The Child Support (Maintenance Assessments and Special Cases) and Social Security (Claims and Payments) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
These Regulations amend the Child Support (Maintenance Assessments and Special Cases) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992 (“the 1992 Regulations”) to provide for an increase in the minimum amount of child support maintenance payable, and accordingly, by virtue of regulation 28 of those Regulations, of the amount payable by an absent parent in receipt of income support or other prescribed benefit. The amount is increased to 2 times 5 per cent. of the income support personal allowance for a single claimant aged not less than 25 years. Consequential amendments are made to paragraph 7A of Schedule 8A to the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987, which deals with deductions from benefit and direct payment to third parties. In particular, provision is made that, in certain circumstances, the amount to be deducted is one half of the amount otherwise deductible.