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The Child Support (Northern Ireland) Order 1991
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Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Article 4:
- art. 4(3)(b) modified by S.R. 2012/427 reg. 50(2)
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Order associated Parts and Chapters:
- Order applied by S.R. 2014/191 reg. 7(1)
- Order applied in part (with modifications) by S.R. 2010/312 reg. 16 Sch. 2
- Order power to apply (with modifications) conferred by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 3(4)
- Order transfer of functions by S.I. 2010/976 Sch. 17 para. 42
- Order words substituted by 2009 c. 1 (N.I.) Sch. 6 para. 1(1)(a)
- Order words substituted by 2009 c. 1 (N.I.) Sch. 6 para. 1(1)(b)
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Order (including any effects on those provisions):
- Sch. 1 para. 9(1) Sch. 1 para. 9 renumbered as Sch. 1 para. 9(1) by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 1 para. 8(1)
- Sch. 1 para. 9(2) added by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 1 para. 8(4)
- Sch. 1 para. 5A and cross-heading inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 1 para. 5(2)
- Sch. 1 para. 9(1)(ba) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 1 para. 8(3)
- Sch. 1 para. 9(1)(za) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 1 para. 8(2)
- Sch. 1 para. 5A(2) modified by S.R. 2012/428 reg. 3
- Sch. 1 para. 5A(2) modified by S.R. 2013/190 reg. 2
- Sch. 1 Pt. 1 words substituted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 1 para. 2
- Sch. 1 Pt. 1 para. 10C(5A) omitted by S.I. 2019/1514 reg. 64(5)(b)
- Sch. 1 Pt. 1 para. 10C(5) substituted for Sch. 1 Pt. 1 para. 10C(5)(6) by S.I. 2019/1514 reg. 64(4)
- Sch. 1 Pt. 1 para. 6(5)(b)(i)(ii) substituted for Sch. 1 Pt. 1 para. 6(5)(b)(i)-(iii) by S.I. 2019/1514 reg. 64(5)(a)
- Sch. 1 Pt. 1 para. 5(4) words inserted by 2007 c. 2 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 2(8)
- art. 2(3) added by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(3)
- art. 4(4)(ba) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 16
- art. 7(2A) inserted by S.I. 2015/2006 (N.I.) art. 127(2)(b)
- art. 7(3A)-(3C) inserted by 2023 c. 24 s. 4(2)(a)
- art. 7(4)(d) and word inserted by 2023 c. 24 s. 4(2)(b)(ii)
- art. 11(2A) inserted by S.I. 2015/2006 (N.I.) art. 126(1)
- art. 11(6)(a)(b) and word repealed by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 5
- art. 11A inserted by S.I. 2015/2006 (N.I.) art. 128
- art. 16A(3A) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 27(1)
- art. 16A(3A) substituted by 2010 c. 13 (N.I.) s. 32(2)
- art. 16A(6) added by 2010 c. 13 (N.I.) s. 32(3)
- art. 19(1)(c) repealed by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 5
- art. 22(1)(ba) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(5)
- art. 22(2)(aa) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(6)
- art. 22(2A)-(2C) inserted by S.I. 2015/2006 (N.I.) Sch. 11 para. 2
- art. 22(3A)-(3C) inserted by S.I. 2015/2006 (N.I.) Sch. 11 para. 3
- art. 22(5A) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(7)
- art. 22(7A) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(8)
- art. 27(2)(b) words substituted by S.I. 2019/1514 reg. 64(2)
- art. 27(2)(b) words substituted by S.I. 2019/1514 reg. 64(2)
- art. 28D(2A) (2B) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 10(2)
- art. 28F(4)(a) words repealed by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 5
- art. 29(3)(c) (ca) substituted for art. 29(3)(c) by 2010 c. 13 (N.I.) s. 31(2)
- art. 29(3A) inserted by 2010 c. 13 (N.I.) s. 31(3)
- art. 29(4)-(7) added by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 12
- art. 29(4)-(7) excluded by S.R. 2016/390 reg. 6(1)
- art. 31(8) (9) substituted for art. 31(8) by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 13
- art. 32A-32D inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 14
- art. 32E-32K inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 15
- art. 32G(1) restricted by SR 1992/390 reg. 25N (as inserted) by S.R. 2009/286 reg. 2
- art. 32H(2)(b) restricted by SR 1992/390 reg. 25N (as inserted) by S.R. 2009/286 reg. 2
- art. 32L inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 16
- art. 32L(5) words inserted by S.I. 2019/1514 reg. 64(3)
- art. 32M 32N inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 17
- art. 36B-36F inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 18
- art. 36G-36O inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 19
