Nacsa Reviews 

Following years of going through the FDR process, we found ourselves going straight into a CMS appeal. Our solicitors recommended NACSA, and we are incredibly grateful they did.

We initially started the process with Libby, who was extremely helpful, but our case quickly headed to the First-tier Tribunal, which required the services of senior consultant Michelle. I could talk about how knowledgeable she and the team are, but that almost goes without saying. What really set Michelle apart was her unwavering support, honesty, and ability to make an incredibly stressful process feel manageable.

Everything was explained in terms we could understand, especially when we were struggling to adapt from the FDR process to the very different approach required for a CMS appeal. Michelle was always realistic about our case, never giving false hope, and she highlighted the areas where the Tribunal was likely to scrutinise the evidence. That honesty gave us confidence because we always knew exactly where we stood.

The biggest difference Michelle made was with the evidence. She meticulously guided us through what was needed, ensuring nothing was overlooked and that we presented the strongest possible case. When we faced a particularly difficult judge at our initial hearing, which was adjourned and followed by a Directions Order with very tight deadlines, Michelle went above and beyond. She worked tirelessly to ensure all of our evidence was submitted correctly and on time, and she prepared an outstanding position statement that was instrumental in presenting our case clearly.

Throughout the entire process, Michelle's guidance and reassurance eased our nerves and prevented countless sleepless nights. Having her represent us at the hearing meant the legal jargon and complex arguments were handled professionally, allowing us to focus on what mattered most.

We ultimately achieved a favourable outcome, and we genuinely believe we could not have done it without Michelle and the wider NACSA team. Their professionalism, expertise, dedication, and compassion were exceptional from start to finish.

If you're facing a CMS appeal or Tribunal, I cannot recommend NACSA highly enough. They were worth every penny, and we will always be grateful for their support, guidance, and expertise.

I recently completed a child maintenance consultation with Laura from NACSA, and I cannot speak highly enough of the experience. From the outset, Laura demonstrated exceptional professionalism, deep subject-matter expertise, and genuine empathy for my situation.

She took the time to listen carefully, asked all the right questions, and provided clear, practical guidance that was tailored to my specific circumstances. What truly set her apart, however, was her commitment to ongoing support, Laura didn’t just end the session with advice; she offered a seamless follow-on service that gave me confidence and clarity about the next steps.

Her communication was timely, transparent, and reassuring throughout. If you are navigating the complexities of child maintenance and need a trusted advisor who combines technical knowledge with a compassionate approach, I highly recommend Laura Vale. She is an absolute asset to NACSA.

I recently had an initial consultation with Kerrie and Will regarding a Child Maintenance Service tribunal appeal. From the outset, both were professional, knowledgeable, and incredibly reassuring.

The process has felt overwhelming at times, but they took the time to explain everything clearly, answer my questions, and help me understand what evidence would be needed going forward. Their expertise gave me confidence in my case and left me feeling much more prepared for what lies ahead.

I would highly recommend NACSA to anyone dealing with CMS matters. The support, understanding, and specialist knowledge they provided during just one consultation were invaluable.

Fantastic support and advice, very professional and reassuring calming my nerves. Helped me prepare for my case and provide all my evidence to get the correct result. Thank you Kerrie!

My partner and I first approached NACSA in late 2021 after an ill‑founded decision by the Financial Investigation Unit (FIU) was implemented by the Child Maintenance Service (CMS), alleging a diversion of income. As a result, my partner (paying parent), faced a significant and entirely unjustified increase in weekly child maintenance to recover alleged arrears.
Knowing the decision was both incorrect and unfair, we had no choice but to challenge it through a Tribunal appeal.
With little knowledge or experience of CMS or FIU processes, we discovered NACSA’s website and appointed their services, particularly as most solicitors specialise in Family Law rather than CMS-specific matters. Our four‑year journey began with Kerry, followed by initial consultations with Libby, who supported us through the CMS-related issues. As the case progressed, we worked closely with Michelle for senior consultations and guidance once the Tribunal appeal required more specialised expertise.

Earlier this month, after an extremely long and stressful ordeal, our hearing was finally listed.
Thanks to the invaluable support, knowledge, and professionalism of Michelle and the NACSA team, we are absolutely delighted to have achieved a correct and positive outcome. The Tribunal found no diversion of income for any of the periods in dispute.

Without NACSA’s involvement, my partner would have been expected to pay more than £30,000 in non‑existent arrears — a devastating and wholly unjust outcome. The cost of NACSA’s support was a fraction of this, and their repayment plans made access to their expertise both feasible and affordable.

