Civil Partnership Act 2004

254 Social security, child support and tax credits

(1) Schedule 24 contains amendments relating to social security, child support and tax credits.

(2) Subsection (3) applies in relation to any provision of any Act, Northern Ireland legislation or subordinate legislation which—

(a) relates to social security, child support or tax credits, and

(b) contains references (however expressed) to persons who are living or have lived together as husband and wife.

(3) The power under section 259 to make orders amending enactments, Northern Ireland legislation and subordinate legislation is to be treated as including power to amend the provision to refer to persons who are living or have lived together as if they were civil partners.

(4) Subject to subsection (5), section 175(3), (5) and (6) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (c. 4) applies to the exercise of the power under section 259 in relation to social security, child support or tax credits as it applies to any power under that Act to make an order (there being disregarded for the purposes of this subsection the exceptions in section 175(3) and (5) of that Act).

(5) Section 171(3), (5) and (6) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 7) applies to the exercise by a Northern Ireland department of the power under section 259 in relation to social security and child support as it applies to any power under that Act to make an order (there being disregarded for the purposes of this subsection the exceptions in section 171(3) and (5) of that Act).

(6) The reference in subsection (2) to an Act or Northern Ireland legislation relating to social security is to be read as including a reference to—

(a) the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers' Compensation) Act 1979 (c. 41), and

(b) the Pneumoconiosis, etc., (Workers' Compensation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1979 (S.I. 1979/925 (N.I. 9));

and the references in subsections (4) and (5) to social security are to be construed accordingly.