Part IIIOther Amendments

Amendment of the Income Support (General) Regulations8.

(1)

The Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 198724 shall be amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (4).

(2)

In regulation 2(1) (interpretation) after the definition of “voluntary organisation”25 there shall be inserted the following definition—

  • ““welfare to work beneficiary” means a person—

    1. (a)

      to whom regulation 13A(1) of the Social Security (Incapacity for Work) (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995 applies; and

    2. (b)
      who again becomes incapable for work for the purposes of Part XIIA of the Contributions and Benefits Act26;”.

(3)

In Schedule 2 (applicable amounts)—

(a)

in paragraph 1027 (higher pensioner premium) after sub-paragraph (3) there shall be added the following sub-paragraph—

“(4)

In the case of a claimant who is a welfare to work beneficiary, references in sub-paragraphs (1)(b)(ii), (2)(b)(ii) and (3)(b) to a period of 8 weeks shall be treated as references to a period of 52 weeks.”;

(b)

in paragraph 1228 (additional condition for the higher pensioner and disability premiums) after sub-paragraph (1) there shall be inserted the following sub-paragraph—

“(1A)

In the case of a claimant who is a welfare to work beneficiary, the reference in sub-paragraph (1)(b) to a period of 56 days shall be treated as a reference to a period of 52 weeks.”.

(4)

In Schedule 329 (housing costs)—

(a)

in paragraph 730 (transitional protection) after sub-paragraph (9) there shall be added the following sub-paragraph—

“(10)

In the case of a person who is a welfare to work beneficiary, the references in sub-paragraphs (5)(c) and (7) to a period of 12 weeks shall be treated as references to a period of 52 weeks.”; and

(b)

in paragraph 1431 (linking rule) after sub-paragraph (9) there shall be added the following sub-paragraph—

“(10)

In the case of a person who is a welfare to work beneficiary, the references in sub-paragraphs (1)(a)(ii), (1)(d) and (1)(f)(iii) to a period of 12 weeks shall be treated as references to a period of 52 weeks.”.