Part V Income Support And The Duty To Maintain

100 Failure to maintain - general.

1

If—

a

any person persistently refuses or neglects to maintain himself or any person whom he is liable to maintain; and

b

in consequence of his refusal or neglect F6universal credit, income support F4, an income-based jobseeker's allowance or an income-related employment and support allowance is paid to or in respect of him or such a person,

he shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to a fine of an amount not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale or to both.

2

For the purposes of subsection (1) above a person shall not be taken to refuse or neglect to maintain himself or any other person by reason only of anything done or omitted in furtherance of a trade dispute.

F23

Subject to subsection (4), for the purposes of this Part, a person shall be liable to maintain another person if that other person is—

a

his or her spouse or civil partner, or

b

a person whom he or she would be liable to maintain if section 74(6)(c) and (8) had effect for the purposes of this Part.

F14

For the purposes of this section, in its application to an income-based jobseeker’s allowance F5or an income-related employment and support allowance , F3subsection (3)(b) shall not apply .