The Social Security (Work-focused Interviews for Lone Parents) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security (Work-focused Interviews for Lone Parents) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 and shall come into operation—

(a) on 30th April 2001 in respect of lone parents who on that date—

(i) are not entitled to income support, or

(ii) are entitled to income support and are not—

(aa) responsible for, and

(bb) living in the same household as,

a child under the age of 13;

(b) subject to the preceding sub-paragraph, come into operation on 1st April 2002 in respect of lone parents who on that date are entitled to income support and are not—

(i) responsible for, and

(ii) living in the same household as,

a child under the age of 9;

(c) subject to the preceding sub-paragraphs, where a lone parent—

(i) is responsible for and living in the same household as a child whose 13th birthday occurs in the period beginning on 1st May 2001 and ending on 31st March 2002, and

(ii) is not on the date of the 13th birthday responsible for and living in the same household as a younger child,

come into operation in respect of that lone parent on the date of that child’s 13th birthday;

(d) subject to the preceding sub-paragraphs, where a lone parent—

(i) is responsible for and living in the same household as a child whose 9th birthday occurs in the period beginning on 2nd April 2002 and ending on 6th April 2003, and

(ii) is not on the date of the 9th birthday responsible for and living in the same household as a younger child,

come into operation in respect of that lone parent on the date of that child’s 9th birthday;

(e) subject to the preceding sub-paragraphs, come into operation on 7th April 2003.

(2) In these Regulations—

“the 1998 Order” means the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1998(1);

“benefit week” means any period of 7 days corresponding to the week in respect of which income support is due to be paid;

“lone parent” has the meaning it bears in regulation 2(1) of the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987(2);

“interview” means a work-focused interview with a lone parent conducted for any or all of the following purposes—

(a)

assessing that person’s prospects for existing or future employment (whether paid or voluntary);

(b)

assisting or encouraging that person to enhance his prospects of such employment;

(c)

identifying activities which that person may undertake to strengthen his existing or future prospects of employment;

(d)

identifying current or future employment or training opportunities suitable to that person’s needs, and

(e)

identifying educational opportunities connected with the existing or future employment prospects or needs of that person;

“officer” means an officer of the Department or of the Department of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment.

(3) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(3) shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Assembly.

(1)

S.I. 1998/1506 (N.I. 10)

(2)

S.R. 1987 No. 459

(3)

1954 c. 33 (N.I.)