172.—(1) In this Chapter—

F1010[‘qualified parent’ means, subject to regulations under section 177—

(a) a widow,

(b) a widower,

(c) a separated spouse,

(d) an unmarried person, F1011[…]

(e) a person whose spouse F1012[or civil partner] has been committed in custody to a prison or place of detention for not less than F1013[6 months,]

F1014[(f) a surviving civil partner,

(g) a civil partner who is not living with the other civil partner of the civil partnership, or

(h) a person who is not a party to a F1013[civil partnership,]]

who is the parent, step-parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian of at least one F1015[relevant child], who normally resides with that person;]

F1016[‘relevant age’ means—

F1017[(a) 16 years where—

(i) the person in respect of whom the claim for one-parent family payment is being made is qualified for—

(I) a blind pension under Chapter 5 of Part 3, or

(II) a carer’s allowance under Chapter 8 of Part 3, including a payment under section 186A, or

(ii) a payment under Chapter 8A of Part 3 is being made in respect of a child,

and]

F1018[(b) in any other case—

(i) 12 years in respect of any claim for one-parent family payment relating to any day during the period beginning on 3 May 2012 and expiring on 3 July 2013,

(ii) 10 years in respect of any claim for one-parent family payment relating to any day during the period beginning on 4 July 2013 and expiring on 2 July 2014, and

(iii) 7 years in respect of any claim for one-parent family payment relating to any day occurring on or after 3 July 2014;]]

F1019[‘relevant child’ means a person who—

(a) is ordinarily resident in the State,

(b) is not detained in a children detention school, and

F1020[(c) has not attained the relevant age;]

‘relevant date’ means the date of death of—

(a) the spouse of the surviving spouse,

(b) the cohabitant of the surviving cohabitant, or

(c) the civil partner of the surviving civil partner;]

[2000 s17(2) & Sch E; 2005 (SW&P) s25 & Sch 3]

“weekly means” means, subject to Rule 1(1) and (4) of F1021[Part 5] of Schedule 3, the yearly means divided by 52.

[1996 s17(1); 2005 (SW&P) s25 & Sch 3]

(2) For the purposes of this Chapter—

(a) means shall be calculated in accordance with the Rules contained in F1021[Part 5] of Schedule 3,

F1022[(b) a widow who has remarried or entered into a civil partnership shall not be regarded as the widow of her former spouse and a widower who has remarried or entered into a civil partnership shall not be regarded as the widower of his former spouse,]

F1023[(ba) a surviving civil partner who has entered into a new civil partnership or who marries shall not be regarded as the surviving civil partner of his or her former civil partner, and]

[1996 s20(1)]

F1024[(c) a reference to a qualified parent shall include a reference to a person who would otherwise be a qualified parent but for the fact that—

(i) the person’s marriage has been dissolved, being a dissolution that is recognised as valid in the State, or

(ii) the person’s civil partnership has been dissolved, being a dissolution that is recognised as valid in the State.]