1991 & 1995 Acts - section names & links to full text of Acts

Table 1: Major Acts for the current scheme
Table 2: Arrangement of sections of the Child Support Act 1991
Table 3: Arrangement of sections of the Child Support Act 1995

Major Acts for the current scheme

Acts of Parliament	Comments
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990
Child Support Act 1991	The original Act which created the Child Support Agency of the UK. (Boo! Hiss!)
Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992	Only ss.2(1) and 112 are relevant.
Child Support Act 1995	Significant amendments to the CSA system.
Social Security Act 1998	Sections 40 to 44 significantly change decisions and appeals.
Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999	Section 80 enables the Inland Revenue to provide details of the earnings of self-employed NRPs.
Data Protection Act 1998
Tax Credits Act 1999
Tax Credits Act 2002

Arrangement of sections of the Child Support Act 1991

The basic principles
1. The duty to maintain.
2. Welfare of children: the general principle.
3. Meaning of certain terms used in this Act.
4. Child support maintenance.
5. Child support maintenance: supplemental provisions.
6. Applications by those receiving benefit.
7. Right of child in Scotland to apply for assessment.
8. Role of the courts with respect to maintenance for children.
9. Agreements about maintenance.
10. Relationship between maintenance assessments and certain court orders and related matters.
Maintenance assessments
11. Maintenance assessments.
12. Interim maintenance assessments.
Child support officers
13. Child support officers.
Information
14. Information required by Secretary of State.
15. Powers of inspectors.
Reviews and appeals
16. Periodical reviews.
17. Reviews on change of circumstances.
18. Reviews of decisions of child support officers.
19. Reviews at instigation of child support officers.
20. Appeals.
21. Child support appeal tribunals.
22. Child Support Commissioners.
23. Child Support Commissioners for Northern Ireland.
24. Appeal to Child Support Commissioner.
25. Appeal from Child Support Commissioner on question of law.
26. Disputes about parentage.
27. Reference to court for declaration of parentage.
28. Power of Secretary of State to initiate or defend actions of declarator: Scotland.
Collection and enforcement
29. Collection of child support maintenance.
30. Collection and enforcement of other forms of maintenance.
31. Deduction from earnings orders.
32. Regulations about deduction from earnings orders.
33. Liability orders.
34. Regulations about liability orders.
35. Enforcement of liability orders by distress.
36. Enforcement in county courts.
37. Regulations about liability orders: Scotland.
38. Enforcement of liability orders by diligence: Scotland.
39. Liability orders: enforcement throughout United Kingdom.
40. Commitment to prison.
41. Arrears of child support maintenance.
Special cases
42. Special cases.
43. Contribution to maintenance by deduction from benefit.
Jurisdiction
44. Jurisdiction.
45. Jurisdiction of courts in certain proceedings under this Act.
Miscellaneous and supplemental
46. Failure to comply with the obligations imposed by section 6.
47. Fees.
48. Right of audience.
49. Right of audience: Scotland.
50. Unauthorised disclosure of information.
51. Supplementary powers to make regulations.
52. Regulations and orders.
53. Financial provisions.
54. Interpretation.
55. Meaning of "child" .
56. Corresponding provision for and co-ordination with Northern Ireland.
57. Application to Crown.
58. Short title, commencement and extent, etc.
Schedule 1 Maintenance Assessments.
Part I Calculation of Child Support Maintenance.
Part II General Provisions About Maintenance Assessments.
Schedule 2 Provision of Information to Secretary of State.
Schedule 3 Child Support Appeal Tribunals.
Schedule 4 Child Support Commissioners.
Schedule 5 Consequential Amendments.

Arrangement of sections of the Child Support Act 1995

Application for a departure direction
1. Applications for departure directions.
2. Preliminary consideration.
3. Imposition of a regular payments condition.
4. Determination of applications.
5. Matters to be taken into account.
6. Departure directions.
7. Effect and duration.
8. Appeals.
9. Transitional provisions.
The child maintenance bonus
10. The child maintenance bonus.
Reviews of maintenance assessments etc.
11. Reviews: interim maintenance assessments.
12. Reviews on change of circumstances.
13. Continuation of reviews under section 18 of 1991 Act.
14. Cancellation of maintenance assessments on review.
15. Reviews at instigation of child support officers.
Appeals
16. Lapse of appeals to child support appeal tribunals.
17. Determination of questions other than by Child Support Commissioners.
Miscellaneous
18. Deferral of right to apply for maintenance assessment.
19. Non-referral of applications for maintenance assessments.
20. Disputed parentage.
21. Fees for scientific tests.
22. Arrears of child support maintenance: alternative to interest payments.
23. Repayment of overpaid child support maintenance.
24. Compensation payments.
25. Payment of benefit where maintenance payments collected by Secretary of State.
Supplemental
26. Regulations and orders.
27. Interpretation.
28. Financial provisions.
29. Provision for Northern Ireland.
30. Short title, commencement, extent etc.
Schedule 1 Departure Directions.
Schedule 2 Departure Directions: The Cases and Controls.
Part I The Cases.
Part II Regulatory Controls.
Schedule 3 Minor and Consequential Amendments.

Page last updated: 5 July, 2004