PART 3 U.K. Powers for dealing with domestic abuse

Notices and orders: supplementary U.K.

56 Interpretation of Part 3 U.K.

(1) In this Part—

• “chief officer of police” means—

  (a)

  in relation to a police force maintained by a local policing body, the chief officer of police of that force;

  (b)

  in relation to the British Transport Police Force, the Chief Constable of the Force;

  (c)

  in relation to the Ministry of Defence Police, the Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defence Police;

• “domestic abuse protection notice” has the meaning given by section 22(2);

• “domestic abuse protection order” has the meaning given by section 27(1);

• “electronic monitoring requirement” has the meaning given by section 35(6);

• “family proceedings” means—

  (a)

  proceedings in the family court (other than proceedings under or by virtue of this Part), and

  (b)

  family proceedings within the meaning of Part 5 of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984;

• “home address”, in relation to a person, means—

  (a)

  the address of the person's sole or main residence in the United Kingdom, or

  (b)

  if the person has no such residence—

  (i)

  the address or location of a place in the United Kingdom where the person can regularly be found;

  (ii)

  if there is more than one such place, the address or location of whichever one of those places the person selects;

• “relevant police force” has the meaning given by section 22(8);

• “requirement”, in relation to a domestic abuse protection order, is to be read in accordance with section 35(1);

• “senior police officer” has the meaning given by section 22(8).

(2) Any reference to a member of a police force includes, in the case of a police force maintained by a local policing body, a reference to a special constable appointed by the chief officer of police of that force.

(3) Any reference to changing home address includes a reference to a case where—

(a) a person acquires a home address at any time, and

(b) immediately before that time, the person did not have a home address.

(4) See also—

(a) section 1 (definition of “domestic abuse”);

(b) section 2 (definition of “personally connected”).

Commencement Information

I1 S. 56 in force at 27.11.2024 until the end of the specified period on 31.3.2026 for E.W. in relation to specified areas by S.I. 2024/1191, regs. 1(2)(g), 2, 3(1) (with reg. 4) (as amended (21.11.2025) by S.I. 2025/1222, regs. 1(2), 2)

S. 56 in force at 27.11.2024 until the end of the specified period on 31.3.2026 in relation to E.W. by S.I. 2024/1191, regs. 1(2)(g), 2, 3(2)(m) (with reg. 4) (as amended (21.11.2025) by S.I. 2025/1222, regs. 1(2), 2)

I2 S. 56 in force at 5.3.2025 until the end of the specified period on 26.11.2025 for E.W. in relation to the specified area by S.I. 2025/261, regs. 1(2)(f), 2, 3 (with reg. 4)

I3 S. 56 in force at 11.3.2025 until the end of the specified period on 31.3.2026 in relation to the specified areas by S.I. 2025/319, regs. 1(2)(f), 2, 3 (with reg. 4) (as amended (21.11.2025) by S.I. 2025/1222, regs. 1(2), 3)

I4 S. 56 in force at 28.4.2025 until the end of the specified period on 31.3.2026 in relation to the specified areas by S.I. 2025/515, regs. 1(3)(e)(f), 2 (with reg. 3) (as amended (21.11.2025) by S.I. 2025/1222, regs. 1(2), 4)