Applications for income support payment3
1
The Department must publish, in such manner as it considers appropriate, a notice inviting applications for an income support payment.
2
A notice under paragraph (1) must specify–
a
the conditions for an award of income support payment set out in article 5, article 6, or article 7, as the case may be;
b
the closing date for receipt of applications; and
c
the information which the applicant is required to provide in support of the application.
3
A notice under paragraph (1) may be amended by further notice published by the Department in the same manner.
4
An application must be made in such form or manner and be sent to such address as the Department specifies in the notice under paragraph (1) and must be received by the Department on or before the closing date specified in that notice.
5
But the Department may accept an application received after the closing date if it is satisfied that–
a
the particular circumstances of the applicant render it unreasonable to expect the application to have been received by the closing date; and
b
the date on which the application was received is as early as can reasonably be expected in those circumstances.