The Covid-19 Heating Payment Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations provide for payments (“Covid-19 heating payments”) to be made to eligible persons under the Covid-19 Heating Payment Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2021.

Regulation 2 provides that the Covid-19 Heating Payment Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2021 is set out in the Schedule to the Regulations.

Schedule N.I.

Paragraph 2 provides that to be eligible for a Covid-19 heating payment at the standard rate (£200), a person must have been in receipt of attendance allowance (higher rate), disability living allowance (highest rate care and/or higher rate mobility components), personal independence payment (enhanced rate of the daily living and/or mobility components) or state pension credit; on any one day during the qualifying week beginning with (and including) Monday 30th November 2020 and ending on Sunday 06th December 2020; and on that day were ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland.

Paragraph 3 provides that the Department may recover any payment made in error.

Paragraph 4 provides that persons who are eligible for a Covid-19 heating payment but do not receive it before 15th February 2021 may apply for the payment from the Department for Communities by 30th April 2021. If the Department is satisfied that the applicant was eligible for a Covid-19 heating payment during the qualifying week, the Department shall make the payment.

Paragraph 5 provides that there is no right of appeal.

Paragraph 6 provides that no account shall be taken of eligibility for a Covid-19 heating payment when considering a person’s entitlement to a social fund payment, a discretionary support award or a payment under income support, jobseekers allowance, employment and support allowance, housing benefit (working age and state pension age), universal credit or state pension credit.

Paragraph 7 provides that the Department for Communities may use social security information for the purpose of determining eligibility for a Covid-19 heating payment.

Paragraph 8 provides that the Department for Communities shall make payments under the Covid-19 Heating Payment Scheme.

This Scheme will apply to Northern Ireland only.

A regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for the Regulations as they have no impact on the costs of business.