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You failed to mention all the unmarried men who have no rights whatsoever with regard to the children Pat Winn, UK

A woman on your show regarding the CSA painted a picture of most fathers "not giving a toss" all driving round in white vans and having �700 in their back pockets. While I guess you allow people to generalise on your programme, we had no such treatment for anyone from the female sex who do not keep their obligations. You failed to mention all the unmarried men who have no rights whatsoever with regard to the children. These men in some cases are not even allowed to see their children but are still expected to pay, often living in poverty. You didn't mention either the amount of men who have killed themselves because of the treatment they received at the hand of the CSA. All in all I found your programme insulting and completely one sided. As usual, any woman no matter what they have done, is portrayed as the victim.

PS I felt so sorry for that poor woman who could only afford one cello lesson for her child and could afford to hire a private detective to hound her ex partner, who probably has been denied access to his child anyway by the same woman.
Pat Winn, UK

Excellent programme on CSA. I have been trying to get my ex-husband to pay maintenance for his two boys since July 03. Everybody I have spoken to at CSA has been extremely helpful but unfortunately nobody seems to know the exact procedures on how to deal with individual cases. My ex was claiming Job Seekers Allowance from Nov 03 to June 04 and I should have been receiving �5 per week in child support. I have also applied for a variation order on the basis of him having assets of over �65,000 in property that he rents and investments, but I only found out that I could do this by chance by picking up a leaflet whilst queuing in a post office. Nobody at the CSA advised me I had this option. Thanks for highlighting the problems with CSA through your programme last night and hopefully now many of these problems will be sorted.
Heather Castle, England

I have two cases with the CSA. One nearly 10 years (NRP is a barrister) and the other four years. I have met Doug Smith in the presence of my MP, Colin Pickhall, in January this year. My cases are with the Parliamentary Ombudsman for a second time. Due to a loophole I migrated onto CS2. I've suffered all the red tape, appeals et al and I'm still not receiving any money. One cannot pursue arrears personally as the legislation does not allow this. I'm owed in excess of �27,000 that I deem uncollectible. NRPs are allowed to pay these massive debts off interest free from as little as �5.40 per week... that's if they pay at all. My MP is powerless to do anything. The CSA are a national disgrace and it fails PWCs. HOW LONG WILL THIS BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE?
Beverley Davies, UK

Your recent programme on the CSA appeared to perpetuate the concept of deadbeat dads. The leading question asked to an interviewee along the lines of: "The money is going to your children - surely you can't mind paying too much" denies the balanced perspective of some non resident parents that the money is actually going to the resident parent NOT necessarily to the benefit of the child. It was leading.

The programme did not balance the needs of a residential parent with those of a paying parent, often relegated to secondary importance. In our society in Australia (where the CSA originated) we have at least recognised the changing roles of mothers and fathers, with the latter, now often resident parents. In short the programme could have been written by a branch of a 1960s feminist movement. The journalistic standard of balance and perspective was very poor indeed. It was not worthy of the BBC.
Martin Graville, Australia

The 'File on Four' programme regarding the CSA was chillingly accurate, maybe even understated Tim, Jobcentre Plus

I am a Visiting Officer for Jobcentre Plus, formerly the Benefits Agency. The bulk of my job is to interview benefit claimants regarding applying for child maintenance. The 'File on Four' programme regarding the CSA was chillingly accurate, maybe even understated.

Following the introduction of Child Support Reforms in March last year and the introduction of new computer systems from EDS, my colleagues sallied forth on our roles as first point of contact between lone parents claiming benefits and the CSA. The information we glean from the CSA Maintenance Administration Forms is sent via computer interface to the CSA without them seeing the completed forms.

Following a monitoring trial , an actual error rate of 54% was observed. EDS rapidly made a considerable number of fixes and a similar trial was re-run. The subsequent error rate was 58%.

The only realistic option at the moment is to scrap the whole thing.
Tim, England (would not help my continued employment to identify myself)

Grateful as I am to hear the failings of the CSA dragged into the public eye, Jenny Cuffe should be ASHAMED of the pitch and approach of her programme in the following respect. She (and some but by no means all of her interviewees) again and again used language that clearly identified FATHERS as the ones who failed in their financial responsibilities to their kids and MOTHERS as the ones who suffered. Oh yes?

This is simply lazy stereotyping of the kind File on 4 does not usually fall prey to, and should apologise for. I am a father who was first of all decimated financially in the Family Courts through fighting for the right to care for my son who was ordered to live with his mother. Eventually (no thanks to the courts) he returned to live with me nearly 6 years ago. Since then his mother (and her wealthy family) has refused to put any money or other financial assistance towards her son, despite his exceptional needs.

Please tell me why Jenny Cuffe quite deliberately (it seemed), eagerly even, presented the programme in terms of guilty fathers and blameless mothers (especially around the half-hour point). Does she have her own agenda? I was left seething at the use of lousy, regressive and inaccurate language which helps no-one but just feeds prejudices and hostilities. Way below what I expect of any Radio 4 journalist.
Nick Sherwood, Wales

I have just listened with interest to your edition about the CSA. I want to point out that not all fathers refuse to pay for their children.

In 2000 my wife had an affair with a friend of mine leading to the break up of our marriage. I had to leave the family home. He moved in and my ex wife remortgaged the house using the equity to clear her debts. I received nothing. Through the Family Mediation Service we agreed that financially I would continue to pay our joint debts in lieu of Child Maintenance. I even offered a top up to �300 to give her half the �600 she claimed it cost to keep our two children. Then she involved the CSA whilst all the time I was taking her to court for access to our children, a costly process in itself.

At present I am paying �445 per month for two children. When the arrears clear this will be �363.91. However I recently asked for a complete reassessment. If and when I ever get assessed by the new formula, my payment will be according to the calculator on the CSA website �217 per month. This is �83 per month less than the �300 I agreed to pay my ex-wife before the CSA became involved. As a father who has struggled against the Family Mediation system, the CSA and found solicitors telling me in court that the system for access goes against the father, will I feel guilty?
Mark Dallison, England

On File on 4, you mentioned that the CSA was owed �1bn in arrears. How much of that amount, is due to assessments being back dated by the Agency? I ask, as my case, was not assessed at the correct time, by the Agency, who finally did the assessment 12 months later, and back dated the result by that 12 months, creating well over �1500 of arrears, which I have to pay. I have been with the CSA for 10 years, almost from the start. You feel the programme has shown failings now. It hasn't got much better since I started! Good programme, could have done with more input from absent parents.
Mark Herdman, UK

I have just listened to the File on 4 programme about the CSA and found it very one sided. My former wife has residence of the children and as such I am responsible for the payment of maintenance.

My former wife earns three times the amount I do and she has lower overheads as regards accommodation, although she lives in a much larger property than me. The situation could arise that someone on little more than the minimum wage would have to pay an ex partner who is a millionaire. Justice ????

So much of my income is used to pay for the CSA calculation that I cannot afford to do anything with the children when I do have them. My former wife also uses the children to ask me to buy them necessities and then uses this to tell them that I am not a good father because I cannot afford it. My expenses every week on essentials are very much more than my disposable income. I have a very poor diet, do not smoke or drink and am deeply in debt. Yet every month I am expected to go deeper into debt. Justice ???

A fair system would obviously take into account the needs of the children but would also take into account the ability of each parent to pay.. not just the non resident parent. My payments go to providing my former wife with expensive holidays, whereas even a camping holiday for me is beyond my reach. Justice ???
Mervyn Wells, England

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