057f3528_1997_articles__s__not_necessarily_contiguous_
[Date & reference] 1997-06-06 This Is Lancashire Honest dads lose out
SIR: I refer to the report 'CSA Hit Dad etc' (BEN, June 3). I understood the CSA was set up to catch errant fathers who abandon their responsibilities to their families, your paper even reported as much recently. The evidence from this latest article just confirms what a load of unadulterated rubbish this is. As for the CSA spokesman's quote about 'clients' (suckers) simply not supplying information and not being surprised about deduction orders, this infuriates me as they levy the 'fine' which doesn't reflect any previously requested sum without notice. With regards to encouraging people to talk to local staff, in their dreams. The number you have to call is difficult to get through to, and when it is answered you are likely to talk to a faceless person 'just doing their job', who doesn't appear to care about what you say unless you are offering payment. On every bit of correspondence from the CSA there is a sentence inviting the respondent to request a face to face interview but if you request one you are told the waiting list is three to four months and not worth it. I've been asking now for 18 months so could have had at least four by now. Repeated questions in writing are usually ignored except on one occasion when I had an acknowledgement two months later but no answers.
1997 articles
Extracts (not necessarily contiguous)