Commencement, citation and interpretation

1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Child Support (Miscellaneous and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2009 and shall come into force on 6th April 2009.

(2) In these Regulations—

“the Departure Direction Regulations” means the Child Support Departure Direction and Consequential Amendments Regulations 1996( 2 );

“the Maintenance Assessments and Special Cases Regulations” means the Child Support (Maintenance Assessments and Special Cases) Regulations 1992( 3 ); and

“the Variations Regulations” means the Child Support (Variations) Regulations 2000( 4 ).

Amendments to the Departure Direction Regulations

2. —(1) The Departure Direction Regulations are amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 1(2) (citation, commencement and interpretation), after the definition of “Arrears Regulations” insert—

“ “the Commission” means the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission; ” .

(3) For regulation 24 of the Departure Direction Regulations (diversion of income), substitute—

“ 24. —(1) A case shall constitute a case for the purposes of paragraph 5(1) of Schedule 4B to the Act where—

(a) the non-applicant (“A”) has the ability to control the amount of income that—

(i) A receives, or

(ii) is taken into account as A’s assessable income,

including earnings from employment or self-employment and dividends from shares, whether or not the whole of that income is derived from the company or business from which those earnings are derived; and

(b) the Commission is satisfied that A has unreasonably reduced the amount of A’s income which would otherwise fall to be taken into account under regulation 7 or 8 of the Maintenance Assessments and Special Cases Regulations by diverting it to other persons or for purposes other than the provision of such income for A.

(2) In this regulation “assessable income” means the amount calculated in accordance with paragraph 5(1) to (3) of Schedule 1 to the Act and regulations made for the purposes of that paragraph. ” .

Amendment of the Maintenance Assessments and Special Cases Regulations

3. —(1) The Maintenance Assessments and Special Cases Regulations are amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 1(2) (citation, commencement and interpretation)—

(a) after the definition of “patient” insert—

“ “pensionable age” has the meaning given by the rules in paragraph 1 of Schedule 4 to the Pensions Act 1995 ( 5 ) ; ” ;

(b) after the definition of “profit-related pay” insert—

“ “qualifying age for state pension credit” means—

(3) In regulation 9(1)(d) (exempt income: calculation or estimation of E), for “aged less than 60” substitute “who had not attained the qualifying age for state pension credit”.

(4) In regulation 18(2)(a)(iii) (excessive housing costs), for “were aged less than 60” substitute “had not attained the qualifying age for state pension credit”.

(5) In Schedule 2, after paragraph 15 insert—

“ 15A. A payment made by the Secretary of State under section 2 of the Employment and Training Act 1973 ( 6 ) by way of In-Work Credit, Better Off In-Work Credit or Return to Work Credit. ” .

Amendments to the Variations Regulations

4. —(1) The Variations Regulations are amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 1(2) (citation, commencement and interpretation), after the definition of “capped amount” insert—

“ “the Commission” means the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission; ” .

(3) In regulation 19 of the Variations Regulations (income not taken into account and diversion of income), for paragraph (4) substitute—

“ (4) A case shall constitute a case for the purposes of paragraph 4(1) of Schedule 4B to the Act where—

(a) the non-resident parent (“P”) has the ability to control the amount of income that—

(i) P receives, or

(ii) is taken into account as P’s net weekly income,

including earnings from employment or self-employment, whether or not the whole of that income is derived from the company or business from which those earnings are derived; and

(b) the Commission is satisfied that P has unreasonably reduced the amount of P’s income which would otherwise fall to be taken into account under the Maintenance Calculations and Special Cases Regulations or paragraph (1A) by diverting it to other persons or for purposes other than the provision of such income for P.

(4A) In paragraph (4), “net weekly income” has the same meaning as in the Maintenance Calculations and Special Cases Regulations. ” .