The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Period over which payments other than periodical payments are to be taken into account

121.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the number of weeks over which a payment other than a periodical payment is to be taken into account shall be equal to the number (and any fraction shall be treated as a corresponding fraction of a week) obtained by dividing that payment by—

(a) where the payment is in respect of the claimant or the claimant and any child or young person who is a member of the claimant’s family, the aggregate of £2 and the amount of jobseeker’s allowance which would be payable had the payment not been made;

(b) where the payment is in respect of one, or more than one, child or young person who is a member of the family, the lesser of the amount (or the aggregate of the amounts) prescribed under Schedule 1, in respect of—

(i) the personal allowance of the claimant and each such child or young person;

(ii) any family and lone parent premium;

(iii) any disabled child premium in respect of such a child, and

(iv) any carer premium but only if that premium is payable because the claimant is in receipt, or is treated as being in receipt, of invalid care allowance by reason of the fact that he is caring for such a child or young person who is severely disabled,

and the aggregate of £2 and the amount of jobseeker’s allowance which would be payable had the payment not been made.

(2) Where a liable relative makes a periodical payment and any other payment concurrently and the weekly amount of that periodical payment, as calculated in accordance with regulation 122 (calculation of the weekly amount of a liable relative payment), is less than—

(a) in a case where the periodical payment is in respect of the claimant or the claimant and any child or young person who is a member of the claimant’s family, the aggregate of £2 and the amount of jobseeker’s allowance which would be payable had the payments not been made, or

(b) in a case where the periodical payment is in respect of one, or more than one, child or young person who is a member of the family, the aggregate of the amounts prescribed in Schedule 1 in respect of each such child or young person and any family and lone parent premium,

that other payment shall, subject to paragraph (3), be taken into account over a period of such number of weeks as is equal to the number obtained (and any fraction shall be treated as a corresponding fraction of a week) by dividing that payment by an amount equal to the extent of the difference between the amount referred to in sub-paragraph (a) or (b), as the case may be, and the weekly amount of the periodical payment.

(3) If—

(a) the liable relative ceases to make periodical payments, the balance (if any) of the other payment shall be taken into account over the number of weeks equal to the number obtained (and any fraction shall be treated as a corresponding fraction of a week) by dividing that balance by the amount referred to in paragraph (1)(a) or (b), as the case may be;

(b) the amount of any subsequent periodical payment varies, the balance (if any) of the other payment shall be taken into account over a period of such number of weeks as is equal to the number obtained (and any fraction shall be treated as a corresponding fraction of a week) by dividing that balance by an amount equal to the extent of the difference between the amount referred to in paragraph (2)(a) or (b), as the case may be, and the weekly amount of the subsequent periodical payment.

(4) The period under paragraph (1) or (2) shall begin on and include the date on which the payment is treated as paid under regulation 123 (date on which a liable relative payment is to be treated as paid) and under paragraph (3) shall begin on and include the first day of the benefit week in which the cessation or variation of the periodical payment occurred.