Explanatory Note
(This note is not part of the Regulations.)
These Regulations amend the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987, the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 and the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996.
In particular, these Regulations—
(a)clarify the rules relating to the reduction of amounts of jobseeker’s allowance in the case of young persons who commit certain acts, or who fail to do certain acts, by virtue of which, their jobseeker’s allowance falls to be reduced (regulations 5 and 6);
(b)clarify the linking rules in jobseeker’s allowance where a person is participating in training (regulation 7(2));
(c)clarify the position in relation to persons aged 50 or over who are in a prescribed category of person for the purpose of entitlement to income support (regulation 2);
(d)provide that non-dependant deductions may not be made in respect of housing costs in both income support and jobseeker’s allowance where a non-dependant is under 25 and in receipt of an income-based jobseeker’s allowance (regulations 3 and 7(3));
(e)provide that certain direct payments for mortgage interest arrears can no longer be made (regulation 4(3)(b)). Regulation 4(2) and (3)(a) and (c) makes amendments which are consequential on that amendment.
Regulation 8 makes consequential revocations.
These Regulations make in relation to Northern Ireland only provision corresponding to provision contained in Regulations made by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment and the Secretary of State for Social Security in relation to Great Britain and accordingly, by virtue of section 149(3) of, and paragraph 10 of Schedule 5 to, the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.