The Discretionary Support (Amendment) (COVID-19) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2020 No. 44

Welfare

The Discretionary Support (Amendment) (COVID-19) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Laid before the Assembly in draft

Made

24th March 2020

Coming into operation in accordance with regulation 1

The Department for Communities(1) makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 135 of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015(2).

In accordance with Article 135(5) of that Order, a draft of these Regulations was laid before, and approved by a resolution of, the Assembly.

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Discretionary Support (Amendment) (COVID-19) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 and shall come into operation on the day after they are approved by a resolution of, the Assembly.

Amendment to the Discretionary Support Regulations

2.  In regulation 12 of the Discretionary Support Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016(3) (grant eligibility)—

(a) in paragraph (2) after sub-paragraph (d) add—

“(e) the grant is to provide assistance in the form of living expenses where the claimant or any member of their immediate family is diagnosed with COVID-19 or is advised to self-isolate in accordance with guidance published by the Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being(4).”;

(b) in paragraph (3), for “(a) and (b)” substitute “(a), (b) and (e)”.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Communities on 24th March 2020

(L.S.)

Anne McCleary

A senior officer of the Department for Communities

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Discretionary Support Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 (S.R. 2016 No. 270) (“the 2016 Regulations”).

Regulation 2 amends regulation 12 of the 2016 Regulations to provide for a grant for short-term living expenses to assist claimants affected by COVID-19 or who are advised to self-isolate because of it and to exempt such cases from the restriction of only one grant in twelve months. Guidance is published by the Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being and is available in digital form on the following websites: https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/news/covid-19-coronavirus for the public and https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/coronavirus

(1)

See section 1(7) of the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (c. 5 (N.I.))

(2)

S.I. 2015/2006 (N.I. 1)

(3)

S.R. 2016 No. 270

(4)

Established under the Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (Northern Ireland) 2009 c.1 (N.I.)