Letter: CSA: another mouth to feed

IT IS WRONG to say that "250,000 children are benefiting" from the CSA ("CSA told: shape up or be privatised", 27 June). The Child Support Agency told me in no uncertain terms that I had to authorise it to deduct maintenance from my ex-partner some time ago. I thought no more about it until I received an angry phone call from him saying the CSA had said I'd requested their intervention.

My partner has never had a high wage but always did what he could by buying occasional presents or new clothes for our daughter and sometimes took her on holidays. Now he can't afford any of these things (I have to find the money) and my child is visibly less happy. I am on income support and see none of the maintenance he pays to the Government. In fact I was told that I will have pounds 40 a fortnight taken off my benefit if I try to withdraw my authorisation.

This is the same for most other single parents on benefit and it will get even worse if the CSA is officially privatised and we have yet another mouth to feed in the form of the profit-making company that will take over. This cannot go on.

ROSALIN CABALLERO

Sheffield