The Income Support (General) (Standard Interest Rate Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Income Support (General) (Standard Interest Rate Amendment No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 and shall come into operation on 21st March 1999.

(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(1) (date when change of circumstances is to take effect)—

(i) from the first day of the benefit week which includes 28th March 1999, or

(ii) if the claim for income support is for a period commencing after 28th March 1999, from the first day of the first benefit week commencing after 21st March 1999;

(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 March 1999,

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).

(4) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(5) 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(6) (housing costs), in paragraph 12(1)(a) (standard rate of interest on qualifying loans) for “8.24 per cent.” there shall be substituted “7.75 per cent.”.

Revocation

3.  The Income Support (General) (Standard Interest Rate Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999(7) are hereby revoked save that those Regulations shall continue to have effect until the day before the first day of the benefit week having effect in relation to any particular claimant for the purpose of regulation 1(2) of the Regulations.

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

L.S.

John O'Neill

Assistant Secretary

22nd February 1999.