Search Legislation

Advanced Search

Welfare Reform Act (Northern Ireland) 2007

Changes to legislation:

Welfare Reform Act (Northern Ireland) 2007 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 12 November 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Changes and effects yet to be applied by the editorial team are only applicable when viewing the latest version or prospective version of legislation. They are therefore not accessible when viewing legislation as at a specific point in time. To view the ‘Changes to Legislation’ information for this provision return to the latest version view using the options provided in the ‘What Version’ box above.

  1. Introductory Text

  2. PART 1 EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT ALLOWANCE

    1. Entitlement

      1. 1.Employment and support allowance

      2. 1A.Duration of contributory allowance

      3. 1B.Further entitlement after time-limiting

      4. 1C.Claimant commitment

      5. 2.Amount of contributory allowance

      6. 3.Deductions from contributory allowance: supplementary

      7. 4.Amount of income-related allowance

      8. 5.Advance award of income-related allowance

      9. 6.Amount payable where claimant entitled to both forms of allowance

      10. 7.Exclusion of payments below prescribed minimum

    2. Assessments relating to entitlement

      1. 8.Limited capability for work

      2. 9.Limited capability for work-related activity

      3. 10.Report

    3. Work-related requirements

      1. 11.Work-related requirements

      2. 11A.Claimant commitment

      3. 11B.Work-focused interview requirement

      4. 11C.Work preparation requirement

      5. 11D.Persons subject to no work-related requirements

      6. 11E.Persons subject to work-focused interview requirement only

      7. 11F.Persons subject to work preparation and work-focused interview requirement

      8. 11G.Connected requirements

      9. 11H.Imposition of requirements

      10. 11I.Compliance with requirements

      11. 11J.Sanctions

      12. 11K.Concurrent exercise of certain functions by Department for Employment and Learning

      13. 11L.Delegation and contracting out

      14. 12.Work-focused interviews

      15. 13.Work-related activity

      16. 14.Action plans in connection with work-focused interviews

      17. 15.Directions about work-related activity

      18. 16.Contracting out

      19. 16A.Hardship payments

    4. Miscellaneous

      1. 17.Income and capital: general

      2. 18.Disqualification

      3. 19.Pilot schemes

      4. 20.Relationship with statutory payments

      5. 21.Deemed entitlement for other purposes

      6. 22.Supplementary provisions

      7. 23.Recovery of sums in respect of maintenance

    5. General

      1. 24.Interpretation, etc. of Part 1

      2. 25.Regulations and orders

      3. 26.Assembly control

      4. 27.Financial provisions relating to Part 1

      5. 28.Consequential amendments relating to Part 1

      6. 29.Transition relating to Part 1

  3. PART 2 HOUSING BENEFIT

    1. 30.Local housing allowance

    2. 31.Loss of housing benefit following eviction for anti-social behaviour, etc.

    3. 32.Housing benefit for persons taking up employment

    4. 33.Section 32: supplemental

    5. 34.Sections 32 and 33: interpretation

    6. 35.Payment of housing benefit

    7. 36.Directions by Department

    8. 37.Minor and consequential amendments relating to Part 2

  4. PART 3 SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION: GENERAL

    1. Sharing of social security information

      1. 38.Social security information

      2. 39.Information relating to certain benefits

      3. 40.Unlawful disclosure of certain information

    2. Overpayment recovery

      1. 41.Recovery of overpaid benefit

    3. Benefit fraud

      1. 42.Housing Executive powers to investigate benefit fraud

      2. 43.Housing Executive powers to prosecute benefit fraud

      3. 44.Housing Executive functions relating to benefit: information

      4. 45.Loss of benefit for commission of benefit offences

  5. PART 4 MISCELLANEOUS

    1. Benefits for bereaved persons

      1. 46.Widowed mother's allowance

      2. 47.Widowed parent's allowance

    2. Disability living allowance: age conditions

      1. 48.Care component of disability living allowance: persons under the age of 16

      2. 49.Mobility component of disability living allowance: persons under the age of 16

    3. Social fund

      1. 50.Matters to which regard must be had in awarding budgeting loans

      2. 51.Allocations from Social Fund

    4. Compensation for pneumoconiosis etc.

      1. 52.“Relevant employer”

      2. 53.“Dependant”

    5. Other

      1. 54.Power to stop payment of allowances to care home residents

      2. 55.Medical examinations

      3. 56.Minor and consequential amendments relating to Part 4

  6. PART 5 GENERAL

    1. 57.Interpretation

    2. 58.Repeals

    3. 59.Transition

    4. 60.Commencement

    5. 61.Short title

  7. SCHEDULES

    1. SCHEDULE 1

      EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT ALLOWANCE: ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS

      1. PART 1 CONTRIBUTORY ALLOWANCE

      2. PART 2 INCOME-RELATED ALLOWANCE

        1. 6.(1) The conditions are that the claimant—

    2. SCHEDULE 2

      EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT ALLOWANCE: SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS

      1. Limited capability for work

        1. 1.Regulations may make provision— (a) for a person to be...

      2. Waiting days

        1. 2.Except in prescribed circumstances, a person is not entitled to...

      3. Periods of less than a week

        1. 3.Regulations may make provision in relation to—

      4. Linking periods

        1. 4.(1) Regulations may provide for circumstances in which a period...

      5. Exemption

        1. 4A.Regulations may prescribe circumstances in which a person may be...

      6. Presence in Northern Ireland

        1. 5.Regulations may make provision for the purposes of this Part...

      7. Contributory allowance: entitlement in case of absence from Northern Ireland

        1. 6.Regulations may provide that in prescribed circumstances a claimant who...

