For the year April 2004 – May 2005, Department for Work and Pensions statistics show an accuracy rate of 75% (new scheme) and 78% (old scheme), a drop from the previous year's 82% and 86%. Interim reports for the current year (April 2005 – May 2006), show an improvement to 83% and 84%, respectively. Accuracy is defined as the "proportion of maintenance decisions (calculations or assessments) carried out in the reporting period that were checked and found to be accurate to the nearest penny."

Assessments based on the same financial criteria can give different results, depending on which rules the case is judged under. Non-resident parents who would pay less under the new rules currently cannot get reassessed, except in special circumstances. While the CSA plan to eventually move everyone to the same system, in the interim different people with the same current situation will pay different amounts, based solely on when the case was first assessed. One father, Mark Cook, whose monthly payments would drop from £250 to £150 if assessed under the new rules, is taking the CSA to the European Court of Human Rights, claiming that this discrepancy amounts to discrimination under Article 14.Father takes CSA case to Europe BBC News, July 28, 2004 However, official statistics show that the average weekly liability is more under the new scheme. For the years 2004-2005, the average new scheme liability varied from £24 to £26 per week, whereas the old scheme varied from £19 to £21.

In November 2004, the head of the CSA resigned amid widespread criticism of the CSA systems.CSA chief resigns amid criticism BBC News, November 17, 2004 Sir Archy Kirkwood, chairman of Work and Pensions Committee, described the situation as "a systemic, chronic failure of management right across the totality of the agency."'Basically, it doesn't work' BBC News, November 17, 2004 In November 2005, Tony Blair admitted that the CSA is "not properly suited" to its job, amid reports that for every £1.85 that gets through to children, the CSA spend £1 on administrationCSA not suited to job, says Blair BBC News, 16 November 2005.. Later figures showed that it costs the CSA £12m a year to run, more than the £8m it collects from absent parents.

Even prior to its opening, the CSA was subject to criticism, with MP David Tredinnick describing the CSA as a "sequel to 1984" due to concerns about "CSA Snooping". In February 2006, Work Secretary John Hutton stated that the CSA's performance was "unacceptable", and announced that it would be reviewed.'Unacceptable' CSA faces overhaul BBC News, 9 February 2006

Staff

• Stephen Geraghty, Chief Executive
• Mike Isaac, Deputy Business Development Director
• Elaine Fox, Human Resources Director
• Jim Edgar, Finance Director
• Ron Eagle, Information System/Information Technology Director
• Mark Grimshaw, Chief Operating Officer
• Shirley Trundle CBE, Director of Welfare Strategy and Performance in the Department for Work and Pensions, Work, Welfare and Equality Group
• Barney McGahan, Non-Executive Director, Chief Executive Northern Ireland Child Support Agency
• John Cross, Non-Executive Director
• Barbara Moorhouse, Non-Executive Director, Director General of Finance, Department of Constitutional Affairs (DCA)

Notes