- Latest available (Revised)
- Original (As made)
The Child Support (Northern Ireland) Order 1991
You are here:
What Version
Advanced Features
- Show Geographical Extent(e.g. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland)
- Show Timeline of Changes
More Resources
Changes to legislation:
There are outstanding changes not yet made by the legislation.gov.uk editorial team to The Child Support (Northern Ireland) Order 1991. Any changes that have already been made by the team appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Order associated Parts and Chapters:
- Order applied by S.R. 2014/191 reg. 7(1)
- Order applied in part (with modifications) by S.R. 2010/312 reg. 16 Sch. 2
- Order power to apply (with modifications) conferred by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 3(4)
- Order transfer of functions by S.I. 2010/976 Sch. 17 para. 42
- Order words substituted by 2009 c. 1 (N.I.) Sch. 6 para. 1(1)(a)
- Order words substituted by 2009 c. 1 (N.I.) Sch. 6 para. 1(1)(b)
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Order (including any effects on those provisions):
- Sch. 1 para. 9(1) Sch. 1 para. 9 renumbered as Sch. 1 para. 9(1) by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 1 para. 8(1)
- Sch. 1 para. 9(2) added by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 1 para. 8(4)
- Sch. 1 para. 5A and cross-heading inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 1 para. 5(2)
- Sch. 1 para. 9(1)(ba) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 1 para. 8(3)
- Sch. 1 para. 9(1)(za) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 1 para. 8(2)
- Sch. 1 para. 5A(2) modified by S.R. 2012/428 reg. 3
- Sch. 1 para. 5A(2) modified by S.R. 2013/190 reg. 2
- Sch. 1 Pt. 1 words substituted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 1 para. 2
- Sch. 1 Pt. 1 para. 10C(5A) omitted by S.I. 2019/1514 reg. 64(5)(b)
- Sch. 1 Pt. 1 para. 10C(5) substituted for Sch. 1 Pt. 1 para. 10C(5)(6) by S.I. 2019/1514 reg. 64(4)
- Sch. 1 Pt. 1 para. 6(5)(b)(i)(ii) substituted for Sch. 1 Pt. 1 para. 6(5)(b)(i)-(iii) by S.I. 2019/1514 reg. 64(5)(a)
- Sch. 1 Pt. 1 para. 5(4) words inserted by 2007 c. 2 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 2(8)
- art. 2(3) added by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(3)
- art. 4(4)(ba) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 16
- art. 7(2A) inserted by S.I. 2015/2006 (N.I.) art. 127(2)(b)
- art. 7(3A)-(3C) inserted by 2023 c. 24 s. 4(2)(a)
- art. 7(4)(d) and word inserted by 2023 c. 24 s. 4(2)(b)(ii)
- art. 11(2A) inserted by S.I. 2015/2006 (N.I.) art. 126(1)
- art. 11(6)(a)(b) and word repealed by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 5
- art. 11A inserted by S.I. 2015/2006 (N.I.) art. 128
- art. 16A(3A) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 27(1)
- art. 16A(3A) substituted by 2010 c. 13 (N.I.) s. 32(2)
- art. 16A(6) added by 2010 c. 13 (N.I.) s. 32(3)
- art. 19(1)(c) repealed by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 5
- art. 22(1)(ba) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(5)
- art. 22(2)(aa) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(6)
- art. 22(2A)-(2C) inserted by S.I. 2015/2006 (N.I.) Sch. 11 para. 2
- art. 22(3A)-(3C) inserted by S.I. 2015/2006 (N.I.) Sch. 11 para. 3
- art. 22(5A) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(7)
- art. 22(7A) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(8)
- art. 27(2)(b) words substituted by S.I. 2019/1514 reg. 64(2)
- art. 27(2)(b) words substituted by S.I. 2019/1514 reg. 64(2)
- art. 28D(2A) (2B) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 10(2)
- art. 28F(4)(a) words repealed by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 5
- art. 29(3)(c) (ca) substituted for art. 29(3)(c) by 2010 c. 13 (N.I.) s. 31(2)
- art. 29(3A) inserted by 2010 c. 13 (N.I.) s. 31(3)
- art. 29(4)-(7) added by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 12
- art. 29(4)-(7) excluded by S.R. 2016/390 reg. 6(1)
- art. 31(8) (9) substituted for art. 31(8) by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 13
- art. 32A-32D inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 14
- art. 32E-32K inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 15
- art. 32G(1) restricted by SR 1992/390 reg. 25N (as inserted) by S.R. 2009/286 reg. 2
- art. 32H(2)(b) restricted by SR 1992/390 reg. 25N (as inserted) by S.R. 2009/286 reg. 2
- art. 32L inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 16
- art. 32L(5) words inserted by S.I. 2019/1514 reg. 64(3)
- art. 32M 32N inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 17
- art. 36B-36F inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 18
- art. 36G-36O inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 19
- art. 37(2A)-(2C) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 20(1)
- art. 37(10)-(10C) substituted for art. 37(10) by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 20(2)
- art. 37(12) added by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(14)
- art. 37A(A1)-(A4) (1) substituted for art. 37A(1) by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 21(1)
