3.—(1) A person’s entitlement to state pension credit during periods of temporary absence from Northern Ireland is to continue –
(a)for up to 4 weeks in the circumstances specified in paragraph (2);
(b)for up to 8 weeks in the circumstances specified in paragraph (3).
(2) The circumstances specified in this paragraph are that –
(a)the period of the claimant’s absence from Northern Ireland is unlikely to exceed 52 weeks, and
(b)while absent from Northern Ireland, the claimant continues to satisfy the other conditions of entitlement to state pension credit.
(3) The circumstances specified in this paragraph are that –
(a)the period of the claimant’s absence from Northern Ireland is unlikely to exceed 52 weeks;
(b)while absent from Northern Ireland, the claimant continues to satisfy the other conditions of entitlement to state pension credit;
(c)the claimant is accompanying a young person solely in connection with arrangements made for the treatment of that person for a disease or bodily or mental disablement, and
(d)those arrangements relate to treatment –
(i)outside Northern Ireland,
(ii)during the period whilst the claimant is temporarily absent from Northern Ireland, and
(iii)by, or under the supervision of, a person appropriately qualified to carry out that treatment.
(4) In paragraph (3) –
“young person” means a person who has not attained the age of 19, is treated as a child for the purposes of section 138 of the Contributions and Benefits Act and lives with the claimant or the claimant’s partner;
“appropriately qualified” means qualified in providing medical treatment, physiotherapy or a form of treatment which is similar to, or related to, either of those forms of treatment.