Part IIIBenefits

Amendments etc. of Contributions and Benefits Act

72Power to reduce child benefit for lone parents

(1)

Regulations may revoke any provision of regulations which prescribes a higher rate of child benefit in the case of a lone parent, notwithstanding anything in section 145(4) of the Contributions and Benefits Act (which precludes regulations from prescribing a rate lower than the rate it replaces).

(2)

In this section “lone parent” means a parent who—

(a)

has no spouse F1or civil partner or is not living with his spouse F1or civil partner; and

(b)

is not living with any other person as his spouse F1or civil partner.

F2(3)

For the purpose of this section, a parent is to be regarded as living with another person as his civil partner if, but only if, he would be regarded as living with the other person as his spouse, were they instead two people of the opposite sex.