These Regulations provide for payments (“fuel allowance payments”) to be made to eligible persons under the Fuel Allowance Payments Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2012.

Regulation 1 makes provision for citation and commencement.

Regulation 2 provides that the Fuel Allowance Payments Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2012 is set out in the Schedule to the Regulations.

Schedule

Paragraph 1 makes provision for citation and interpretation.

Paragraph 2 provides that to be eligible for a fuel allowance payment at the standard rate (£75), a person must have been in receipt of income support, income-related employment and support allowance or income-based job seeker’s allowance during the qualifying week beginning with (and including) Monday 12th December 2011 and ending with Sunday 18th December 2011, and to be eligible for a fuel allowance payment at the higher rate (£100), a person must have been in receipt of state pension credit during the qualifying week.

Paragraph 3 provides that persons who are eligible for a fuel allowance payment but do not receive it before 29th February 2012 may apply for the payment from the Department for Social Development by 30th June 2012. If the Department is satisfied that the applicant is eligible for a fuel allowance payment, the Department shall make the payment.

Paragraph 4 provides that no account shall be taken of eligibility for a fuel allowance payment when considering a person’s entitlement to income support or state pension credit.

Paragraph 5 provides that the Department may use social security information for the purpose of determining eligibility for a fuel allowance payment.

Paragraph 6 provides that the Department for Social Development shall make payments under the Fuel Allowance Payments Scheme.

The Regulations apply to Northern Ireland only.

A regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for the Regulations as they have no impact on the costs of business.