The Child Support (Maintenance Assessments and Special Cases) Regulations 1992

5.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraphs [F1 (2) to (3)]—

(a) where a person has been a self-employed earner for 52 weeks or more including the relevant week, the amount of his earnings shall be determined by reference to the average of the earnings which he has received in the 52 weeks ending with the relevant week;

(b) where the person has been a self-employed earner for a period of less than 52 weeks including the relevant week, the amount of his earnings shall be determined by reference to the average of the earnings which he has received during that period.

(2) [F2 Subject to sub-paragraph (2A), where] a person who is a self-employed earner provides in respect of the employment a profit and loss account and, where appropriate, a trading account or a balance sheet or both, and the profit and loss account is in respect of a period at least 6 months but not exceeding 15 months and that period terminates within the [F3 24 months] immediately preceding the effective date, the amount of his earnings shall be determined by reference to the average of the earnings over the period to which the profit and loss account relates and such earnings shall include receipts relevant to that period (whether or not received in that period).

[F4 (2A) Where the [F5 Secretary of State] is satisfied that, in relation to the person referred to in sub-paragraph (2) there is more than one profit and loss account, each in respect of different periods, both or all of which satisfy the conditions mentioned in that sub-paragraph, the provisions of that sub-paragraph shall apply only to the account which relates to the latest such period, unless [F6 the Secretary of State] is satisfied that the latest such account is not available for reasons beyond the control of that person, in which case he may have regard to any such other account which satisfies the requirements of that sub-paragraph.]

(3) Where a calculation would, but for this sub-paragraph, produce an amount which, in the opinion of the [F7 Secretary of State], does not accurately reflect the normal amount of the earnings of the person in question, such earnings, or any part of them, shall be calculated by reference to such other period as may, in the particular case, enable the normal weekly earnings of that person to be determined more accurately and for this purpose the [F7 Secretary of State] shall have regard to—

(a) the earnings received, or due to be received, from any employment in which the person in question is engaged, or has been engaged or is due to be engaged;

(b) the duration and pattern, or the expected duration and pattern, of any employment of that person.

(4) In sub-paragraph (2)—

(a) “balance sheet" means a statement of the financial position of the employment disclosing its assets, liabilities and capital at the end of the period in question;

(b) “profit and loss account" means a financial statement showing net profit or loss of the employment for the period in question; and

(c) “trading account" means a financial statement showing the revenue from sales, the cost of those sales and the gross profit arising during the period in question.

[F8 (5) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), where a person has claimed, or has been paid, [F9 working tax credit or child tax credit] on any day during the period beginning not earlier than eight weeks before the relevant week and ending not later than the date on which the assessment is made, the [F10 Secretary of State] may have regard to the amount of earnings taken into account in determining entitlement to those benefits in order to calculate or estimate the amount of earnings to be taken into account for the purposes of calculating N and M, notwithstanding the fact that entitlement to those benefits may have been determined by reference to earnings attributable to a period other than that specified in sub-paragraph (1).]

[F11 (6) This paragraph applies only where the earnings of a self-employed earner have the meaning given by paragraph 3 of this Schedule.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Sch. 1 para. 5(1) substituted (18.4.1995) by The Child Support and Income Support (Amendment) Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1995/1045), regs. 1(2), 54(9)(a)

F2 Words in Sch. 1 para. 5(2) substituted (18.4.1995) by The Child Support and Income Support (Amendment) Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1995/1045), regs. 1(2), 54(9)(b)(i)

F3 Words in Sch. 1 para. 5(2) substituted (18.4.1995) by The Child Support and Income Support (Amendment) Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1995/1045), regs. 1(2), 54(9)(b)(ii)

F4 Sch. 1 para. 5(2A) inserted (18.4.1995) by The Child Support and Income Support (Amendment) Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1995/1045), regs. 1(2), 54(9)(c)

F5 Words in Sch. 1 para. 5(2A) substituted (1.6.1999) by The Social Security Act 1998 (Commencement No. 7 and Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/1510), arts. 3(1), 19(b)(ii)

F6 Words in Sch. 1 para. 5(2A) substituted (1.6.1999) by The Social Security Act 1998 (Commencement No. 7 and Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/1510), arts. 3(1), 19(b)(i)

F7 Words in Sch. 1 para. 5(3) substituted (1.6.1999) by The Social Security Act 1998 (Commencement No. 7 and Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/1510), arts. 3(1), 19(b)(ii)

F8 Sch. 1 para. 5(5) added (13.1.1997) by The Child Support (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/3196), regs. 1(1), 13(5)

F9 Words in Sch. 1 para. 5(5) substituted (6.4.2003) by The Child Support (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/328), regs. 1(3)(d), 6(6)(a)

F10 Words in Sch. 1 para. 5(5) substituted (1.6.1999) by The Social Security Act 1998 (Commencement No. 7 and Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/1510), arts. 3(1), 19(b)(ii)

F11 Sch. 1 Pt. 1 Ch. 2 para. 5(6) added (4.10.1999) by The Child Support (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/977), regs. 1(1), 6(5)(c) (with reg. 7)