- art. 37(2A)-(2C) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 20(1)
- art. 37(10)-(10C) substituted for art. 37(10) by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 20(2)
- art. 37(12) added by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(14)
- art. 37A(A1)-(A4) (1) substituted for art. 37A(1) by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 21(1)
- art. 37A(10)-(10C) substituted for art. 37A(10) by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 21(2)
- art. 37A(12) added by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(17)
- art. 38A(5)(c) (d) repealed by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(29)(a)
- art. 38C inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 22
- art. 38D inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 23
- art. 38E inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 24
- art. 39(2)(g) added by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 28
- art. 40A inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 29
- art. 41(4)(5) inserted by S.I. 2011/1484 Sch. 7 para. 22
- art. 41(4) omitted by S.I. 2019/519 Sch. para. 20(a)
- art. 41(5) omitted by S.I. 2019/519 Sch. para. 20(b)
- art. 45A inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 25
- art. 45B 45C inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 30
- art. 45D inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 31
- art. 46(1A)-(1C) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(19)
- art. 47A inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 32
- art. 47A(6) inserted by S.I. 2015/2006 (N.I.) Sch. 11 para. 4
- art. 48(2B) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(22)
Meaning of certain other terms used in this OrderN.I.
4 .F1—(1) A child is a “qualifying child” if—
(a)one of his parents is, in relation to him, [F2an absent parent] [F3a non-resident parent]; or
(b)both of his parents are, in relation to him, [F4absent parents] [F5non-resident parent’s].
(2) The parent of any child is an “absent parent”, in relation to him, if—
(a)that parent is not living in the same household with the child; and
(b)the child has his home with a person who is, in relation to him, a person with care.
(3) A person is a “person with care”, in relation to any child, if he is a person—
(a)with whom the child has his home;
(b)who usually provides day to day care for the child (whether exclusively or in conjunction with any other person); and
(c)who does not fall within a prescribed category of person.
(4) The Department shall not, under paragraph (3)(c), prescribe as a category—
(a)parents;
(b)guardians;
(c)persons[F6 in whose favour residence orders under Article 8 of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 are in force].
(5) For the purposes of this Order there may be more than one person with care in relation to the same qualifying child.
(6) Periodical payments which are required to be paid in accordance with a [F7maintenance assessment] [F8maintenance calculation] are referred to in this Order as “child support maintenance”.
(7) Expressions are defined in this Article only for the purposes of this Order.
F1Mod. SR 2001/18
F2Words in art. 4(1)(a) substituted (3.3.2003 for certain purposes otherwise prosp.) by Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act (Northern Ireland) 2000 (c. 4), ss. 25, 68(2), Sch. 3 para. 11; S.R. 2003/53, art. 3(1), Sch.
F3Words in art. 4(1)(a) substituted (3.3.2003 for certain purposes otherwise prosp.) by Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act (Northern Ireland) 2000 (c. 4), ss. 25, 68(2), Sch. 3 para. 11; S.R. 2003/53, art. 3(1), Sch.
F4Words in art. 4(1)(b) substituted (3.3.2003 for certain purposes otherwise prosp.) by Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act (Northern Ireland) 2000 (c. 4), ss. 25, 68(2), Sch. 3 para. 11; S.R. 2003/53, art. 3(1), Sch.
F5Words in art. 4(1)(b) substituted (3.3.2003 for certain purposes otherwise prosp.) by Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act (Northern Ireland) 2000 (c. 4), ss. 25, 68(2), Sch. 3 para. 11; S.R. 2003/53, art. 3(1), Sch.
F7Words in art. 4(6) substituted (3.3.2003 for certain purposes otherwise prosp.) by Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act (Northern Ireland) 2000 (c. 4), ss. 1(2)(a), 68(2); S.R. 2003/53, art. 3(1), Sch.
F8Words in art. 4(6) substituted (3.3.2003 for certain purposes otherwise prosp.) by Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act (Northern Ireland) 2000 (c. 4), ss. 1(2)(a), 68(2); S.R. 2003/53, art. 3(1), Sch.
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