Father of three Freddie Harrison, of Upwell, has had a deductions from earnings order made against him, which results in £300 being taken monthly from his pay.

But Mr Harrison claims the deduction is leaving him badly off and unable to pay his own bills and unless something is done, he could soon find himself unable to keep his rented home.

“It’s not that I’m refusing to pay, I have never refused to pay. I have had regular contact with my children and have always paid to help support them except last year when I was unemployed and didn’t have any money,” explained Mr Harrison.

He said his two ex-partners – the mothers of his children – had contacted the CSA to say he had not been making regular payments during last year.

And he had given all his details to them to pass on to the CSA so they could make an assessment on what he should be paying.

However, he has been left totally shocked by the amount they have decided he should pay.

“I am not one of those fathers who is not interested in their children and has nothing to do with them and has never paid to support them. I care for them and they regularly come to stay with me. But if the CSA insist on taking this money it is going to literally ruin me.

“I work to live, I don’t have lots of luxuries, I don’t go on holiday, I drive an old banger and practically all my money goes on keeping a roof over my head and that of my partner and her daughter,” said Mr Harrison.

He believes the government agency is very unfair on fathers and fails to take into account the fact they have to live too.

Mr Harrison said the CSA consider the only essential outgoings are his tax and National Insurance contributions.

“I don’t consider my nett wage as fritter money, in fact it is extremely hard to make ends meet. I pay rent, council tax, road tax, car maintenance, utility bills, VAT on everything we buy including food, but none of these are seen as essential living costs,” said Mr Harrison, who added both he and his partner work and don’t claim any benefits.

He has written to Prime Minister Gordon Brown asking why the CSA appear to punish absent parents that are actually trying to do the right thing.

And he has also enlisted the help of local MP Christopher Fraser to help him appeal his case against the CSA.

But Mr Harrison, who is convinced there must be lots of other fathers in the same position, is worried that while the appeal goes through he is losing money and facing getting into debt.