The Financial Assistance (Coronavirus) (No. 2) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2020 No. 354

Financial Assistance

The Financial Assistance (Coronavirus) (No. 2) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Made

23rd December 2020

Coming into operation

26th December 2020

The Department of Finance(1), in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 1(2) and 3 of the Financial Assistance Act (Northern Ireland) 2009(2), makes the following Regulations.

The Department of Finance has been designated as a relevant Department under section 1(3)(a) of that Act.

The Regulations are made with the approval of the Executive Office.

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as The Financial Assistance (Coronavirus) (No. 2) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 and come into operation on 26th December 2020.

Amendments to the Coronavirus Financial Assistance No. 2 Scheme 2020

2.  In the Schedule to the Financial Assistance (Coronavirus) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020(3)-

(a) for the definition of “bed and breakfast” substitute “means a bed and breakfast establishment for the purposes of paragraph 1(12) of Schedule 1 to the Coronavirus Regulations”;

(b) for the definition of “guest house” substitute “means a guest house for the purposes of paragraph 1(12) of Schedule 1 to the Coronavirus Regulations”;

(c) for the definition of “higher rate” substitute, “will be a payment of £1,600 for any 7 day period within a qualifying period, and a single payment of £229 for each day, within any period of less than 7 days, that may follow such a 7 day period.”;

(d) for the definition of “lower rate” substitute, “will be a payment of £800 for any 7 day period within a qualifying period, and a single payment of £114 for each day, within any period of less than 7 days, that may follow such a 7 day period.”;

(e) for the definition of “relevant business” substitute, “subject to paragraph 2(3)(b), means a business or service which was restricted or subject to closure as a result of regulations 4B, 4D, 4DA, 4DB or 4DE of, or paragraphs 1(4) to (10) and paragraph 1(12) of Schedule 1 to, the Coronavirus Regulations.”;

(f) for the definition of “standard rate” substitute, “will be a payment of £1,200 for any 7 day period within a qualifying period, and a single payment of £171 for each day, within any period of less than 7 days, that may follow such a 7 day period.”;

(g) for the definition of “qualifying period” substitute, “means an “active period” for the purposes of regulation 1(2) to the Coronavirus Regulations”;

(h) in regulation 7 remove sub-paragraph (e).

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance on 23rd December 2020.

(L.S.)

Alan Brontë

A senior officer of the Department of Finance

Approved by the Executive Office

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Executive Office on 23rd December 2020.

(L.S.)

Neill Jackson

A senior officer of the Executive Office

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Financial Assistance (Coronavirus) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020.

Regulation 1 provides for citation and commencement.

Regulation 2 provides amendments to the Coronavirus Financial Assistance scheme provided for by the Financial Assistance (Coronavirus) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020.

The amendments in regulation 2 serve to track the changes made to The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 by the Department of Health.

(1)

The Department of Finance and Personnel was renamed the Department of Finance by section 1(4) of, and Schedule 1 to the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (c.5 (N.I.))

(2)

2009 c. 2

(3)

S.R. 2020 No.230 as amended by S.R 2020 No. 262