Courts Act 2003

Part 4Making of collection orders

Application of Part

11(1)This Part applies if—

(a)the court imposing the liability to pay the sum due concludes that P should not be required to pay the sum due immediately, or

(b)P was required to pay the sum due immediately but failed to do so;

(and it applies whether or not the relevant court has made an attachment of earnings order or application for benefit deductions under Part 3 of this Schedule).

(2)In this Part “the relevant court” has the same meaning as in Part 3 of this Schedule.

Court’s power to make a collection order

12(1)The relevant court must make an order (“a collection order”) relating to the payment of the sum due, unless it appears to the court that it is impracticable or inappropriate to make the order.

(2)If P is subject to a collection order, the powers of any court to deal with P’s liability to pay the sum due are subject to the provisions of this Schedule and to fines collection regulations.

Contents of collection orders: general

13(1)The collection order must—

(a)state the amount of the sum due, the amount of the fine and the amount of any other part of the sum due,

(b)state the court’s conclusions as to whether P is an existing defaulter and if so whether the existing default (or defaults) can be disregarded,

(c)if the court has made an attachment of earnings order or an application for benefit deductions, state that fact,

(d)specify the fines office to which the order is allocated, and

(e)contain information about the effect of the order.

(2)In this Schedule “the fines officer”, in relation to P, means any fines officer working at the fines office specified in the collection order.

Contents of collection orders: no attachment of earnings order etc. made

14(1)If the relevant court has not under Part 3 made an attachment of earnings order or an application for benefit deductions, the collection order must state the payment terms.

(2)“The payment terms” means—

(a)a term requiring P to pay the sum due within a specified period, or

(b)terms requiring P to pay the sum due by instalments of specified amounts on or before specified dates.

Contents of collection orders: attachment of earnings order etc. made

15(1)If the court has under Part 3 of this Schedule made an attachment of earnings order or an application for benefit deductions, the collection order must state the reserve terms.

(2)“The reserve terms” means terms of a description mentioned in paragraph 14(2) but which (subject to paragraphs 31, 32, 35, 36 and 39) are to have effect if the attachment of earnings order or application for benefit deductions fails.

When an attachment of earnings order fails

16For the purposes of this Schedule, an attachment of earnings order fails if—

(a)P’s employer fails to comply with the order, or

(b)the order is discharged at a time when P remains liable to pay any part of the sum due.

When an application for benefit deductions fails

17For the purposes of this Schedule, an application for benefit deductions fails if—

(a)the application is withdrawn,

(b)the Secretary of State decides not to make deductions,

(c)an appeal against a decision of the Secretary of State to make deductions succeeds, or

(d)the Secretary of State ceases to make deductions at a time when P remains liable to pay any part of the sum due.