The Social Security (Lone Parents and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

Amendment of the Lone Parents Regulations from the day after the day on which these Regulations are made

5.—(1) The Lone Parents Regulations are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (6).

(2) In regulation 2(1)(1) (requirement for lone parents claiming or entitled to income support to take part in an interview) after “regulations” insert “2ZA,”.

(3) After regulation 2 insert—

“Requirement for certain lone parents to take part in an interview

2ZA.— (1) This regulation applies to a lone parent if—

(a) he is entitled to income support and is a person to whom paragraph 1 (lone parents) of Schedule 1B to the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 applies;

(b) no other paragraph of that Schedule applies to him, and

(c) he is responsible for and living in the same household as—

(i) a single child aged 9, 10 or 11, or

(ii) more than one child where the youngest is aged 9, 10 or 11.

(2) Subject to regulations 4 to 6, a lone parent to whom this regulation applies is required to take part in an interview every 13 weeks after he—

(a) last took part,

(b) last failed to take part, or

(c) was last treated as having taken part,

in an interview.

(3) A lone parent who—

(a) is required to take part in an interview under this regulation, or

(b) has had a requirement to take part in an interview under this regulation waived or deferred,

is not required to take part in an interview under regulation 2 unless this regulation ceases to apply to him.”.

(4) In regulation 4(2)(2) (circumstances where requirement to take part in an interview does not apply) for “2A” substitute “2ZA and 2A”.

(5) In regulations 5(2)(3) (deferment of requirement to take part in an interview) and 6(2)(a)(4) (waiver), for “2 and 2A” substitute “2, 2ZA and 2A”.

(6) In regulation 7(3)(b)(5) (consequence of failure to take part in a work-focused interview), after “2(3) or (4)” insert “, 2ZA”.

(1)

Regulation 2(1) was substituted by regulation 2(2) of S.R. 2007 No. 219

(2)

Regulation 4 was substituted by regulation 2(5) of S.R 2007 No. 219

(3)

Regulation 5 was amended by regulation 3(6) of S.R. 2005 No. 443

(4)

Regulation 6 was amended by regulation 3(7) of S.R. 2005 No. 443

(5)

Regulation 7 was amended by regulation 2(6)(b) of S.R. 2007 No. 219