The Social Security (Coronavirus) (Further Measures) Amendment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2020 No. 61

Social Security

The Social Security (Coronavirus) (Further Measures) Amendment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Made

at 1.45 p.m. on 3rd April 2020

Laid before Parliament

at 3.00 p.m. on 3rd April 2020

Coming into force

6th April 2020

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by Articles 5, 14(2), 16, 38(1) and 48(1) and (2) of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015(1).

Those powers are exercisable by the Secretary of State by virtue of Article 4(1)(a) of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015(2).

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security (Coronavirus) (Further Measures) Amendment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 and shall come into operation on 6th April 2020.

Universal credit – standard allowance and local housing allowance modifications

2.—(1) In regulation 3(2) of the Social Security (Coronavirus) (Further Measures) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020(3) (universal credit – standard allowance modification), for “from the day specified in Article 1(1)(o) of the 2020 Up-rating Order” substitute “in the first assessment period that ends on or after 6th April 2020”.

(2) In relation to any determination of local housing allowance made on 31st March 2020 in accordance with paragraph (1) of regulation 4 of the Universal Credit Housing Costs (Executive Determinations) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016(4) (local housing allowance determinations), that regulation has effect as if—

(a) for paragraph (3) of that regulation there were substituted—

“(3) Any local housing allowance determination made in accordance with paragraph (1) on 31st March 2020 is to take effect—

(a) in the case of a person who is entitled to universal credit on 6th April 2020, in the first assessment period that ends on or after 6th April 2020; and

(b) in any other case, on 6th April 2020.”; and

(b) in paragraph (4) of that regulation, the definitions of “a person with an existing universal credit entitlement” and “tax year” were omitted.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Will Quince

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

Department for Work and Pensions

At 1.45 p.m. on 3rd April 2020

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These regulations amend regulation 3 (universal credit – standard allowance modification) of the Social Security (Coronavirus) (Further Measures) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (S.R. 2020 No. 53). By virtue of the amendment the modified rates specified in that regulation are to take effect in relation to each award of universal credit in the first assessment period that ends on or after 6th April 2020.

These Regulations also modify the effect of the amendments made by regulation 4 (local housing allowance) of the Social Security (Coronavirus) (Further Measures) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020, so that determinations of local housing allowance made on 31st March 2020 under regulation 4 of the Universal Credit Housing Costs (Executive Determinations) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 (S.R. 2016 No. 222) take effect in the first assessment period that ends on or after 6th April 2020.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant impact on the private, public or voluntary sectors is foreseen.

(1)

S.I. 2015/2006 (N.I. 1); Article 5 is cited for the meaning of “prescribed”.

(2)

Article 4 was amended by Article 4 of the Welfare Reform and Work (Northern Ireland) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/999 (N.I. 1).

(3)

S.R. 2020 No. 53.

(4)

S.R. 2016 No. 222.