{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/children-act-1989/schedule-2/paragraph-21",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/children-act-1989/schedule-2/paragraph-21.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1989/41",
  "legislation_title": "Children Act 1989",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/children-act-1989",
  "path": "schedule/2/paragraph/21",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "21",
  "heading": null,
  "text": "(1) Where a local authority are looking after a child (other than in the cases mentioned in sub-paragraph (7)) they shall consider whether they should recover contributions towards the child’s maintenance from any person liable to contribute (“a contributor\").\n(2) An authority may only recover contributions from a contributor if they consider it reasonable to do so.\n(3) The persons liable to contribute are—\n(a) where the child is under sixteen, each of his parents;\n(b) where he has reached the age of sixteen, the child himself.\n(4) A parent is not liable to contribute during any period when he is in receipt of universal credit (except in such circumstances as may be prescribed), of income support underPart VII of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, of any element of child tax credit other than the family element, of working tax credit, of an income-based jobseeker's allowance or of an income-related employment and support allowance.\n(5) A person is not liable to contribute towards the maintenance of a child in the care of a local authority in respect of any period during which the child is living with, under arrangements made by the authority in accordance with section 22C, a parent of his.\n(6) A contributor is not obliged to make any contribution towards a child’s maintenance except as agreed or determined in accordance with this Part of this Schedule.\n(7) The cases are where the child is looked after by a local authority under—\n(a) section 21;\n(b) an interim care order;\n(c) section 92 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 or section 260 of the Sentencing Code.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in Sch. 2 para. 21(4) inserted (29.4.2013) by Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5), s. 150(3), Sch. 2 para. 1(d); S.I. 2013/983, art. 3(1)(b)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in Sch. 2 para. 21(4) substituted (6.4.2003) by 2002 c. 21, ss. 47, 61, Sch. 3 para. 20(a); S.I. 2003/962, art. 2(3)(d)(iii) (subject to transitional savings and provisions in arts. 3 and 4)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in Sch. 2 Pt. III para. 21(4) substituted (1.7.1992) by Social Security (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992 (c. 6), ss. 4, 7(2), Sch. 2 para. 108(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in Sch. 2 para. 21(4) inserted (6.4.2003) by 2002 c. 21, ss. 47, 61, Sch. 3 para. 20(b); S.I. 2003/962, art. 2(3)(d)(iii) (subject to transitional provisions and savings in arts. 3 and 4)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in Sch. 2 para. 21(4) added (7.10.1996) by 1995 c. 18, s. 41(4), Sch. 2 para. 19(5); S.I. 1996/2208, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in Sch. 2 para. 21(4) substituted (27.10.2008) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), ss. 28, 70, Sch. 3 para. 6(6); S.I. 2008/787, art. 2(4)(f)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in Sch. 2 para. 21(5) substituted (1.4.2011 for E., 6.4.2016 for W.) by Children and Young Persons Act 2008 (c. 23), s. 44(4), Sch. 1 para. 5; S.I. 2010/2981, art. 4(a); S.I. 2016/452, art. 2(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in Sch. 2 Pt. III para. 21(7)(c) substituted (25.8.2000) by 2000 c. 6, ss. 165(1), 168(1), Sch. 9 para. 130"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Words in Sch. 2 para. 21(7)(c) inserted (1.12.2020) by Sentencing Act 2020 (c. 17), s. 416(1), Sch. 24 para. 113 (with Sch. 27); S.I. 2020/1236, reg. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Sch. 2 para. 21: power to apply with modifications or exclude conferred (7.2.2004 for W. and 7.12.2004 for E.) by 2002 c. 38, ss. 53(2)(b), 148 (with Sch. 4 paras. 1, 6-8); S.I. 2004/252, art. 2(b); S.I. 2004/3203, art. 2(1)(h)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "Sch. 2 para. 21 excluded (30.12.2005) by: The Adoption Agencies Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/389), reg. 45(2)(d); The Adoption Agencies (Wales) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/1313), reg. 46(2)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "Sch. 2 para. 21 excluded (3.12.2012) by The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (Children Act 1989) (Children Remanded to Youth Detention Accommodation) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2813), regs. 1(1), 2(d), 5"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "Sch. 2 Pt. III para. 21 wholly in force at 14.10.1991 see s. 108(2)(3) and S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "words repealed",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2009/24",
      "affecting_title": "Welfare Reform Act 2009"
    },
    {
      "type": "words repealed",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2012/5",
      "affecting_title": "Welfare Reform Act 2012"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/41/schedule/2/paragraph/21",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-30T07:28:21.051680+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}