The Social Security (Budgeting Loans) (Electronic Communications) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2023

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2023 No. 96

Social Security

The Social Security (Budgeting Loans) (Electronic Communications) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2023

Made

12th June 2023

Coming into operation

31st July 2023

The Department for Communities(1) makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 1 and 2 of the Electronic Communications Act (Northern Ireland) 2001(2).

In accordance with section 1(3) of that Act it considers that the authorisation of the use of electronic communications by this Order for any purpose is such that the extent (if any) to which records of things done for that purpose will be available will be no less satisfactory in cases where use is made of electronic communications than in other cases.

Citation and commencement N.I.

1.  This Order may be cited as the Social Security (Budgeting Loans) (Electronic Communications) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2023 and shall come into operation on 31^st July 2023.

Commencement Information

I1 Art. 1 in operation at 31.7.2023, see art. 1

Amendment of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations N.I.

2.—(1) The Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987(3) are amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 2(1) (interpretation)(4), after the definition of “bereavement support payment” insert—

““budgeting loan” means a payment by way of budgeting loan under section 134(1) of the Contributions and Benefits Act(5);”.

(3) In regulation 4ZC(2)(6) (electronic claims for benefit) after “bereavement support payment,” insert “a budgeting loan,”.

(4) In regulation 32ZA(2)(7) (information given electronically) after paragraph (aa) insert—

“(ab) a budgeting loan;”.

(5) In Schedule 8D(8) (conditions for the use of electronic communication) in paragraph 2(1) after “bereavement support payment,” insert “a budgeting loan,”.

Commencement Information

I2 Art. 2 in operation at 31.7.2023, see art. 1

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Communities on 12^th June 2023

(L.S.)

David Tarr

A senior officer of the Department for Communities

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 (“the Claims and Payments Regulations”) to allow electronic claims to be made for budgeting loans.

Article 1 provides for citation and commencement.

Article 2 amends regulation 4ZC, 32ZA(2) of, and paragraph 2 of Schedule 8D to, the Claims and Payments Regulations to permit the use of an electronic claim form and electronic communications in connection with a claim for a budgeting loan. The use of an electronic communication by claimants must be in accordance with a direction of the Department.

(1)

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.))

(2)

2001 c.9 (N.I.). The terms used in section 1(1) and (2) are defined in section 4(1), other than “appropriate department” which has the meaning in section 2(1)

(3)

S.R. 1987 No. 465

(4)

Regulation 2(1) was amended by regulation 6(2) of S.R. 2022 No. 179

(5)

Section 134(1) was substituted by Article 66(1) of S.I. 1998/1506 (N.I. 10)

(6)

Regulation 4ZC was inserted by Article 2(3) of S.R. 2006 No. 203 and amended by Article 2(2) of S.R. 2011 No 298, regulation 9(5) of S.R. 2016 No. 411, regulation 10(5) of S.R. 2017 No. 66, Article 2(2) of S.R. 2020 No. 87 and Article 2(2) of S.R. 2020 No. 147

(7)

Regulation 32ZA was inserted by Article 2(3) of S.R. 2011 No. 298 and amended by Article 2 of S.R. 2011 No. 431, regulation 9(15) of S.R. 2015 No. 411, regulation 10(10) of S.R. 2017 No. 66, regulation 2(3) of S.R. 2018 No. 45 and Article 2(3) of S.R. 2020 No. 147

(8)

Schedule 8D was inserted by Article 2(4) of S.R. 2006 No.203 and paragraph 2 was amended by Article 2(4) of S.R. 2011 No. 298, Article 2(3) of S.R. 2011 No. 431, regulation 9(21) of S.R. 2015 No. 411, Article 10(14) of S.R. 2017 No. 66, regulation 2(5) of S.R. 2018 No. 45, Article 2(3) of S.R. 2020 No. 87 and Article 2(4) of S.R. 2020 No. 147