The Social Security (Benefits for Widows and Widowers) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001

Amendment of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations

10.—(1) The Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987(1) shall be amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (7).

(2) In regulation 2(1) (interpretation)—

(a) after the definition of “benefit orders” there shall be inserted—

““bereavement allowance” means an allowance referred to in section 39B of the Contributions and Benefits Act(2);

“bereavement benefit” means a benefit referred to in section 20(1)(ea) of the Contributions and Benefits Act;”;

(b) in the definition of “long term benefits”(3) after “a widow’s pension,” there shall be inserted “a widowed parent’s allowance, bereavement allowance,”;

(c) after the definition of “week” there shall be added—

““widowed parent’s allowance” means an allowance referred to in section 39A of the Contributions and Benefits Act.”.

(3) In regulation 3 (claims not required for entitlement to benefit in certain cases)—

(a) in paragraph (a), after sub-paragraph (iii) there shall be added—

“or

(iv) bereavement benefit;”;

(b) in paragraph (d)—

(i) in sub-paragraph (i), after “widowed mother’s allowance” there shall be inserted “or a widowed parent’s allowance”;

(ii) in sub-paragraph (ii), after “widow’s pension” there shall be inserted “or bereavement allowance”.

(4) In regulation 19(3)(4) (which specifies which benefits have to be claimed within the period specified in paragraph (2) of that regulation) after sub-paragraph (g) there shall be inserted—

“(ga) bereavement benefit;”.

(5) In Schedule 1, in the Table in Part I(5) (benefit claimed and other benefit which may be treated as if claimed in addition or in the alternative)—

(a) in column (1) after “Widow’s benefit” there shall be inserted “or bereavement benefit”;

(b) in column (2) after “Widow’s benefit” there shall be inserted “or bereavement benefit”.

(6) In Schedule 6 (days for payment of long term benefits)—

(a) in paragraph 5, for sub-paragraph (b) there shall be substituted—

“(b) where—

(i) a woman was entitled to a widow’s benefit, or

(ii) a person was entitled to a bereavement benefit,

immediately before becoming entitled to a retirement pension, that pension shall be payable on Tuesdays;”;

(b) in paragraph 6, after “Widowed mother’s allowance” there shall be inserted “, widowed parent’s allowance, bereavement allowance”.

(7) In Schedule 7(6) (manner and time of payment and commencement of entitlement in income support cases)—

(a) in paragraph 2(c), after “widow’s benefit” there shall be inserted “or bereavement benefit”;

(b) in paragraph 4(7), in the definition of “relevant social security benefit” after “retirement pension” there shall be inserted “, bereavement benefit”.

(1)

S.R. 1987 No. 465; relevant amending rules are S.R. 1988 No. 141, S.R. 1992 No. 7, S.R. 1994 No. 456, S.R. 1996 No. 354, S.R. 1997 No. 156, S.R. 1999 Nos. 365 and 472 (C. 36) and S.R. 2000 No. 215

(2)

The definition of “the Contributions and Benefits Act” was inserted by regulation 3(2) of S.R. 1997 No. 156

(3)

The definition of “long term benefits” was amended by regulation 2(2) of S.R. 1992 No. 7 and regulation 2 of S.R. 1999 No. 365

(4)

Regulation 19 was substituted by regulation 3(7) of S.R. 1997 No. 156

(5)

The Table in Part I of Schedule 1 was substituted by Schedule 1 to S.R. 1994 No. 456 and amended by regulation 2(19) of S.R. 1996 No. 354

(6)

The heading to Schedule 7 was amended by Article 9(12)(a) of S.R. 1999 No. 472(C. 36) and regulation 3(5)(a) of S.R. 2000 No. 215

(7)

Paragraph 4 was amended by regulation 10(b) of S.R. 1988 No. 141, regulation 2(15)(c) of S.R. 1994 No. 456 and regulation 2(24)(b) of S.R. 1996 No. 354