Michelle and her team have many years of specialist experience in CMS, FIU, and HMCTS matters, and our result is a testament to their depth of knowledge and the exceptionally high standard of service they provide. I cannot recommend NACSA highly enough to anyone facing similar challenges.

Thank you to the entire team, and especially to Michelle, for giving us the understanding, confidence, and reassurance we needed to see this dispute through to the end. We are truly grateful.

I had a very useful and informative initial consultation, which clearly set out the process, logical steps and provided me with a useful context as to what I would need to do and when. There were clear actions and next steps.

The advice from Michelle and her team was always constructive and knowledgeable. In a complex case that had gone on for over 2 1/2 years, Michelle was able to help me focus in on what really mattered and cut through the jargon, explaining what the possible consequences might be. Money well spent.

Michelle is very knowledgably for dealing with the CSA and CMS and gave clear and precise response regarding my case.

I would highly recommend her!

I have been using Michelle for over five years and she has consistently demonstrated outstanding knowledge of the extremely complex child maintenance law. We have previously paid for barristers who specialise in CMS matters, yet Michelle has proven to be far better equipped than any of them.
She genuinely listens, fully understands the details, and repeatedly identifies errors that others have missed, which has resulted in significantly better outcomes for us. Michelle is highly skilled, exceptionally knowledgeable in her field, and someone I trust above any other advice we have received.
She is absolutely worth the money, and I would not hesitate to recommend her.

Michelle at Nacsa was thorough with her assessment of my case and candid about her opinion. She provided some helpful thoughts.

Paid £240 for a 90 minute consultation and got no useful advice at all, just gloom and doom about how difficult it is to challenge the CMS, and pretty much told that's just the way it is. I was left devastated and very pessimistic after the consultation.
As it happened, all I had to do was update the CMS (directly in a phone call) about my current year income and the estimate became much more reasonable and within hours I was notified by the CMS of the amended figure.

I would not waste my money on NACSA again.

In addition, no one seems to have heard of NACSA including people at the CMS, which may be all you need to know about how effective it is in challenging them, if it was effective they would know about it.

The only person who had heard of them was the family lawyer who told me about them as family lawyers will not touch CMS matters for some reason.

Fathers for justice or some other group need to tackle this issue and make the payments based on the cost of looking after the child for the proportion of the time relevant, not simply based on (usually) the fathers income.

Nothing else is priced based on income level, rather than the actual cost.

I recently experienced a change in my personal circumstances and wanted to confirm how it might affect future child maintenance payments. Laura not only answered all of my questions but also provided additional information I hadn’t considered. The 90-minute session gave us the time to go through my case in detail. I highly recommend booking a session with Laura.

I cannot thank NACSA enough for the outstanding support they provided with my child maintenance case. From the very beginning, they were professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely caring. I would like to give special thanks to Laura, who went above and beyond to guide me through what was a very stressful and overwhelming process.

Laura’s expertise, patience, and clear communication made a huge difference. She was always available to answer my questions, no matter how small, and her advice was spot on every step of the way. Thanks to her dedication and the team’s hard work, my case was resolved fairly and efficiently, giving me real peace of mind.

I would highly recommend NACSA to anyone dealing with a child maintenance issue — they are a truly exceptional organisation, and Laura is an absolute saint.

Jake

as much as it pains me, after charging me £600 upfront to even look at the case, I have achieved more from speaking direct with the CSA. yes i know, disappointing but thats just my experience. Personally I would recommend you trace who your case worker is at CSA and speak with them directly. The person at NACSA has really missed the mark, and its expensive for zero help.

Really helpful, clear and concise advice giving me the confidence and knowledge to move forward.

My initial appointment was managed well and gave me the confidence to progress on from here.. Kerrie was very informative and helpful.

I was very happy with my initial consultation.
I found Laura to be very knowledgeable and efficient. She has navigated my case with great professionalism and care.
Many thanks!

The staff and booking process was well explained and uncomplicated. Michelle was amazing and has really helped me to prepare for my appeal and understand what questions I needed to ask. This was all explained in a language I could understand as complicates accounts are just that complicated! Worth every penny and i will not hesitate to go back to Michelle should I need further advice. Thank you Michelle! Leanne

Clear process leading up to our consultation. Our appointment was with Michelle who was excellent. She provided clear and concise advice which went through everything we required and more. We hope we have no reason to contact Nacsa again but if we do we would have no hesitation in contacting them.

Friendly, courteous and very knowledgeable. The CMS has left me at my wits end - sadly I am not the only father who will feel this way. Having someone listen to you and provide sensible advise is really important. 100% recommend Michelle Counley