Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland
Social Security
Made
7th May 2024
Coming into operation
13th May 2024
The Department for Communities(1) makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by Articles 5, 23(5), 27(2)(a) and 48(1) of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015(2).
The powers are exercisable by the Department for Communities by virtue of Article 2 of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015 (Cessation of Transitory Provision) Order 2020(3).
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Universal Credit (Administrative Earnings Threshold) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 and shall come into operation on 13th May 2024.
2. In paragraph (14) of regulation 97 of the Universal Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016(4) (circumstances in which requirements must not be imposed)—
(a)in sub-paragraph (a), for “15 hours” substitute “18 hours”;
(b)in sub-paragraph (b), for “24 hours” substitute “29 hours”.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Communities on 7th May 2024
(L.S.)
David Tarr
A senior officer of the Department for Communities
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations amend regulation 97 of the Universal Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 (S.R. 2016 No. 216), which sets out the circumstances in which work search and work availability requirements must not be imposed on a universal credit claimant. Regulation 2 amends paragraph (14) of regulation 97 so that work search and work availability requirements must not be imposed where a claimant has monthly earnings from employment that are equal to, or more than, 18 hours per week at the national minimum wage as set out in regulation 4 of the National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015 (“the national living wage rate”) or, where the claimant is a member of a couple, their combined earnings from employment are equal to, or more than, 29 hours per week at the national living wage rate, in both cases converted to a monthly amount by multiplying by 52 and dividing by 12.
These Regulations make in relation to Northern Ireland only provision corresponding to provision contained in Regulations made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in relation to Great Britain and accordingly, by virtue of section 149(3) of, and paragraph 10 of Schedule 5 to, the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c.8) are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.
A full impact assessment has not been produced for these Regulations as no, or no significant impact on the private, public or voluntary sectors is foreseen.
The Department for Social Development was renamed the Department for Communities in accordance with section 1(7) of the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (c. 5(N.I.))