Financial Assistance Act (Northern Ireland) 2009

Section 3 – Schemes for financial assistance

Section 3 specifies the types of matters which may be included in a scheme contained in regulations made under either section 1 or section 2 of the Act.

Subsection (1) provides that a scheme may:-

(a)

determine eligibility for the financial assistance;

(b)

determine the form and extent of the financial assistance to be provided;

(c)

determine which Northern Ireland department is to provide the financial assistance;

(d)

make provision for applications to be made for financial assistance and for the applications to be made in a specified manner, to a specified person, by a specified time and contain specified information;

(e)

impose conditions or restrictions in relation to its operation;

(f)

impose functions on public bodies in relation to its implementation;

(g)

make provision for ensuring that the scheme is brought to the attention of those persons who are likely to be eligible for financial assistance under it;

(h)

make provision for its general administration, including provision for reviewing decisions taken under the scheme and for dealing with disputes about eligibility or entitlement arising under the scheme; and

(i)

make provision for any other matter which appears to the department making the scheme to be necessary or appropriate for its efficient and effective administration.

Subsection (2) enables the “relevant department” to place a time limit on the duration of a scheme contained within regulations made under section 1 or section 2 of the Act.  It also enables the “relevant department” to include within a scheme any saving provisions which it considers necessary to deal with any matters or proceedings that are outstanding at the time the scheme ceases to have effect.