraph](https://vardags.com/images/logo/telegraph.png) More Family Law news -------------------- [Clare's Law pilot scheme set to become a national scheme](https://vardags.com/family-law/clares-law-pilot-scheme-set-become-national-scheme "Clares Law pilot scheme set to become a national scheme") [The Hague Convention used in Russia for the first time](https://vardags.com/family-law/child-abductions-and-the-hague-convention "The Hague Convention used in Russia for the first time") [Farewell to the CSA: Child Maintenance Service (CMS) phased in](https://vardags.com/family-law/child-maintenance-service-cms "Farewell to the CSA: Child Maintenance Service (CMS) phased in") [Senior Director Catherine Thomas is featured in The Financial Times](https://vardags.com/posts/senior-director-catherine-thomas-is-featured-in-the-financial-times "Senior Director Catherine Thomas is featured in The Financial Times") [Ayesha Vardag appears on ITV's This Morning](https://vardags.com/posts/ayesha-vardag-appears-on-itvs-this-morning "Ayesha Vardag appears on ITVs This Morning") Articles by Georgina Hamblin ---------------------------- [The Divorce (Financial Provision) Bill](https://vardags.com/family-law/divorce-financial-provision-bill "The Divorce (Financial Provision) Bill") [Cracking down on breaches of family orders](https://vardags.com/family-law/cracking-down-on-breaches-of-family-orders "Cracking down on breaches of family orders") [Farewell to the CSA: Child Maintenance Service (CMS) phased in](https://vardags.com/family-law/child-maintenance-service-cms "Farewell to the CSA: Child Maintenance Service (CMS) phased in") [How straightforward is the 'sharing principle'?](https://vardags.com/family-law/the-sharing-principle "How straightforward is the 'sharing principle'?") [The Sunday Times speaks to Caroline Korah and Georgina Hamblin about the use of smart tech in child and divorce proceedings](https://vardags.com/family-law/the-sunday-times-speaks-to-caroline-korah-and-georgina-hamblin-about-use-of-smart-tech-in-child-and-divorce-proceedings "The Sunday Times speaks to Caroline Korah and Georgina Hamblin about the use of smart tech in child and divorce proceedings")