The Social Security (Work-focused Interviews for Lone Parents Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2002 No. 105

SOCIAL SECURITY

The Social Security (Work-focused Interviews for Lone Parents Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002

Made

14th March 2002

Coming into operation

8th April 2002

The Department for Social Development, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 2A(1), (3)(c) to (f), (4), (5)(a) and (b), (6), (7) and (8) and 165(4) to (6) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992(1), and now vested in it, and of all other powers enabling it in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations:

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security (Work-focused Interviews for Lone Parents Amendment) Regulations 2002 and shall come into operation on 8th April 2002.

(2) In these Regulations the “Work-focused Interviews for Lone Parents Regulations” means the Social Security (Work-focused Interviews for Lone Parents) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001(2).

(3) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(3) shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Assembly.

Amendment of the Work-focused Interviews for Lone Parents Regulations

2.—(1) The Work-focused Interviews for Lone Parents Regulations shall be amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (4).

(2) In regulation 1(1) (citation, commencement and interpretation), for sub-paragraph (e) there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraphs—

“(e) subject to the preceding sub-paragraphs, come into operation on 7th April 2003 in respect of lone parents who on that date are entitled to income support and are not responsible for and living in the same household as a child under the age of 5 years and 3 months;

(f) subject to the preceding sub-paragraphs, where a lone parent—

(i) is responsible for and living in the same household as a child who reaches the age of 5 years and 3 months after 7th April 2003, and

(ii) is not on the date that child reaches that age responsible for and living in the same household as a younger child,

come into operation in respect of that lone parent on the date that child reaches the age of 5 years and 3 months.”.

(3) In regulation 2 (requirement for lone parents claiming or entitled to income support to take part in an interview)—

(a) after paragraph (1)(b)(i) there shall be inserted the following heads—

“(ia) is a lone parent to whom paragraph (4) applies, is required to take part in an interview after the expiry of six months from the date on which—

(aa) he took part in an interview under sub-paragraph (a), or

(bb) a determination was made under regulation 6 with effect that he is to be treated as having taken part in such an interview, or

(ib) took part, or failed to take part, or was treated as having taken part, in an interview pursuant to the requirement in head (ia), is required to take part in an interview after the expiry of six months from the date on which—

(i) he took part in that interview;

(ii) he failed to take part in that interview, or

(iii) a determination was made under regulation 6 with effect that he is to be treated as having taken part in that interview; or”;

(b) after paragraph (3) there shall be inserted the following paragraph—

“(4) This paragraph applies to a lone parent who—

(a) makes a claim for income support on or after 8th April 2002, and

(b) has taken part or has been treated as having taken part in an interview under paragraph (1)(a).”.

(4) In regulation 4(a) (circumstances where requirement to take part in an interview does not apply) for “5 years and 3 months” there shall be substituted “3 years”.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Social Development on 14th March 2002.

L.S.

John O'Neill

Senior Officer of the

Department for Social Development

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations amend the Social Security (Work-focused Interviews for Lone Parents) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001. They impose a requirement for additional work-focused interviews on certain lone parents making claims for income support on or after 8th April 2002.

For lone parents claiming income support on or after 8th April 2002, the requirement to participate in work-focused interviews will arise when their youngest child is aged 3 years. Lone parents already claiming income support will be required to take part in work-focused interviews when their youngest child reaches 5 years and 3 months. Also, an additional work-focused interview will be required six months after lone parents have taken part, or were treated as having taken part, in an initial interview.

These Regulations make in relation to Northern Ireland only provision corresponding to provision contained in Regulations made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 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.

These Regulations do not impose a charge on business.

(1)

1992 c. 8; sections 2A and 2B were inserted by Article 54 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/3147 (N.I. 11))

(2)

S.R. 2001 No. 152

(3)

1954 c. 33 (N.I.)