Explanatory Note
(This note is not part of the Regulations.)
These Regulations provide for the payments which are or are to be treated as earnings for the purpose of calculating entitlement to State Maternity Allowance.
Regulation 2 specifies payments for women who are employed earners.
Regulation 3 specifies the payments to be treated as made to or for the benefit of a woman who is a self-employed earner.
Regulation 4 provides for the aggregation of payments for the purpose of determining the average weekly amount of specified payments applicable in her case.
Regulation 5 specifies periods for the purposes of sections 35A(4) and (5) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (“the Contributions and Benefits Act”).
Regulation 6 provides for the determination of the average weekly amount of specified payments for the purposes of section 35A(4) of the Contributions and Benefits Act.
These Regulations are made in consequence of Article 50 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1999. Article 50 came into operation for the purposes only of the exercise of any power to make regulations on 12th January 2000 and comes into operation for all other purposes on 2nd April 2000 by virtue of Article 2(1)(a) of the Welfare Reform and Pensions (1999 Order) (Commencement No. 1) Order (Northern Ireland) 1999 (S.R. 1999 No. 494 (C. 38)). As these Regulations are made before the end of the period of 6 months from the coming into operation of Article 50 they are accordingly exempt, by virtue of section 150(5)(b) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 8), from reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.