Bolton and Child Support Registrar (Child support)

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal considered the appeal of Ms. Bolton against a decision of the Child Support Registrar concerning the percentage of care for her child. The Registrar had revoked existing percentage of care determinations and made new ones, which Ms. Bolton sought to challenge.

The Tribunal was required to determine whether there had been a change to the likely pattern of care for the child, and if so, whether the Registrar’s decision to revoke the existing determinations and make new ones was correct. A further issue was whether there were any special circumstances that would warrant a different approach to the date of effect of any new percentage of care determinations.

The Tribunal found that there had been a change to the likely pattern of care. However, it concluded that no special circumstances existed that would justify departing from the standard provisions regarding the date of effect for new percentage of care determinations. Consequently, the Tribunal set aside the Registrar's decision and substituted its own, making new percentage of care determinations.