The Child Support Departure Direction and Consequential Amendments Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Child support maintenance payable where effect of a departure direction would be to decrease an absent parent’s assessable income but case still fell within paragraph 2(3) of Schedule 1 to the Order

41.—(1) Subject to regulation 42 and paragraph (8), where the effect of a departure direction would, but for the provisions of paragraphs (2) to (9), be to reduce an absent parent’s assessable income and his assessable income following that direction would be such that the case fell within paragraph 2(3) of Schedule 1 to the Order (additional element of maintenance payable), the amount of child support maintenance payable shall be determined in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (5).

(2) There shall be calculated the amount equal to A × P, where A is equal to the amount that would be the absent parent’s assessable income if the departure direction referred to in paragraph (1) had been given and P has the value prescribed in regulation 5 of the Maintenance Assessments and Special Cases Regulations.

(3) There shall be determined the amount that would be payable under a maintenance assessment calculated by reference to the circumstances at the time the application is made, in accordance with the provisions of Part I of Schedule 1 to the Order.

(4) The lower of the amounts calculated in accordance with paragraph (2) and determined in accordance with paragraph (3) shall constitute the revised amount for the purposes of regulation 7 (rejection of application on completion of a preliminary consideration) and regulation 31 (refusal to give a departure direction under Article 28F(4) of the Order), and the Department may apply regulation 7 and shall apply regulation 31 in relation to the current amount and the revised amount as so construed.

(5) Subject to paragraph (7), where the application of the provisions of paragraph (4) results in a departure direction being given, the amount of child support maintenance payable following that direction shall be determined by the child support officer as being the revised amount as defined in paragraph (4).

(6) Where the assessable income of an absent parent changes following a review under Article 18, 19, 20 or 21 of the Order, the provisions of paragraphs (2) to (5) shall be applied to—

(a) the amount calculated under paragraph (2) which takes account of the change in assessable income; and

(b) the amount that would be payable under the maintenance assessment calculated in accordance with the provisions of Part I of Schedule 1 to the Order which takes account of that change in assessable income.

(7) Where the provisions of paragraph 6 of Schedule 1 to the Order (protected income) as modified by the provisions of regulation 38 apply following a departure direction and the amount of child support maintenance payable under those provisions is lower than that payable under paragraph (5), the amount of child support maintenance payable shall be that payable under those provisions.

(8) Where a departure direction given in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs (1) to (7) has effect, those provisions shall apply, subject to the modifications set out in paragraph (9), where—

(a) the effect of a later direction would, but for the provisions of paragraphs (2) to (5), be to change the absent parent’s assessable income and his assessable income following the direction would be such that the case fell within paragraph 2(3) of Schedule 1 to the Order (additional element of maintenance payable); and

(b) that assessable income following the later direction would be less than the assessable income would be if it were calculated in accordance with the provisions of Part I of Schedule 1 to the Order by reference to the circumstances at the time the application for the later direction is made.

(9) The modifications referred to in paragraph (8) are—

(a) in paragraph (2), A would be the absent parent’s assessable income following the later direction but for the provisions of paragraphs (3) to (5);

(b) the references to regulation 7 in paragraph (4) are omitted.