The Social Security (Work-focused Interviews for Lone Parents) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001

Reduction of income support

8.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), any payment of income support which falls to be made to a person after the date on which an officer decided under these Regulations that that person had not—

(a) taken part, and

(b) shown good cause for not taking part,

in an interview shall be reduced as from the first day of the next benefit week following the date the decision was made, by a sum equal to 20 per cent. of the amount applicable on the date the deduction commences in respect of a single claimant for income support aged not less than 25.

(2) Payment shall not be reduced under paragraph (1) below 10 pence per week.

(3) A reduction under this regulation shall cease to have effect as regards a person from whichever is the earlier of—

(a) the date on which that person attains the age of 60;

(b) the date on which that person ceased to be a lone parent, and

(c) the first day of the benefit week in which that person meets the requirement to take part in an interview.

(4) Where the rate of income support payable to a person changes, the rules set out above for a reduction in the benefit payable shall be applied to the new rates and any adjustment to the reduction shall take effect from the beginning of the first benefit week to commence for that person following the change.