The Social Security (Industrial Injuries and Diseases) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations further amend the Social Security (General Benefit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1984, the Social Security (Industrial Injuries) (Prescribed Diseases) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1986, the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987, the Social Security (Industrial Injuries) (Regular Employment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1990 and the Social Security (Adjudication) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995.

The principal effect of the Regulations is to prescribe circumstances in which a person who is entitled, on the day on which they come into operation, to reduced earnings allowance under Schedule 7 to the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992, is to be regarded as having given up regular employment for the purposes of that allowance, unless he is entitled to it for life and to provide a new definition of “regular employment” for the purposes of paragraph 13 of that Schedule (regulation 5). They also alter the period in respect of which that allowance is payable following a late claim or application for review (regulations 4 and 6).

These Regulations also make alterations to the list of prescribed diseases, by amending the terms of the prescription of diseases A10 (occupational deafness), A12 (carpal tunnel syndrome), D4 (inflammation of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract) and D5 (non-infective dermatitis of external origin) and by adding a new disease, C30 (chrome dermatitis and ulceration of the mucous membranes or the epidermis resulting from exposure to chromic acid, chromates or bi-chromates) (regulation 3). The existing prescription of each of the diseases A12, D4 and D5 is preserved transitionally for existing beneficiaries and those who had a previous assessment which is reviewed under section 45 of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992, and in the case of those who have had an assessment for one of those diseases before the amendment comes into operation and suffer a recrudescence during the period of that assessment which gives rise to entitlement subsequent to the coming into operation of these Regulations (regulation 7).

The treatment of retirement allowance during periods of imprisonment or detention in legal custody is aligned with that for reduced earnings allowance (regulation 2).

Regulation 8 contains consequential revocations.