      8. Contributory allowance: modification in relation to employment on ships etc.

        1. 7.(1) Regulations may modify any provision of this Part, so...

      9. Income-related allowance: entitlement in case of absence from Northern Ireland

        1. 8.(1) Regulations may provide that in prescribed circumstances a claimant...

      10. Limited capability for work-related activity

        1. 9.Regulations may make provision— (a) for a person to be...

      11. Effect of work

        1. 10.Regulations may prescribe circumstances in which a person is to...

      12. 10ZA.

      13. Good reason for failure to comply with certain regulations

        1. 10A.(1) This paragraph applies to any regulations made under paragraph...

      14. Responsibility for children

        1. 10B.Regulations may for any purpose of this Part specify circumstances...

      15. Treatment of allowance as “benefit”

        1. 11.Regulations may provide for— (a) an employment and support allowance,...

      16. Attribution of reductions in cases where allowance taken to consist of two elements

        1. 12.Where an employment and support allowance is taken by virtue...

      17. Treatment of information supplied as information relating to social security

        1. 13.Information supplied in pursuance of regulations under any of sections...

      18. Advance claims

        1. 14.This Part shall have effect with prescribed modifications in relation...

    3. SCHEDULE 3

      CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS RELATING TO PART 1

      1. The Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (NI 20)

        1. 1.In Article 131 of the Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order...

      2. The Child Support (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 (NI 23)

        1. 2.(1) The Child Support (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 is amended...

      3. The Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 7)

        1. 3.(1) The Contributions and Benefits Act is amended as follows....

      4. The Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 8)

        1. 4.(1) The Administration Act is amended as follows.

      5. The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (NI 2)

        1. 5.(1) The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 is amended as...

      6. The Jobseekers (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (NI 15)

        1. 6.(1) The Jobseekers Order is amended as follows.

      7. The Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (NI 18)

        1. 7.In Article 25 of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order...

      8. The Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (NI 22)

        1. 8.In Schedule 2 to the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1995...

      9. The Industrial Tribunals (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (NI 18)

        1. 9.(1) The Industrial Tribunals (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 is amended...

      10. The Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (NI 10)

        1. 10.(1) The 1998 Order is amended as follows.

      11. The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (c. 33)

        1. 11.In section 115 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999...

      12. The Welfare Reform and Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (NI 11)

        1. 12.In Article 69 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions (Northern...

      13. The Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act (Northern Ireland) 2000 (c. 4)

        1. 13.(1) The 2000 Act is amended as follows.

      14. The Social Security Fraud Act (Northern Ireland) 2001 (c. 17)

        1. 14.(1) The Social Security Fraud Act (Northern Ireland) 2001 is...

    4. SCHEDULE 4

      TRANSITION RELATING TO PART 1

      1. General power to provide for transition relating to Part 1

        1. 1.(1) Regulations may make such provision as the Department considers...

      2. Pre-commencement claims

        1. 2.Regulations may— (a) make provision for a claim for incapacity...

      3. Post-commencement claims

        1. 3.Regulations may— (a) make provision excluding the making of a...

      4. Award of employment and support allowance for pre-commencement period

        1. 4.Regulations may— (a) make provision for an employment and support...

      5. Matching of awards of employment and support allowance

        1. 5.(1) For the purposes of this paragraph, an award of...

        2. 6.(1) For the purposes of this paragraph an award of...

      6. Treatment of existing awards

        1. 7.(1) Regulations may— (a) make provision for converting existing awards...

      7. Transitional allowances

        1. 8.Regulations may— (a) make provision for a person's continuing entitlement...

        2. 9.(1) Regulations may prescribe circumstances in which a person who...

      8. Post-commencement up-rating of incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance

        1. 10.Regulations may provide for section 132 of the Administration Act...

      9. Interpretation

        1. 11.In this Schedule— “appointed day” means the day appointed for...

    5. SCHEDULE 5

      MINOR AND CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS RELATING TO PART 2

      1. The Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 8)

        1. 1.The Administration Act is amended as follows.

        2. 2.In section 128E (information about attainment of standards), in subsection...

        3. 3.(1) Section 128F (enforcement notices) is amended as follows.

        4. 4.(1) Section 128G (enforcement determinations) is amended as follows.

        5. 5.In section 167(1) (interpretation), in the definition of “prescribe” at...

      2. The Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act (Northern Ireland) 2000 (c. 4)

        1. 6.In Schedule 7 to the 2000 Act (housing benefit: revisions...

    6. SCHEDULE 6

      SCHEDULE TO BE INSERTED IN THE PNEUMOCONIOSIS, ETC., (WORKERS' COMPENSATION) (NORTHERN IRELAND) ORDER 1979

    7. SCHEDULE 7

      MINOR AND CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS RELATING TO PART 4

      1. The Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 7)

        1. 1.(1) The Contributions and Benefits Act is amended as follows....

      2. The Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 8)

        1. 2.(1) The Administration Act is amended as follows.

      3. The Deregulation and Contracting Out (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (NI 11)

        1. 3.In Article 17 of the Deregulation and Contracting Out (Northern...

      4. The Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (NI 10)

        1. 4.In Article 38(7) of the 1998 Order (principles applicable on...

    8. SCHEDULE 8

      REPEALS

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

You have chosen to open the Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Point in Time: This becomes available after navigating to view revised legislation as it stood at a certain point in time via Advanced Features > Show Timeline of Changes or via a point in time advanced search.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

Explanatory Notes

Text created by the Northern Ireland Assembly department responsible for the subject matter of the Act to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes accompany all Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources

The data on this page is available in the alternative data formats listed: