These Rules amend the Insolvency Rules (Northern Ireland) 1991.

They amend the definition of “excluded debt” in Rule 5A.3 so as to exclude from the scope of a Debt Relief Order any obligation arising from a payment out of the social fund by way of crisis loan or budgeting loan.

They also amend Rule 6.221 so as to include such an obligation in the list of debts that survive an individual’s bankruptcy, and Rule 12.03 to prevent such an obligation being included as a “provable debt” in a bankruptcy.

Rule 2 makes transitional provisions.

An impact assessment of the effect that this rule will have on the costs of business and the voluntary sector is published with the Explanatory Memorandum alongside the rule on www.legislation.gov.uk.