These Regulations contain amendments to a number of Social Security Regulations.

Regulations 2, 5, 6 and 8 make consequential amendments to the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987, the Income Support (Liable Relatives) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1990, the Social Security (Disability Living Allowance) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992 and the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 following the coming into operation on 4th November 1996 of certain provisions of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995.

Regulations 3, 4, 7 and 9 amend the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987, the Family Credit (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987, the Disability Working Allowance (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992 and the Social Security Benefit (Computation of Earnings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996— a consequential upon the coming into operation on 4th November 1996 of certain provisions of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995; and b to extend the definition of “relevant child care charges” to include charges made by child care schemes operating on Crown property.

Other amendments made are of a minor or technical nature.

In so far as these Regulations are required, for the purposes of regulation 3 to be referred to the Social Security Advisory Committee under section 149(2) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 8), (“the 1992 Act”), and after agreement by the Social Security Advisory Committee, they have not been so referred by virtue of section 150(1)(b) of that Act. Otherwise they make in relation to Northern Ireland only provision corresponding to provision contained in Regulations made by the Secretary of State for Social Security in relation to Great Britain and accordingly, by virtue of section 149(3) of, and paragraph 10 of Schedule 5 to, the 1992 Act, are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.