Introduction
These explanatory notes relate to the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act which received Royal Assent on 28th July 2000. They have been prepared by the Department of Social Security in order to assist the reader in understanding the Act. They do not form part of the Act and have not been endorsed by Parliament.
The notes need to be read in conjunction with the Act. They are not, and are not meant to be, a comprehensive description of the Act. So where a section or part of a section does not seem to require any explanation or comment, none is given.
Structure of the notes
The notes start with a brief overview of the Act as a whole, outlining the different measures and setting them in context. The notes are then divided into five parts that provide the background to the changes and detailed commentary on the sections for each of the areas covered by the Act.
Terminology
At the end of the notes there is a glossary of some of the terms that are referred to in the notes. These are marked in the text with an asterisk. Social security benefits are referred to by their common names and abbreviations (for example, “Jobseeker’s Allowance” or “JSA”, rather than by the terms that appear in the legislation (for example, “a jobseeker’s allowance”).
Financial effects
Unless otherwise indicated, figures are expressed in 1999/2000 price terms.