- art. 37A(10)-(10C) substituted for art. 37A(10) by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 21(2)
- art. 37A(12) added by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(17)
- art. 38A(5)(c) (d) repealed by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(29)(a)
- art. 38C inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 22
- art. 38D inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 23
- art. 38E inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 24
- art. 39(2)(g) added by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 28
- art. 40A inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 29
- art. 41(4)(5) inserted by S.I. 2011/1484 Sch. 7 para. 22
- art. 41(4) omitted by S.I. 2019/519 Sch. para. 20(a)
- art. 41(5) omitted by S.I. 2019/519 Sch. para. 20(b)
- art. 45A inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 25
- art. 45B 45C inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 30
- art. 45D inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 31
- art. 46(1A)-(1C) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(19)
- art. 47A inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) s. 32
- art. 47A(6) inserted by S.I. 2015/2006 (N.I.) Sch. 11 para. 4
- art. 48(2B) inserted by 2008 c. 10 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 1(22)
[F1F2F3Departure directionsN.I.
28F.—(1) The Department may give a departure direction if—
(a)the Department is satisfied that the case is one which falls within one or more of the cases set out in Part I of Schedule 4B or in regulations made under that Part; and
(b)it is the Department's opinion that, in all the circumstances of the case, it would be just and equitable to give a departure direction.
(2) In considering whether it would be just and equitable in any case to give a departure direction, the Department shall have regard, in particular, to—
(a)the financial circumstances of the absent parent concerned,
(b)the financial circumstances of the person with care concerned, and
(c)the welfare of any child likely to be affected by the direction.
(3) The Department may by regulations make provision—
(a)for factors which are to be taken into account in determining whether it would be just and equitable to give a departure direction in any case;
(b)for factors which are not to be taken into account in determining such a question.
(4) The Department shall not give a departure direction if it is satisfied that the difference between the current amount and the revised amount is less than an amount to be calculated in accordance with regulations made by the Department for the purposes of this paragraph and Article 28B(2).
(5) In paragraph (4)—
“the current amount” means the amount of the child support maintenance fixed by the current assessment, and
“the revised amount” means the amount of child support maintenance which would be fixed if a fresh maintenance assessment were to be made as a result of the departure direction which the Department would give in response to the application but for paragraph (4).
(6) A departure direction shall—
(a)require[F4 the making of] one or more fresh maintenance assessments; and
(b)specify the basis on which the amount of child support maintenance is to be fixed by any assessment made in consequence of the direction.
(7) In giving a departure direction, the Department shall comply with the provisions of regulations made under Part II of Schedule 4B.
(8) Before the end of such period as may be prescribed, the Department shall notify the applicant for a departure direction, and such other persons as may be prescribed—
(a)of its decision in relation to the application, and
(b)of the reasons for its decision.]
F2prosp. in pt. subst. 2000 c. 4 (NI)
F3see SR 2001/24 which am. and rep. for the purpose only of making regulations
Options/Help
Print Options
PrintThe Whole Order
PrintThe Whole Part
PrintThe Whole Cross Heading
PrintThis Section only
Legislation is available in different versions:
Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.
Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.
See additional information alongside the content
Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.
Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.
Opening Options
Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once
More Resources
Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
- the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
- lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
- confers power and blanket amendment details
- all formats of all associated documents
- correction slips
- links to related legislation and further information resources
Timeline of Changes
This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.
All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. This site additionally contains content derived from EUR-Lex, reused under the terms of the Commission Decision 2011/833/EU on the reuse of documents from the EU institutions. For more information see the EUR-Lex public statement on re-use.