Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security (Incapacity Benefit and Jobseeker’s Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 and shall come into operation on 6th September 1999.

(2) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(3) shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to a Measure of the Assembly.

Amendment of the Social Security (Incapacity Benefit) Regulations

2.  In Regulation 3(1)(a) of the Social Security (Incapacity Benefit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994(4) (days not to be treated as days of incapacity for work) after head (iii) there shall be added the following head—

“(iv)subject to regulation 1A(5), is not entitled to incapacity benefit because section 1(1A) of the Administration Act(6) (requirement to state national insurance number) applies;”.

Amendment of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations

3.  In regulation 47(3) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996(7) (jobseeking period) after sub-paragraph (e) there shall be added the following sub-paragraph—

“(f)subject to regulation 2A(8), any period in respect of which the claimant is not entitled to a jobseeker’s allowance because section 1(1A) of the Administration Act (requirement to state national insurance number) applies.”.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations further amend—

• the Social Security (Incapacity Benefit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994 so that a day in respect of which a person makes a claim for incapacity benefit is not to be treated as a day of incapacity unless the claim is accompanied by the claimant’s and, if appropriate, his dependant’s national insurance number (regulation 2); and

• the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 so that days in respect of which a claimant is not entitled to a jobseeker’s allowance because he has not provided his and, if appropriate, his dependant’s national insurance number, shall not be, or be part of, a jobseeking period (regulation 3).

These Regulations make in relation to Northern Ireland only provision corresponding to provision contained in Regulations made by the Secretary of State for Social Security in relation to Great Britain and accordingly, by virtue of section 149(3) of, and paragraph 10 of Schedule 5 to, the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 8), are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.