The Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1998

Decisions by the Department N.I.

F1 F2 F3 9.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Chapter, it shall be for the Department—

(a) to decide any claim for a relevant benefit;

(b) [F4 to decide any claim for a social fund payment mentioned in section 134(1)(b) of the Contributions and Benefits Act;[F5 and]]

(c) subject to paragraph (5), to make any decision that falls to be made under any relevant statutory provision;F5 . . .

Sub‐para. (d) rep. by SI 1999/671

(2) Where at any time a claim for a relevant benefit is decided by the Department—

(a) the claim shall not be regarded as subsisting after that time; and

(b) accordingly, the claimant shall not (without making a further claim) be entitled to the benefit on the basis of circumstances not obtaining at that time.

(3) F6 In this Chapter “relevant benefit”,. . . , means any of the following, namely—

(a) benefit under Parts II to V of the Contributions and Benefits Act;

[F7 (aa) universal credit;]

[F8 (ab) state pension or a lump sum under Part 1 of the Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2015;]

[F9 (ac) bereavement support payment under section 29 of the Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2015;]

(b) a jobseeker's allowance;

[F10 (ba) an employment and support allowance;]

[F11 (baa) personal independence payment;]

[F12 (bb) state pension credit;]

[F13 (bc) a loan under Article 13 of the Welfare Reform and Work (Northern Ireland) Order 2016;]

(c) income support;

Sub‐paras. (d) and (e) rep. by 2002 c. 21

(f) a social fund payment mentioned in section 134(1)(a) or (2) of the Contributions and Benefits Act;

(g) child benefit;

(h) such other benefit as may be prescribed.

(4) In this Article “relevant statutory provision” means any statutory provision contained in this Chapter, the Contributions and Benefits Act, the Administration Act, the [1992 c. 9.] Social Security (Consequential Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 [F14 , the Jobseekers Order [F15 , the State Pension Credit Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 [F16 , Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act (Northern Ireland) 2007 or Part 2 of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015] [F17 or Part 5 of that Order] .]], [F18 or Part 1 of the Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2015] [F19 , section 29 of that Act or Articles 13 to 16 of the Welfare Reform and Work (Northern Ireland) Order 2016] other than one contained in—

(a) Part VII of the Contributions and Benefits Act so far as relating to housing benefit;

(b) Part VIII of the Administration Act (arrangements for housing benefit).

[F5 (5) Paragraph (1)(c) does not include any decision which under Article 7 of the Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.)(Northern Ireland) Order 1999 falls to be made by an officer of the Inland Revenue.]

F1 functions transf. by 1999 c. 10

F2 mod. by SR 1999/349, 350

F3 prosp. in pt. certain functions transf. by 2002 c. 21

F4 Art. 9(1)(b) repealed (28.11.2016 for specified purposes) by The Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/2006), art. 2(2), Sch. 12 Pt. 7; S.R. 2016/411, art. 2(3)(c) (with art. 4)

F5 SI 1999/671

F6 1999 c. 30

F7 Art. 9(3)(aa) inserted (2.5.2016 for specified purposes, 27.9.2017 in so far as not already in operation) by The Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/2006), art. 2(2), Sch. 2 para. 36(a); S.R. 2016/215, art. 2(2)(c)(v)(gg); S.R. 2017/190, art. 4(1)(2)(g)(iii)

F8 Art. 9(3)(ab) inserted (6.4.2016 unless brought into operation earlier by an order under s. 53(1) of the amending Act) by Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 (c. 5), s. 53(3), Sch. 12 para. 29(a)

F9 Art. 9(3)(ac) inserted (6.4.2017) by Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 (c. 5), s. 53(1), Sch. 16 para. 37(2); S.R. 2017/44, art. 2(2) (with arts. 3, 4)

F10 Art. 9(3)(ba) inserted (1.7.2008 for certain purposes, otherwise 27.7.2008) by Welfare Reform Act (Northern Ireland) 2007 (c. 2), ss. 28(1), 60(1), Sch. 3 para. 10(3)(a); S.R. 2008/276, art. 2(2)(a)

F11 Art. 9(3)(baa) inserted (2.5.2016 for specified purposes, 20.6.2016 in so far as not already in operation) by The Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/2006), art. 2(2), Sch. 9 para. 37(a); S.R. 2016/215, arts. 2(5)(h)(iv), 3(2)

F12 2002 c. 14 (NI)

F13 Art. 9(3)(bc) inserted (4.9.2017) by The Welfare Reform and Work (Northern Ireland) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/999), arts. 2(1), 15(5)(a) (with art. 16); S.R. 2017/166, art. 2(c)

F14 2002 c. 14 (NI)

F15 Words in art. 9(4) substituted (1.7.2008 for certain purposes, otherwise 27.7.2008) by Welfare Reform Act (Northern Ireland) 2007 (c. 2), ss. 28(1), 60(1), Sch. 3 para. 10(3)(b); S.R. 2008/276, art. 2(2)(a)

F16 Words in art. 9(4) substituted (2.5.2016 for specified purposes, 27.9.2017 in so far as not already in operation) by The Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/2006), art. 2(2), Sch. 2 para. 36(b); S.R. 2016/215, art. 2(2)(c)(v)(gg); S.R. 2017/190, art. 4(1)(2)(g)(iii)

F17 Words in art. 9(4) inserted (2.5.2016 for specified purposes, 20.6.2016 in so far as not already in operation) by The Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/2006), art. 2(2), Sch. 9 para. 37(b); S.R. 2016/215, arts. 2(5)(h)(iv), 3(2)

F18 Words in art. 9(4) inserted (6.4.2016 unless brought into operation earlier by an order under s. 53(1) of the amending Act) by Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 (c. 5), s. 53(3), Sch. 12 para. 29(b)

F19 Words in art. 9(4) substituted (4.9.2017) by The Welfare Reform and Work (Northern Ireland) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/999), arts. 2(1), 15(5)(b) (with art. 16); S.R. 2017/166, art. 2(c)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Art. 9 applied (10.4.2006) by S.I. 2006/1034, reg. 2

C2 Art. 9 applied (6.4.2020) by The Guardians Allowance Up-rating Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/302), regs. 1(1), 2

C3 Art. 9 applied (12.4.2021) by The Guardian’s Allowance Up-rating Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/256), regs. 1(1), 2