PART 1SOCIAL SECURITY

Revised system of working-age benefits

Lone parents3

(1)

In section 123 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 7) (in this Act referred to as “the Contributions and Benefits Act”) (conditions for income support), after subsection (1) insert—

“(1A)

Regulations under paragraph (e) of subsection (1) must secure that a person who—

(a)

is not a member of a couple, and

(b)

is responsible for, and a member of the same household as, a child under the age of 7,

falls within a category of person prescribed under that paragraph.

(1B)

Subsection (1A) does not apply if regulations under paragraph (4)(c) of Article 3A of the Jobseekers (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 containing the provision mentioned in paragraph (5) of that Article are in operation.”.

(2)

In section 2A of the Administration Act (work-focused interviews)—

(a)

after subsection (2) insert—

“(2A)

No requirement may be imposed by virtue of this section on a person who—

(a)

is not a member of a couple, and

(b)

is responsible for, and a member of the same household as, a child under the age of one.

(2B)

For the purposes of subsection (2A)(b) regulations may make provision—

(a)

as to circumstances in which one person is to be treated as responsible or not responsible for another;

(b)

as to circumstances in which persons are to be treated as being or not being members of the same household.”, and

(b)

in subsection (8), after “In this section—” insert—

““couple” has the meaning given by section 133(1) of the Contributions and Benefits Act;”.

(3)

F1In section 12 of the Welfare Reform Act (Northern Ireland) 2007 (c. 2) (in this Act referred to as “the Welfare Reform Act”) (employment and support allowance: work-focused interviews), in subsection (1)(b), at the end insert “ or a lone parent of a child under the age of one ”

(4)

F2In section 13 of that Act (employment and support allowance: work-related activity)—

(a)

in subsection (1) after “section 12(1)” insert “ , and who is not a lone parent of a child under the age of 3, ”, and

(b)

after subsection (6) insert—

“(6A)

Regulations under this section shall include provision for securing that lone parents are entitled (subject to meeting any prescribed conditions) to restrict the times at which they are required to undertake work-related activity.”.

(5)

F3In section 24 of that Act (interpretation of Part 1), after subsection (3) insert—

“(3A)

For the purposes of this Part, a person is a lone parent if the person—

(a)

is not a member of a couple (within the meaning given by section 133(1) of the Contributions and Benefits Act), and

(b)

is responsible for, and a member of the same household as, a person under the age of 16.

(3B)

For the purposes of subsection (3A)(b) regulations may make provision—

(a)

as to circumstances in which one person is to be treated as responsible or not responsible for another;

(b)

as to circumstances in which persons are to be treated as being or not being members of the same household.”.