The Social Security and Child Support (Jobseeker’s Allowance) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Amendment of the Social Security Benefit (Dependency) Regulations

5.—(1) The Social Security Benefit (Dependency) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1977(1) shall be amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (4), (7) and (8).

(2) In regulation 2(1)(a)(2) (provisions as to maintenance for the purposes of increase of benefit in respect of dependants) “unemployed, or” shall be omitted.

(3) In regulation 3 (allocation of contributions for spouse or children)—

(a)in paragraph (1) “44(1)(a),” shall be omitted, and

(b)in paragraph (5) for “sections 44(1)(a) and” there shall be substituted “section”.

(4) Subject to paragraph (5), in regulation 8 (earnings rules for increases for adult dependants)—

(a)in paragraph (2) for “the amount specified in paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 4 to the Contributions and Benefits Act” there shall be substituted “the amount for the time being specified in regulation 79(1)(c) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996(3) (age-related amount for a claimant who has attained the age of 25)”, and

(b)in paragraphs (3) and (4) for “the amount specified in paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 4 to that Act” there shall be substituted “the amount for the time being specified in regulation 79(1)(c) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996”.

(5) Where the amount for the time being specified in regulation 79(1)(c) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 is less than the amount specified in paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 4 to the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 as in operation on 6th October 1996, paragraph (4) shall have effect as if the words substituted by that paragraph were “£48·25”.

(6) Paragraph (5) shall apply in a particular case only for so long as the amount substituted by that paragraph is greater than the amount specified in regulation 79(1)(c) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996.

(7) In regulation 10 (increase of benefit for person having care of child)—

(a)in paragraph (1)(4) “of unemployment benefit or” shall be omitted, and

(b)in paragraph (2)(b)(ii)(5) “unemployed or” shall be omitted.

(8) In regulation 11 (contribution to maintenance of adult dependant)—

(a)in paragraph (1)(6)—

(i)“(1) and” shall be omitted, and

(ii)the words “unemployment benefit or” in each place where they occur shall be omitted, and

(b)after paragraph (3) there shall be added the following paragraph—

“(4) Where a person has been entitled to an addition to a contribution-based jobseeker’s allowance under regulation 9(4) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance (Transitional Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996(7) (transitionally protected period) by virtue of having satisfied the requirements for an increase of unemployment benefit referred to in paragraph (2), (2A) or (3), he shall be treated for the purpose of that paragraph as if he had been entitled to an increase of unemployment benefit.”.