Except where universal credit is awarded to the beneficiary, the Secretary of State may deduct the sum of F1£1.20 per week from any employment and support allowance or jobseeker's allowance which the beneficiary has been awarded and, subject to sub-paragraph (2), pay the amount deducted to or among the person or persons with care in discharge (in whole or in part) of the beneficiary's liability to pay arrears of maintenance F2, and retain any amount deducted in discharge of any liability to pay a fee.

Deductions made under sub-paragraph (1) may be retained by the Secretary of State in the circumstances set out in regulation 8 of the Child Support (Arrears, Interest and Adjustment of Maintenance Assessments) Regulations 1992 M1.

In sub-paragraph (1) “maintenance” means child support maintenance as defined by section 3(6) of the 1991 Act whether before or after the amendment of the definition of such maintenance by section 1(2)(a) of the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000, and includes maintenance payable at a transitional rate in accordance with regulations made under section 29(3)(a) of that Act.