45.— F10[(1) (a) Subject to subsection (3), where it appears to the court, on application to it by a civil partner, that the other civil partner has failed to provide maintenance for the applicant civil partner and any dependent child of the civil partners that is proper in the circumstances, the court may make an order that the other civil partner make to the applicant periodical payments for the support of the applicant and the dependent child of the civil partners, for the period during the lifetime of the applicant, of the amount and at the times that the court may consider proper.

(b) Subject to subsection (3), where a civil partner—

(i) is dead,

(ii) has deserted, or has been deserted by, the other civil partner, or

(iii) is living separately and apart from the other civil partner,

and there is a dependent child of the civil partners (not being a child who is being fully maintained by either civil partner), then, if it appears to the court, on application to it by any person, that the surviving civil partner or, as the case may be, either civil partner has failed to provide such maintenance for the dependent child of the civil partners as is proper in the circumstances, the court may make an order that that civil partner make to that person periodical payments, for the support of the dependent child, for such period during the lifetime of that person, of such amount and at such times, as the court may consider proper.

(c) A maintenance order or a variation order shall specify each part of a payment under the order that is for the support of a dependent child of the civil partners and may specify the period during the lifetime of the person applying for the order for which so much of a payment under the order as is for the support of a dependent child of the civil partners shall be made.]

(2) The court shall not make a maintenance order for the support of an applicant where he or she has deserted and continues to desert the other civil partner unless, having regard to all the circumstances, including the conduct of the other civil partner, the court is of the opinion that it would be unjust in all the circumstances not to make a maintenance order.

F10[(3) The court, in deciding whether to make a maintenance order and, if it decides to do so, in determining the amount of any payment, shall have regard to all the circumstances of the case, including—

(a) the income, earning capacity, property and other financial resources of—

(i) the civil partners and any dependent child of the civil partners, and

(ii) any other dependent child of which either civil partner is a parent,

including income or benefits to which either civil partner or any such child is entitled by or under statute with the exception of a benefit or allowance or any increase in such benefit or allowance in respect of any dependent child granted to either parent of such child,

(b) the financial and other responsibilities of—

(i) the civil partners towards each other and towards any dependent child of the civil partners and the needs of any such child, including the need for care and attention,

(ii) each civil partner as a parent towards any other dependent child, and the needs of any such child, including the need for care and attention, and

(iii) each civil partner towards any former spouse or civil partner,

and

(c) in relation to a maintenance order or part of a maintenance order for the benefit of the civil partner, the conduct of each civil partner, if that conduct is such that, in the opinion of the court, it would in all the circumstances be unjust to disregard it.]