(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations are made in order to address failures of retained EU law to operate effectively and other deficiencies arising from the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union.
Regulation 2 amends the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 (S.R. 2000 No. 91) to provide that winter fuel payments shall only be paid to persons habitually resident in the countries listed in the Schedule to those regulations if they are covered by the coordination of social security provisions in the withdrawal agreement, the EEA EFTA separation agreement or the Swiss citizens’ rights agreement or by the Convention on Social Security between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Ireland signed at Dublin on 1st February 2019.
Regulation 3 amends regulations 1 and 2 of the Social Security (Application of Reciprocal Agreements with Australia, Canada and New Zealand) (EEA States and Switzerland) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (S.R. 2015 No. 281) (“the 2015 Regulations”).
Regulation 4 revokes the 2015 Regulations from 31st December 2021 with a savings provision for UK, EEA and Swiss nationals who are habitually resident in the EEA or Switzerland on 31st December 2021.