Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008 - Explanatory Notes

1. Introduction

2. Background to the Act

   1. Child Maintenance

   2. Mesothelioma

3. Summary of Measures in the Act

   1. Child Maintenance

      1. Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission

         1. Current position

         2. Proposed changes

      2. Removal of compulsion for benefit claimants

         1. Current position

         2. Changes

      3. Maintenance Calculations

         1. Current position

         2. Changes

      4. Collection and Enforcement

         1. Current position

         2. Changes

      5. Debt Management Powers

         1. Current position

         2. Proposed changes

      6. Transfer of cases to new rules

         1. Current Position

         2. Changes

      7. Other Provisions

   2. Mesothelioma

      1. Current position

      2. Proposed changes

4. Act Overview

5. Territorial Extent

6. Territorial Application: Wales

7. Commentary on Sections

   1. Part 1: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission

      1. Section 1: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission

      2. Section 2: Objectives of the Commission

      3. Section 3: Functions of the Commission: general

      4. Section 4: Promotion of child maintenance

      5. Section 5: Provision of information and guidance

      6. Section 6: Fees

      7. Section 7: Agency arrangements and provision of services

      8. Section 8: Contracting out

      9. Section 9: Annual report to the Secretary of State

      10. Section 10: Directions and guidance

      11. Section 11: Review of the status of the Commission

      12. Section 12: Supplementary provisions

   2. Part 2 – Transfer of child support functions to the Commission

      1. Section 13: Transfer of child support functions

      2. Section 14: Transfer of property, rights and liabilities

   3. Part 3 – Child Support

      1. Removal of compulsion for benefit claimants

         1. Section 15: Repeal of sections 6 and 46

      2. Maintenance calculations

         1. Section 16: Changes to the calculation of maintenance

         2. Section 17: Power to regulate supersession

         3. Section 18: Determination of applications for a variation

         4. Section 19: Transfer of cases to new rules

      3. Collection and enforcement

         1. Section 20: Use of deduction from earnings orders as basic method of payment

         2. Section 21: Deduction from earnings orders: the liable person’s earnings

         3. Section 22: Orders for regular deductions from accounts

         4. Section 23: Lump sum deduction orders

         5. Section 24: Orders preventing avoidance

         6. Section 25: Administrative liability orders

         7. Section 26: Enforcement in county courts

         8. Section 27: Disqualification for holding or obtaining a travel authorisation

         9. Section 28: Curfew orders

         10. Section 29: Commitment to prison

         11. Section 30: Disqualification for driving

      4. Debt management powers

         1. Section 31: Power to treat liability as satisfied

         2. Section 32: Power to accept part payment of arrears in full and final satisfaction

         3. Section 33: Power to write off arrears

         4. Section 34: Transfer of arrears

      5. Miscellaneous

         1. Section 35: Registered Maintenance Agreements: Scotland

         2. Section 36: Offence of failing to notify change  of address

         3. Section 37: Additional special case

         4. Section 38: Recovery of arrears from deceased’s estate

         5. Section 39: Disclosure of information relating to family proceedings

         6. Section 40: Disclosure of information to credit reference agencies

         7. Section 41: Pilot schemes

         8.  Section 42: Meaning of ‘child’

         9. Section 43: Extinction of liability in respect of interest and fees

         10. Section 44: Use of information

         11. Section 45: Liable relative provisions: exclusion of parental duty to maintain

   4. Part 4 – Lump Sum Payments: Mesothelioma

      1. Mesothelioma lump sum payments

         1. Section 46: Lump sum payments

         2. Section 47: Conditions of entitlement

         3. Section 48: Determination of claims

         4. Section 49: Reconsideration

         5. Section 50:  Appeal to appeal tribunal

         6. Section 51: Appeal to Social Security Commissioner

         7. Section 52: Minors and people who lack capacity

         8. Section 53: Regulations: Part 4

      2. Recovery of mesothelioma and other lump sum payments

         1. Section 54: Amendment of Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997

   5. Part 5 - General

      1. Section 55: Regulations and orders: general

      2. Section 56: General interpretation

      3. Section 57: Minor and consequential amendments

      4. Section 58: Repeals

      5. Section 59: Transition

      6. Section 60: Financial provisions

      7. Section 61: Extent

      8. Section 62: Commencement

      9. Section 63: Citation

      10. Schedule 1:  The Commission

      11. Schedule 2: Transfer of functions under subordinate legislation

      12. Schedule 3: Transfer of child support functions

      13. Schedule 4: Changes to the calculation of maintenance

      14. Schedule 5: Maintenance calculations: transfer of cases to new rules

      15. Schedule 6: Use of information

          1. Powers in relation to use of information

      16. Schedule 7: Minor and consequential amendments

      17. Schedule 8: Repeals

8. Commencement

   1. Hansard References