Child Care Act 1980

46 Amount of contributions

(1) Where a person is liable under section 45 of this Act to make a contribution in respect of a child in the care of a local authority then, subject to the provisions of this section, the amount of his contribution shall be such as may be proposed by the local authority and agreed by that person or, in default of agreement, as may be determined by a court under section 47 or 48 of this Act in proceedings for, or for the variation of, a contribution order.

(2) The maximum contribution which may be proposed by a local authority in respect of a child in their care shall be a weekly amount equal to the weekly amount which, in the opinion of the local authority, they would normally be prepared to pay if a child of the same age were boarded out by them (whether or not the child in respect of whom the contribution is proposed is in fact so boarded out and, if he is, whether or not the local authority are in fact paying that amount).