EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations further amend the Health and Personal Social Services (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 (“the principal Regulations”) which provide for payments to be made, by means of a voucher system, in respect of costs incurred by certain categories of persons in connection with the supply, replacement and repair of optical appliances.
Regulation 2 inserts a new definition into the principal Regulations and amends regulation 8 of those Regulations to provide that a person who is receiving income–related employment and support allowance (or a member of that person’s family) will be entitled to a voucher in respect of an optical appliance.