Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland
1996 No. 120

SOCIAL SECURITY
The Income Support (General) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Made
26th March 1996

Coming into operation
21st April 1996

The Department of Health and Social Services for Northern Ireland, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by sections 122(1)(a) and 131(1) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992(1) and of all other powers enabling it in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations:

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Income Support (General) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 and shall come into operation on 21st April 1996.

(2) These Regulations shall have effect in relation to any particular claimant—

(a)in a case where income support is paid to the claimant in arrears in accordance with paragraph 7(1)(a) of Schedule 7 to the Claims and Payments Regulations (date when change of circumstances is to take effect)—

(i)from the first day of the benefit week which includes 28th April 1996, or

(ii)if the claim for income support is for a period beginning after 28th April 1996, from the first day of the first benefit week commencing after that date;

(b)in a case where income support is paid to the claimant in advance in accordance with paragraph 7(1)(b) of Schedule 7 to the Claims and Payments Regulations, from the first day of the first benefit week commencing after 28th April 1996,

and for this purpose the expressions “claimant” and “benefit week” have the same meanings as in regulation 2(1) of the Income Support Regulations(2) (interpretation).

(3) In these Regulations—

“the Claims and Payments Regulations” means the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987(3);

“the Income Support Regulations” means the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987.

(4) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(4) shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to a Measure of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Amendment of Schedule 3 to the Income Support Regulations

2.  In Schedule 3 to the Income Support Regulations(5) (housing costs) in paragraph 12(1)(a) (the standard rate) for “8·00 per cent.” there shall be substituted “7·74 per cent.”.

Revocations

3.—(1) Regulation 2(b) of the Income Support (General) (Amendment and Transitional) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995(6) is hereby revoked.

(2) The Income Support (General) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995(7) are hereby revoked save that those regulations shall continue to have effect until the first day of the benefit week having effect in relation to any particular claimant for the purposes of regulation 1(2) of these Regulations.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health and Social Services for Northern Ireland on

L.S.
W. G. Purdy
Assistant Secretary
26th March 1996.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)
These Regulations amend Schedule 3 to the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 with respect to the standard rate of interest applicable to a loan which qualifies for income support, the new rate being 7·74 per cent.
The Regulations also make consequential revocations together with a saving provision.
These Regulations correspond to provision contained in regulations made by the Secretary of State for Social Security 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.


(1)
1992 c. 7

(2)
S.R. 1987 No. 459; the definition of “benefit week” was amended by regulation 2(a) of S.R. 1988 No. 318

(3)
S.R. 1987 No. 465; relevant amending regulations are S.R. 1990 No. 398

(4)
1954 c. 33 (N.I.)

(5)
Schedule 3 was substituted by Schedule 1 to S.R. 1995 No. 301 and paragraph 12(1) was amended by regulation 2(b) of S.R. 1995 No. 350 and regulation 2 of S.R. 1995 No. 492

(6)
S.R. 1995 No. 350

(7)
S.R. 1995 No. 492