The Child Support(Northern Ireland) Order 1991

Interim maintenance assessments

14.—(1) Where it appears to a child support officer who is required to make a maintenance assessment that he does not have sufficient information to enable him to make an assessment in accordance with the provision made by or under this Order, he may make an interim maintenance assessment.

(2) The Department may by regulations make provision as to interim maintenance assessments.

(3) The regulations may, in particular, make provision as to—

(a) the procedure to be followed in making an interim maintenance assessment; and

(b) the basis on which the amount of child support maintenance fixed by an interim assessment is to be calculated.

(4) Before making any interim assessment a child support officer shall, if it is reasonably practicable to do so, give written notice of his intention to make such an assessment to—

(a) the absent parent concerned; and

(b) the person with care concerned.

(5) Where a child support officer serves notice under paragraph (4), he shall not make the proposed interim assessment before the end of such period as may be prescribed.