The Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015

Information-sharing in relation to provision of overnight care etc.

120.—(1) This Article applies where a relevant body holds information falling within paragraph (2) in relation to a person who is receiving or is likely to receive a relevant service.

(2) The information referred to in paragraph (1) is—

(a) information as to the fact of the provision or likely provision of the service;

(b) information about when the provision of the service begins or ends or is likely to do so;

(c) other prescribed information relating to the service provided and how it is funded (including the extent to which it is funded by the recipient).

(3) In this Article “relevant service” means—

(a) a service consisting of overnight care in the individual’s own home provided by or on behalf of a relevant body;

(b) a residential care service provided by or on behalf of a relevant body;

(c) a service consisting of overnight accommodation in a hospital provided by a Health and Social Care Trust.

(4) In paragraph (3)(c) “hospital” means hospital within the meaning of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 but excluding an institution for providing dental treatment maintained in connection with a dental school.

(5) The relevant body may supply the information to a person specified in paragraph (6) for purposes relating to the payment of a relevant benefit to the individual.

(6) The persons referred to in paragraph (5) are—

(a) the Department;

(b) a person providing services to the Department;

(c) the Housing Executive or the Department of Finance and Personnel;

(d) a person authorised to exercise any function of the Housing Executive or that Department relating to a relevant benefit;

(e) a person providing services relating to a relevant benefit to the Housing Executive or that Department.

(7) In this Article “relevant benefit” means—

(a) universal credit;

(b) housing benefit;

(c) any prescribed benefit.

(8) In this Article and Article 121—

“the Housing Executive” means the Northern Ireland Housing Executive;

“relevant body” means—

(a)

a Health and Social Care trust;

(b)

the Regional Health and Social Care Board established under section 7 of the Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (Northern Ireland) 2009.