SCHEDULEFuel Allowance Payments Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2012

Regulation 2

Citation and interpretation

1.

(1)

This Scheme may be cited as the Fuel Allowance Payments Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2012.

(2)

In this Scheme:—

“the Department” means the Department for Social Development;

“the higher rate” means a single payment of £100;

“a fuel allowance payment” means financial assistance provided under this Scheme;

“income support” means income support under section 123 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 19922;

“the qualifying week” means the week beginning with (and including) Monday 12th December 2011 and ending with Sunday 18th December 2011;

“social security information” means information held by or on behalf of the Department and obtained as a result of, or for the purpose of, the exercise of the Department’s functions in relation to social security;

“state pension credit” means state pension credit under the State Pension Credit Act (Northern Ireland) 20023;

“the standard rate” means a single payment of £75.

Eligibility

2.

(1)

A person is not eligible for a fuel allowance payment at the standard rate unless they were in receipt of:—

(a)

income support;

(b)

income-related employment and support allowance; or

(c)

income-based job seeker’s allowance

on any one day during the qualifying week.

(2)

A person is not eligible for a fuel allowance payment at the higher rate unless they were in receipt of state pension credit on any one day during the qualifying week.

Delayed payment

3.

(1)

A person who is eligible for a fuel allowance payment, and has not received it by 29th February 2012, may apply for a payment.

(2)

An application under sub-paragraph (1) must:—

(a)

be in writing to the Department or by telephone to 0300 200 7870;

(b)

be received by the Department before 30th June 2012; and

(c)

specify:—

(i)

the applicant’s name, address, date of birth and national insurance number;

(ii)

the date on which the application is sent to the Department; and

(iii)

the benefits that the applicant is in receipt of.

(3)

If the Department is satisfied that a person making an application under sub-paragraph (1) is eligible for a fuel allowance payment and has not already received such a payment, the Department shall make that payment.

Payment to be disregarded for social security

4.

No account shall be taken of eligibility for a fuel allowance payment in considering a person’s entitlement to a Social Fund payment or a payment under either of the following social security benefits:—

(a)

income support; or

(b)

state pension credit.

Information

5.

The Department may use social security information for the purpose of determining whether a person is eligible for a fuel allowance payment.

Provision of household fuel payments

6.

The Department shall make fuel allowance payments under the Scheme.