The Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker's Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016

Effective dates: Department's decisionsN.I.

35.—(1) Schedule 1 makes provision for the date from which a superseding decision takes effect where there has been, or it is anticipated that there will be, a relevant change of circumstances since the earlier decision took effect.

(2) This paragraph applies where the Department supersedes a decision—

(a)on the ground that the decision was wrong in law, or was made in ignorance of, or was based on a mistake as to, some material fact, in accordance with regulation 24 (error of law, ignorance, mistake etc.); or

(b)under regulation 25 (decisions against which no appeal lies).

(3) In a case where paragraph (2) applies and the superseding decision relates to a jobseeker's allowance or an employment and support allowance, the superseding decision takes effect from the first day of the benefit week in which the superseding decision, or where applicable, the application for supersession, was made.

(4) In a case where paragraph (2) applies and the superseding decision relates to universal credit, the superseding decision takes effect from the first day of the assessment period in which the superseding decision, or where applicable, the application for supersession, was made.

(5) A superseding decision made in consequence of a decision which is a relevant determination for the purposes of Article 27 of the 1998 Order M1 (restrictions on entitlement to benefit in certain cases of error) takes effect from the date of the relevant determination.

(6) In the case of an employment and support allowance, a superseding decision made in accordance with regulation 26(1) (medical evidence and limited capability for work etc.), following an application by the claimant, that embodies a determination that the claimant has limited capability for work-related activity, takes effect from the date of the application.

(7) In the case of an employment and support allowance, a superseding decision made on the Department's own initiative in accordance with regulation 26(1) that embodies a determination that the claimant has—

(a)limited capability for work;

(b)limited capability for work-related activity; or

(c)limited capability for work and limited capability for work-related activity,

takes effect from the day after the last day of the relevant period as defined in regulation 5(4) of the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations where the determination is the first such determination.

(8) In the case of an employment and support allowance where regulation 6 of the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations (assessment phase – previous claimants) applies, a superseding decision made in accordance with regulation 26(1) of these Regulations that embodies a determination that the claimant has—

(a)limited capability for work;

(b)limited capability for work-related activity; or

(c)limited capability for work and limited capability for work-related activity,

takes effect from the beginning of the 14th week of the claimant's continuous period of limited capability for work.

(9) In the case of universal credit, a superseding decision made in accordance with regulation 26(1) that embodies a determination that the claimant has limited capability for work or limited capability for work and work-related activity takes effect—

(a)in a case to which paragraph (1) of regulation 29 of the Universal Credit Regulations (period for which the LCW or LCWRA element is not to be included) applies, from the beginning of the assessment period specified in that paragraph; or

(b)in any other case, from the beginning of the assessment period in which the decision (if made on the Department's own initiative) or the application for a supersession was made.

(10) A superseding decision to which regulation 27(1) (sanctions cases) applies takes effect from the beginning of the period specified in—

(a)regulation 54 of the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations, where the decision relates to the start of a reduction in the amount of an employment and support allowance;

(b)regulation 56 of those Regulations, where the decision relates to ending the suspension of such a reduction where a fraud penalty ceases to apply;

(c)regulation 23 of the Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations, where the decision relates to the start of a reduction in the amount of jobseeker's allowance;

(d)regulation 25 of those Regulations, where the decision relates to ending the suspension of such a reduction where a fraud penalty ceases to apply;

(e)regulation 103 of the Universal Credit Regulations, where the decision relates to the start of a reduction in the amount of universal credit;

(f)regulation 105 of those Regulations, where the decision relates to ending the suspension of such a reduction where a fraud penalty ceases to apply.

(11) A superseding decision to which regulation 27(2) applies takes effect from the beginning of the period specified in—

(a)regulation 56 of the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations, where the decision relates to the start of a suspension where a fraud penalty applies;

(b)regulation 57 of those Regulations, where the decision relates to the termination of a reduction in the amount of an employment and support allowance;

(c)regulation 25 of the Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations, where the decision relates to the start of a suspension where a fraud penalty applies;

(d)regulation 26 of those Regulations, where the decision relates to the termination of a reduction in the amount of a jobseeker's allowance;

(e)regulation 105 of the Universal Credit Regulations, where the decision relates to the start of a suspension where a fraud penalty applies;

(f)regulation 106 of those Regulations, where the decision relates to the termination of a reduction in the amount of an award of universal credit.

(12) A superseding decision to which regulation 28 (loss of benefit cases) applies takes effect from the date prescribed for the purposes of section 5B or 6 of the Fraud Act.

(13) Where a decision is superseded in accordance with regulation 29 (contributions cases), the superseding decision takes effect from the date referred to in regulation 29(a), (b) or (c) on which the late or unpaid contribution is treated as paid.

(14) A superseding decision made in consequence of a redetermination in accordance with regulation 30 (housing costs: universal credit) takes effect on the first day of the first assessment period following the day on which that redetermination is received by the Department.