THE number of complaints about the Child Support Agency (CSA) has risen by more than a half in the past year, says a watchdog.

Poor communication, delay and errors in cases under an old maintenance assessment system were blamed, in a report published yesterday, for most of the referrals. The Government had said most of the problems had been caused by a new computer provided by the EDS company and a new telephone system.

But the watchdog warned ministers that the failings of the past are threatening to become a key feature of the new system of assessing maintenance. Jodi Berg, an independent case examiner, said in her annual report: “This year the majority of complaint referrals related to old scheme cases, where delay, poor communication and agency error continue to cause people hardship and worry.” Referrals to the watchdog rose 52 per cent from 1,419 in 2002-03 to 2,151 in 2003-04, 925 of which were accepted for action.

Of the 806 cases cleared during the year, 370 (42 per cent) were resolved by agreement and 436 (58 per cent) were the subject of formal investigation.

Most complaints resolved required only “minor corrective” action, such as an apology, or an explanation. However, in most of the investigated cases the complaint was fully or partially upheld.

Ms Berg welcomed changes to the agency’s internal complaints procedures and work to improve the specialist enforcement process, but reported that the agency continued to generate a large number of complaints across the whole of its service.

Doug Smith, chief executive of the agency, said: “As EDS improves its computer service, we will continue to make improvements in our performance and work.”

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