The Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015

Ending of discretionary payments N.I.

76.—(1) Section 134(1)(b) of the Contributions and Benefits Act (discretionary payments out of social fund) is repealed.

(2) In consequence of the provision made by paragraph (1), the office of the social fund Commissioner is abolished.

(3) Payments are to be made out of the social fund into the Consolidated Fund in respect of—

(a) amounts allocated under section 147 of the Administration Act to the making of such payments as are mentioned in section 134(1)(b) but which are not so applied in consequence of paragraph (1);

(b) sums relating to such payments as are mentioned in section 134(1)(b) that are paid into the social fund under section 144 of the Administration Act.

(4) The payments are to be such as the Department determines in accordance with any directions of the Department of Finance and Personnel to be appropriate.

(5) Paragraph (3) is not to prevent the Department from re-allocating amounts allocated under section 147(1) of the Administration Act.

(6) The Department may by order subject to negative resolution provide for the transfer of property, rights and liabilities from the social fund Commissioner.

(7) An order under this Article may—

(a) provide for the transfer of property, rights and liabilities whether or not they would otherwise be capable of being transferred;

(b) make such supplementary, incidental, consequential or transitional provision as the Department considers appropriate.

(8) Schedule 8 contains consequential amendments.

Commencement Information

I1 Art. 76(1) (3)-(8) in operation at 28.11.2016 for specified purposes by S.R. 2016/411, art. 2(2)(a) (with art. 4)

I2 Art. 76(2) in operation at 31.3.2017 by S.R. 2016/411, art. 3(2)(a)