The Universal Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016

Introductory

Definition of carer

84.  In this Chapter—

“relevant carer” means—

(a)

a parent of a child who is not the responsible carer, but has caring responsibilities for the child, or

(b)

a person who has caring responsibilities for a person who has a physical or mental impairment; and

“responsible foster parent” in relation to a child means a person who is the only foster parent in relation to that child or, in the case of a couple both members of which are foster parents in relation to that child, the member who is nominated by them in accordance with regulation 85.

Nomination of responsible carer and responsible foster parent

85.—(1) This regulation makes provision for the nomination of the responsible carer or the responsible foster parent in relation to a child.

(2) Only one of joint claimants may be nominated as a responsible carer or a responsible foster parent.

(3) The nomination applies to all the children, where there is more than one, for whom either of the joint claimants is responsible.

(4) Joint claimants may change which member is nominated—

(a) once in a 12 month period, starting from the date of the previous nomination, or

(b) on any occasion where the Department considers that there has been a change of circumstances which is relevant to the nomination.

References to paid work

86.  References in this Chapter to obtaining paid work include obtaining more paid work or better paid work.

Expected hours

87.—(1) The “ expected number of hours per week” in relation to a claimant for the purposes of determining their individual threshold in regulation 89 or for the purposes of regulation 93 or 95 is 35 unless some lesser number of hours applies under paragraph (2).

(2) The lesser number of hours is—

(a) where—

(i) the claimant is a relevant carer, a responsible carer or a responsible foster parent, and

(ii) the Department is satisfied that the claimant has reasonable prospects of obtaining paid work,

the number of hours that the Department considers is compatible with those caring responsibilities;

(b) where the claimant is a responsible carer for a child under the age of 13, the number of hours that the Department considers is compatible with the child’s normal school hours (including the normal time it takes the child to travel to and from school), or

(c) where the claimant has a physical or mental impairment, the number of hours that the Department considers is reasonable in light of the impairment.