Child Support Act 1991

54 Interpretation. E+W+S

In this Act—

• “absent parent”, has the meaning given in section 3(2);

• [F1 “adjudication officer” has the same meaning as in the benefit Acts;]

• [F2 “appeal tribunal” means an appeal tribunal constituted under Chapter I of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998;]

• [F3 “application for a departure direction” means an application under section 28A;]

• “assessable income” has the meaning given in paragraph 5 of Schedule 1;

• “benefit Acts” means the [F4 Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 and the Social Security Administration Act 1992];

• [F1 “Chief Adjudication Officer” has the same meaning as in the benefit Acts;]

• F1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• “child benefit” has the same meaning as in the M1 Child Benefit Act 1975;

• F1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• “child support maintenance” has the meaning given in section 3(6);

• F1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• [F3 “current assessment”, in relation to an application for a departure direction, means (subject to any regulations made under paragraph 10 of Schedule 4A) the maintenance assessment with respect to which the application is made;]

• “deduction from earnings order” has the meaning given in section 31(2);

• [F3 “departure direction” has the meaning given in section 28A;]

• “disability living allowance” has the same meaning as in the [F4 benefit Acts];

• “[F5 working families’ tax credit]” has the same meaning as in the benefit Acts;

• “general qualification” shall be construed in accordance with section 71 of the M2 Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (qualification for judicial appointments);

• [F6 “income-based jobseeker’s allowance” has the same meaning as in the Jobseekers Act 1995;]

• “income support” has the same meaning as in the benefit Acts;

• “interim maintenance assessment” has the meaning given in section 12;

• “liability order” has the meaning given in section 33(2);

• “maintenance agreement” has the meaning given in section 9(1);

• “maintenance assessment” means an assessment of maintenance made under this Act and, except in prescribed circumstances, includes an interim maintenance assessment;

• “maintenance order” has the meaning given in section 8(11);

• “maintenance requirement” means the amount calculated in accordance with paragraph 1 of Schedule 1;

• “parent”, in relation to any child, means any person who is in law the mother or father of the child;

• [F3 “parent with care” means a person who is, in relation to a child, both a parent and a person with care.]

• [F7 “parental responsibility”, in the application of this Act—

  (a)

  to England and Wales, has the same meaning as in the Children Act 1989; and

  (b)

  to Scotland, shall be construed as a reference to “parental responsibilities” within the meaning given by section 1(3) of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995;]

• F8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• “person with care” has the meaning given in section 3(3);

• “prescribed” means prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State;

• “qualifying child” has the meaning given in section 3(1);

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 54 repealed (1.6.1999 for specified purposes, 29.11.1999 for specified purposes) by Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14), s. 87(2), Sch. 7 para. 47(b), Sch. 8; S.I. 1999/1510, art. 2(g)(iv); S.I. 1999/3178, art. 2, Sch. 1 (with arts. 2(2), 4)

F2 Words in s. 54 inserted (1.6.1999) by Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14), s. 87(2), Sch. 7 para. 47(a); S.I. 1999/1510, art. 2(g)(iv)

F3 Words in s. 54 inserted (4.9.1995) by Child Support Act 1995 (c. 34), s. 30(4), Sch. 3 para. 16; S.I. 1995/2302, art. 2, Sch. Pt. 1

F4 Words in s. 54 substituted (1.7.1992) by Social Security (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992 (c. 6), s. 4, Sch. 2 para. 114(a)(b)

F5 Words in s. 54 substituted (5.10.1999) by Tax Credits Act 1999 (c. 10), s. 20(2), Sch. 1 paras. 1(a), 6(f)(ii)

F6 Words in s. 54 inserted (7.10.1996) by Jobseekers Act 1995 (c. 18), s. 41(2), Sch. 2 para. 20(6); S.I. 1996/2208, art. 2(b)

F7 Words in s. 54 substituted (1.11.1996) by Children (Scotland) Act 1995 (c. 36), s. 105(1)(b), Sch. 4 para. 52(4)(a); S.I. 1996/2203, art. 3(3), Sch. (with arts. 4-7)

F8 Words in s. 54 repealed (1.11.1996) by Children (Scotland) Act 1995 (c. 36), s. 105(1)(b), Sch. 4 para. 52(4)(b), Sch. 5; S.I. 1996/2203, art. 3(3), Sch. (with arts. 4-7)

Marginal Citations

M1 1975 c. 61.

M2 1990 c. 41.