The Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015

Work-related requirements and sanctions

5.—(1) The provision referred to in paragraph 1(1) includes—

(a) provision relating to the application of work-related requirements for relevant benefits;

(b) provision relating to the application of sanctions.

(2) The provision referred to in sub-paragraph (1)(a) includes—

(a) provision that a claimant commitment for a relevant benefit is to be treated as a claimant commitment for universal credit;

(b) provision that a work-related requirement for a relevant benefit is to be treated as a work-related requirement for universal credit;

(c) provision for anything done which is relevant to compliance with a work-related requirement for a relevant benefit to be treated as done for the purposes of compliance with a work-related requirement for universal credit;

(d) provision temporarily disapplying any provision of this Part in relation to work-related requirements for universal credit.

(3) The provision referred to in sub-paragraph (1)(b) includes—

(a) provision for a sanction relevant to an award of a relevant benefit to be applied to an award of universal credit;

(b) provision for anything done which is relevant to the application of a sanction for a relevant benefit to be treated as done for the purposes of the application of a sanction for universal credit;

(c) provision temporarily disapplying any provision of this Part in relation to the application of sanctions.

(4) In this paragraph—

“relevant benefit” means—

(a)

jobseeker’s allowance,

(b)

employment and support allowance, and

(c)

income support;

“work-related requirement” means—

(d)

for universal credit, a work-related requirement within the meaning of this Part;

(e)

for jobseeker’s allowance, a requirement imposed—

(i)

by virtue of regulations under Article 10 or 19A of the Jobseekers Order,

(ii)

by a jobseeker’s direction (within the meaning of Article 21A of that Order),

(iii)

by virtue of regulations under section 2A, 2AA or 2D of the Administration Act, or

(iv)

by a direction under section 2F of that Act;

(f)

for employment and support allowance, a requirement imposed—

(i)

by virtue of regulations under section 8, 9, 11, 12 or 13 of the Welfare Reform Act (Northern Ireland) 2007,

(ii)

by a direction under section 15 of that Act,

(iii)

by virtue of regulations under section 2A, 2AA or 2D of the Administration Act, or

(iv)

by a direction under section 2F of that Act;

(g)

for income support, a requirement imposed—

(i)

by virtue of regulations under section 2A, 2AA or 2D of the Administration Act, or

(ii)

by a direction under section 2F of that Act;

“sanction” means a reduction of benefit under—

(h)

Article 31 or 32,

(i)

Article 21, 21A or 21B of the Jobseekers Order,

(j)

section 11, 12 or 13 of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Act 2007, or

(k)

section 2A, 2AA or 2D of the Administration Act.