The Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payment (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2020 No. 62

Social Security

The Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payment (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Made

7th April 2020

Coming into operation

8th April 2020

The Department for Communities makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 134(1)(a) and (4) and 171(1), (3) and (4) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992(1), and now vested in it(2).

In accordance with section 150(1)(a) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992, it appears to the Department that by reason of the urgency of this matter it is inexpedient to refer the proposals in respect of these Regulations to the Social Security Advisory Committee.

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payment (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 and shall come into operation on 8th April 2020.

Amendment to the Social Fund Maternity and Funeral Expenses (General) Regulations

2.  In the Social Fund Maternity and Funeral Expenses (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005(3), in regulation 9 (amount of funeral payment)—

(a) in paragraph (3)(g) for “£700” substitute “£1000”; and

(b) in paragraph (10)(b) for “£700 substitute “£1000”.

Transitional provision

3.  The amendments made by regulation 2 only apply to claims in respect of a death that occurs on or after 8th April 2020.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Communities on 07th April 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 Social Fund Maternity and Funeral Expenses (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 (S.R. 2005 No. 506) to increase the amount paid for funeral expenses additional to those listed in the Regulations from £700 to £1,000 for deaths which occur on or after 8th April 2020.

(1)

1992 c. 7; section 134(1) was substituted by Article 66(1) of the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (S.I. 1998/1506 (N.I. 10)) and amended by Article 77 and Schedule 12 to the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/2006 (N.I. 1)). Section 171 was amended by paragraph 5 of Schedule 4 to the Tax Credits Act 2002 (c. 21).

(2)

See Article 8(b) of S.R. 1999 No. 481 and section 1(7) of the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (c. 5 (N.I.))

(3)

S.R. 2005 No. 506