The Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015

Payments

Payments to joint claimants

105.  In section 5 of the Administration Act (regulations about claims and payments), after subsection (2A) insert—

“(2B) The power in subsection (1)(j) to make provision for the person to whom a benefit is to be paid includes, in the case of a benefit awarded to persons jointly, power to make provision for the Department to determine to which of them all or any part of a payment should be made, and in particular for the Department—

(a) to determine that payment should be made to whichever of those persons they themselves nominate, or

(b) to determine that payment should be made to one of them irrespective of any nomination by them.”

Payments on account

106.—(1) In section 5(1) of the Administration Act (regulations about claims and payments), for paragraph (s) substitute—

“(s) for the making of a payment on account of such a benefit—

(i) in cases where it is impracticable for a claim to be made or determined immediately, or for an award to be determined or paid in full immediately,

(ii) in cases of need, or

(iii) in cases where the Department considers in accordance with prescribed criteria that the payment can reasonably be expected to be recovered;”.

(2) Section 18 of the Welfare Reform Act (Northern Ireland) 2010 (payments on account), which has not been brought into operation, is repealed.