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On Sunday 8th of August 1999 the Independent On Sunday newspaper published the article below. Soon afterwards, Paul A posted it to the uk.gov.agency.csa newsgroup . Later that day, I responded, criticising the Independent On Sunday for using 2-year-old NACSA material to fill column inches. On 11th August 1999, Charles Atkinson posted that he had forwarded my criticism of the Independent On Sunday to their editor.
On 15th September 1999 Andy Farquarson came under severe pressure & criticism when attempting to present the NACSA position to the Social Security Select Committee. Andy hadn't been adequately briefed by NACSA, and the SSSC used the Independent On Sunday article against NACSA.
On 1st August 2001 I launched this web site, and included a summary of Andy's experience to illustrate the problems that NACSA faced as a credible lobby organisation if it didn't make its published material safe from such scrutiny. (I confined myself to the above historical information, and was careful to state the dates so that it was clear that it was historical).
On 3rd August 2001, the NACSA Committee started to censor any reference to this web site from its discussion forums because it included the above material. A statement from the NACSA Chair said that I had "... portrayed nacsa in an extremely negative manner, based on outdated and false material". Another statement from the NACSA Chair said that my "... review of NACSA has once again raked up history that is no longer relevant, and can be used against us".
Is it true that NACSA has reformed in this way, and this is "outdated and false material", and this is "history that is no longer relevant"?
No! Unfortunately, NACSA has not removed all such damaging material from its publications over the last few years. The following is a commentary of the original Independent On Sunday article with respect to NACSA material being issued to NACSA members as late as April 2001. As stated elsewhere "NACSA does many things: provide immediate advice to "customers" of the CSA, provide on-going support for members, campaign, and lobby. Unfortunately, as shown above, their lobbying capability is compromised by their other activities".
In the article below, the current (2001) position is indented & in italics & blue, like this. Page numbers refer to the current Survival Guide.
"Dads wage guerrilla war on CSA"
By Rachel Sylvester, political editor
Independent on Sunday - 8th August 1999
A GROUP of disgruntled fathers has launched a campaign to undermine the Child Support Agency by circulating information on dodges and devices to avoid maintenance payments. These include unscrupulous suggestions on how to persuade ex-wives to lie to the authorities - and how to fool the authorities into thinking that they are violent.
The National Association for Child Support Action (NACSA) produces regular newsletters and a website advising fathers how to delay, reduce or avoid contributions to the CSA.
2001: Still true - although it is the Survival Guide (rather than the newsletters) and the web site forums which advise NRPs how to delay, reduce or avoid contributions to the CSA.
CSA officials, who have compiled a dossier on the organisation, believe that some of the tips could be interpreted as incitement to break the law.
Ministers at the Department of Social Security are also aware of the group and have ensured that many of the loopholes it identifies will be closed when new legislation is introduced later this year. "Their activities are extra-legal if not illegal," one senior government source said.
One newsletter advises absent fathers that a good way of avoiding detection is to be portrayed as a violent man who must not be contacted by the CSA because the mother is too frightened. "Showing CSA officials the damage done to the house by an ex-partner (broken windows, etc) will usually have an instant effect and if communication is being conducted by letter a photograph will certainly help," it says.
2001: Page 26 Good cause accepted same text, but usually has changed to often.
Another advocates persuading the child's mother to deny to the CSA that she knows who the father is - in return for direct, but smaller payments. "We heard of one ex-partner who claimed to have done the rounds of many dubious parties (or was it a Club Med holiday?). It turned out the father could have been any one of a dozen or more men. She tried to be helpful by supplying a long list of possible names. Of course she was keen to co-operate, but it was so embarrassing."
2001: Page 13/14 & dubious parties in Majorca .... long list of Spanish christian names. Of course & so embarrassing.
The group's members - mostly fathers who have been targeted by the CSA - openly describe themselves as "pocket revolutionaries" deploying guerrilla tactics against the system. A recent publication from the group warns: "NACSA cannot guarantee its accuracy, usefulness or even legality and reminds readers that any decision to make use of the information is theirs alone."
2001: Page 10 & pocket revolutionaries &. (The term guerrilla tactics was never used).
Other publications advise absent fathers to reduce their declared income and increase their declared outgoings as much as possible. Under the heading "controlling your salary", one newsletter describes a man who asked his company for a loan to cover "unforeseen expenses" in his private life. The company agreed and took monthly payments out of his salary, leaving a reduced amount on the payslips assessed by the CSA.
2001: Page 15 Pay in advance & he decided to approach his company for an advance of his wages & to cover "unforeseen expenses" in his personal life.
The document also suggests taking out a variable mortgage so contributions can be bumped up dramatically just before the CSA assesses the father's housing costs.
2001: Page 16 Variable mortgages &thus allowing you to pay far more just before assessment &.
The group also offers tips on delaying the introduction of CSA payments, including failing to return documents or "forgetting" to include relevant information. One idea is to return CSA correspondence, unopened, with the words "gone away" or "not known at this address" emblazoned across it.
2001: Page 11 Delaying return of the MEF & you forget to complete it & & but somehow forget to include some of the documents & & emblazoned with the words "Gone away" or "Not known at this address" &.
Baroness Hollis of Heigham, the minister responsible for the CSA, said the Government was concerned about a small group of hardliners working "at the edge" of the law. "Most men are decent and want to support their children but there are a core of people who do not want to pay and are seeking to duck and avoid and we will get tough on those," she said.
Maeve Sherlock, director of the National Council for One Parent Families, said she was "appalled" by some of NACSA's activities. "There will always be some cases of genuine hardship but anyone trying to persuade non-resident parents to avoid paying child support when they can afford to pay it is deeply irresponsible," she said.
| Page last updated: 28 October, 2001 | © Copyright Barry Pearson 2002 |
