- Latest available (Revised)
- Original (As enacted)
Attachment of Earnings Act 1971
You are here:
- UK Public General Acts
- 1971 c. 32
- Introduction
What Version
Advanced Features
- Show Geographical Extent(e.g. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland)
- Show Timeline of Changes
Opening Options
More Resources
Changes over time for: Introductory Text
Alternative versions:
- 01/02/1991- Amendment
- Stop date 02/02/1991- Amendment
- 01/04/1992- Amendment
- 31/12/2020- Amendment
Changes to legislation:
Attachment of Earnings Act 1971, Introductory Text is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 27 April 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made 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 Act associated Parts and Chapters:
- Act applied (with modifications) by S.I. 2018/1125 reg. 8 (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. S.I. 2018/1125, reg. 8 omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of Private International Law (Implementation of Agreements) Act 2020 (c. 24), s. 4(3), Sch. 5 para. 4(4))
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 6(1A)(1B) inserted by 2007 c. 15 Sch. 15 para. 2(2) (This affecting provision is amended (22.4.2014) by 2013 c. 22, Sch. 9 para. 52; S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3))
- s. 6A inserted by 2007 c. 15 Sch. 15 para. 3
- s. 9(1A) inserted by 2007 c. 15 Sch. 15 para. 4
- s. 9A inserted by 2007 c. 15 Sch. 15 para. 5 (This affecting provision is amended (22.4.2014) by 2013 c. 22, Sch. 9 para. 52; S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3))
- s. 14(1A) inserted by 2007 c. 15 Sch. 15 para. 10 (This affecting provision is amended (22.4.2014) by 2013 c. 22, Sch. 9 para. 52; S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3))
- s. 14(2A) inserted by 2007 c. 15 Sch. 15 para. 12
- s. 14(4A)(4B) inserted by 2007 c. 15 Sch. 15 para. 14
- s. 15A-15D inserted by 2007 c. 15 s. 92 (This affecting provision is amended (22.4.2014) by 2013 c. 22, Sch. 9 para. 52; S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3))
- s. 17(4) inserted by 2007 c. 15 Sch. 15 para. 18 (This affecting provision is amended (22.4.2014) by 2013 c. 22, Sch. 9 para. 52; S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3))
- s. 23(1ZA) inserted by 2007 c. 15 Sch. 15 para. 21 (This affecting provision is amended (22.4.2014) by 2013 c. 22, Sch. 9 para. 52; S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3))
- s. 25(2)(c) words inserted by 2007 c. 15 Sch. 15 para. 22
- s. 25(2)(f) words inserted by 2007 c. 15 Sch. 15 para. 22
- Sch. 3A inserted by 2007 c. 15 Sch. 15 para. 7 (This affecting provision is amended (22.4.2014) by 2013 c. 22, Sch. 9 para. 52; S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3))
Attachment of Earnings Act 1971
1971 CHAPTER 32
An Act to consolidate the enactments relating to the attachment of earnings as a means of enforcing the discharge of monetary obligations.
[12th May 1971]
Extent Information
E1Act except s. 20(2) does not extend to Scotland or Northern Ireland see s. 29(3)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1Act saved (1.4.1992) by Maintenance Enforcement Act 1991 (c. 17, SIF 49:3), s. 1(9)(a); S.I. 1992/455, art.2
C2Power to apply conferred (E.W.) by Local Government Finance Act 1988 (c. 41, SIF 81:1), ss. 22, 142, Sch. 4 para. 28.
C3Act applied (1.4.1992) by Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 (c. 43, SIF 82), s. 59(3)(d) (as substituted (1.4.1992) by Maintenance Enforcement Act 1991 (c. 17, SIF 49:3), s.2; S.I. 1992/455, art.2)
C4Act: power to continue conferred (1.7.1992) by Social Security (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992 (c. 6), ss. 5, 7(2), Sch. 3 Pt. II para. 15
C5Act: power to apply conferred (6.3.1992) by Local Government Finance Act 1992 (c. 14), s. 14(3), Sch. 4 para. 19(2)
C6By Criminal Justice Act 1991 (c. 53, SIF 39:1), s. 101(1), Sch. 12 para. 23; S.I. 1991/2208, art. 2(1), Sch.1 it is provided (14.10.1991) that in relation to any time before the commencement of s.70 of that 1991 Act (which came into force on 1.10.1992 by S.I. 1992/333, art. 2(2), Sch. 2) references in any enactment amended by that 1991 Act, to youth courts shall be construed as references to juvenile courts.
C7Act applied (with modifications) (temp. from 23.2.2004 for specified purposes, 29.3.2004 for further specified purposes and 5.4.2004 for remaining purposes until 31.3.2006) by The Fines Collection Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/176), regs. 1-4 (as amended (30.3.2005 for specified purposes and 1.4.2005 for remaining purposes) by S.I. 2005/484, regs. 1-5)
C8Act modified (temp. from 27.3.2006 to 2.7.2006) by The Collection of Fines (Pilot Scheme) and Discharge of Fines by Unpaid Work (Pilot Schemes) (Amendment) Order 2006 (S.I. 2005/502), arts. 1(1)(b)(2), 6 (with art. 3)
C9Act applied (with modifications) (31.12.2020) by The International Recovery of Maintenance (Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance 2007) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1125), regs. 1, 8; 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
Commencement Information
I1Act not in force at Royal Assent see s. 29(4); Act wholly in force 2.8.1971.
Options/Help
Print Options
PrintThe Whole Act
PrintThis Introductory Text 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.
More Resources
Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. 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
- correction slips
Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:
- lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
- confers power and blanket amendment details
- all formats of all associated documents
- links to related legislation and further information resources
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.