The Social Security (Payments on Account of Benefit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016

Payment on account of benefit where there is an award of benefit

6.—(1) The Department may make a payment on account of benefit to A if—

(a) an award of benefit has been made to A;

(b) any of paragraphs (2) to (5) applies; and

(c) it is satisfied that A is in financial need.

(2) This paragraph applies where—

(a) A currently satisfies the conditions of entitlement to that benefit; and

(b) the date on which the first payment of that benefit to A is due to be made in accordance with the award has not yet been reached.

(3) This paragraph applies where—

(a) the first payment of that benefit has been made to A in accordance with the award;

(b) the period in respect of which that payment was made is shorter than the period in respect of which subsequent payments of that benefit are to be made in accordance with that award should entitlement continue; and

(c) the date on which a subsequent payment of that benefit is due to be made to A has not yet been reached.

(4) This paragraph applies where there has been a change of circumstances which would increase the amount of benefit payable under the award and—

(a) the award has not yet been revised or superseded to reflect that change; or

(b) the award has been revised or superseded to reflect that change but the date on which the payment of benefit is due to be made in accordance with the revised or superseded award has not yet been reached.

(5) This paragraph applies where—

(a) A is entitled to a payment of that benefit pursuant to the award; and

(b) it is impracticable to make some or all of that payment on the day on which it is due.