Part VII Income-Related Benefits

Income support

124 Severe hardship cases.

1

If it appears to the Department—

a

that a person of or over the age of 16 but under the age of 18 is not entitled to income support; and

b

that severe hardship will result to that person unless income support is paid to him,

the Department may direct that this subsection shall apply to him.

2

Any such direction may specify a period for which subsection (1) above is to apply to the person to whom the direction relates.

3

The person to whom such a direction relates shall be treated in accordance with it, but if at any time it appears to the Department that there has been a change of circumstances as a result of which failure to receive income support need no longer result in severe hardship to him, the Department may revoke the direction.

4

The Department may also revoke the direction if—

a

it is satisfied that the direction was given in ignorance of some material fact or was based on a mistake as to some material fact; and

b

it considers that but for its ignorance or mistake it would not have determined that failure to receive income support would result in severe hardship.

5

In this section “period” includes—

a

a period of a determinate length;

b

a period defined by reference to the happening of a future event; and

c

a period of a determinate length but subject to earlier determination upon the happening of a future event.