The Child Benefit (Residence and Persons Abroad) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations amend the Child Benefit (Residence and Persons Abroad) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1976 (S.R. 1976 No. 227) so that child benefit shall not cease to be payable in respect of a child who is temporarily absent abroad either for a period of 12 weeks or less, or for more than 12 weeks by reason only of receiving full-time education in another EEA State or education in consequence of an educational exchange or visit made with the written consent of the recognised educational establishment which he normally attends.

These Regulations shall not have effect in the case of a child in respect of whom child benefit is payable, where the child was absent from Northern Ireland for any week in the 12 weeks preceding 1st March 1999 by reason only of receiving full-time education at a recognised educational establishment and that child either–

(a) remains continuously absent from Northern Ireland; or

(b) returns to Northern Ireland for any period not exceeding 12 weeks,

up to and including either 6th September 1999 or the Monday of the 156th week following the start of the child’s education abroad, whichever is the later.

These Regulations make in relation to Northern Ireland only provision corresponding 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.