The Social Security (Lone Parents and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016

Regulation 1(3)

SCHEDULE Special Commencement Provisions for Certain Existing Claimants

Application and interpretation

1.—(1) A lone parent falls within this Schedule if—

(a) the lone parent has attained the age of 18;

(b) the lone parent was entitled to income support on grounds of falling within paragraph 1 (lone parents) of Schedule 1B (prescribed categories of person) to the Income Support Regulations immediately before the commencement day;

(c) no other paragraph of Schedule 1B applies to the lone parent; and

(d) on the commencement day, the lone parent is responsible for and a member of the same household as—

(i) a single child who is aged 5 or 6 or who will attain the age of 5 before 17th July 2017 ; or

(ii) more than one child where the youngest child is aged 5 or 6 or will attain the age of 5 before 17th July 2017.

(2) A lone parent does not fall within this Schedule if on or after the commencement day—

(a) the lone parent makes a further claim for income support; or

(b) regulation 7 applies to the lone parent.

(3) In this Schedule—

“benefit week”(1) has the same meaning as in regulation 2(1) of the Income Support Regulations;

“child” means a person aged under 16;

“child tax credit” means a child tax credit under section 8 of the Tax Credits Act 2002(2);

“commencement day” means 16^th January 2017;

“voluntary interview appointment” means an appointment for a lone parent who falls within this Schedule to attend an interview voluntarily for the purpose of discussing the changes to income support entitlement for lone parents which are made by these Regulations; and

“work-focused interview” means a work-focused interview conducted in accordance with regulations made under section 2A(1) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992.

Lone Parent responsible for a child who has attained the age of 6 before 16th January 2017

2.—(1) This paragraph applies to a lone parent who falls within this Schedule if, before the commencement day, the lone parent is responsible for and a member of the same household as—

(a) a single child who has attained the age of 6; or

(b) more than one child, the youngest of whom has attained the age of 6.

(2) Subject to paragraphs 6 and 7, regulations 2, 4 and 5 come into operation in relation to a lone parent to whom this paragraph applies on the first day of the benefit week in which a requirement to take part in a work-focused interview would, apart from these Regulations, next have arisen in relation to the lone parent on or after 16th January 2017.

Lone Parent responsible for a child who attains the age of 6 after 15th January 2017 and before 17th April 2017

3.—(1) This paragraph applies to a lone parent who falls within this Schedule if, on the commencement day, the lone parent is responsible for and a member of the same household as—

(a) a single child who attains the age of 6 after 15th January 2017 and before 17th April 2017; or

(b) more than one child, the youngest of whom attains the age of 6 after 15th January 2017 and before 17th April 2017.

(2) Subject to paragraphs 6 and 7, regulations 2, 4 and 5 come into operation in relation to a lone parent to whom this paragraph applies at the end of the last day of the benefit week in which the child in question attains the age of 6.

Lone Parent responsible for a child who attains the age of 5 after 16th April 2016 and before 17th April 2017

4.—(1) This paragraph applies to a lone parent who falls within this Schedule if, on the commencement day, the lone parent is responsible for and a member of the same household as—

(a) a single child who attains the age of 5 after 16th April 2016 and before 17th April 2017; or

(b) more than one child, the youngest of whom attains the age of 5 after 16th April 2016 and before 17th April 2017.

(2) Subject to paragraphs 6 and 7, regulations 2, 4 and 5 come into operation in relation to a lone parent to whom this paragraph applies on the first day of the first benefit week in which a requirement to take part in a work-focused interview would, apart from these Regulations, next have arisen in relation to the lone parent on or after 17th April 2017.

Lone Parent responsible for a child who attains the age of 5 after 17th April 2017 and before 17th July 2017

5.—(1) This paragraph applies to a lone parent who falls within this Schedule if, on the commencement day, the lone parent is responsible for and a member of the same household as—

(a) a single child who attains the age of 5 after 17th April 2017 and before 17th July 2017; or

(b) more than one child, the youngest of whom attains the age of 5 after 17th April 2017 and before 17th July 2017.

(2) Subject to paragraphs 6 and 7, regulations 2, 4 and 5 come into operation in relation to a lone parent to whom this paragraph applies at the end of the last day of the benefit week in which the child in question attains the age of 5.

Circumstances where the Department is not satisfied that a decision has been made in relation to the lone parent’s claim for child tax credit at the time of the voluntary interview appointment

6.—(1) Where sub-paragraph (2) applies, regulation 2 comes into operation in relation to a lone parent at the end of the period of 4 weeks beginning with the day mentioned in sub-paragraph (2) of paragraphs 2, 3, 4 or 5, as would be applicable to the lone parent apart from this paragraph (“the relevant day”).

(2) This paragraph applies where—

(a) a lone parent to whom this Schedule applies has been invited in writing by the Department to attend a voluntary interview appointment on a date during the two month period before the relevant day;

(b) at the time of the voluntary interview appointment, the lone parent has claimed, or is treated as having made a claim for, child tax credit; and

(c) the Department is not satisfied that a decision has been made in relation to that claim at the time of the voluntary interview appointment.

Lone parents not invited to a voluntary interview during the two month period before the relevant day

7.  Where a lone parent to whom this Schedule applies has not been invited in writing, before the day mentioned in sub-paragraph (2) of paragraphs 2, 3, 4 or 5, as would be applicable to the lone parent apart from this paragraph (“the relevant day”), to attend a voluntary interview appointment regulations 2, 4 and 5 come into operation in relation to the lone parent at the end of a period of 6 weeks beginning with the date in which the Department invites the lone parent in writing to attend a voluntary interview appointment.

(1)

The definition of “benefit week” was amended by regulation 2(a) of S.R. 1988 No. 318.

(2)

2002. c.21.