39.—(1) The Child Support Departure Direction and Consequential Amendments Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996(1) are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (4).

(2) In regulation 1 (interpretation), after the definition of “relevant person” insert—

““relevant universal credit” means, in relation to an absent parent or parent with care, an award of universal credit made to the parent in question, where the award is calculated on the basis that the parent does not have any earned income;”

““universal credit” means universal credit under Part 2 of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015”; and”

(a)after paragraph (2) insert—

“(3) For the purposes of the definition of “relevant universal credit” in paragraph (2), “earned income” has the meaning given in regulation 51 of the Universal Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016.”.

(3) In regulation 9 (departure directions and persons in receipt of income support etc.)(2)—

(a)in the heading to the regulation, after “jobseeker’s allowance” insert “, universal credit”;

(b)in paragraph (1)—

(i)in sub-paragraphs (a) and (c) for “or income-based jobseeker’s allowance” substitute “, income-based jobseeker’s allowance or relevant universal credit”, and

(ii)in sub-paragraph (b) for “or working tax credit” substitute “, working tax credit or relevant universal credit”; and

(c)in paragraph (3)—

(i)in sub-paragraphs (a) and (c) for “or income-based jobseeker’s allowance” substitute “, income-based jobseeker’s allowance or relevant universal credit”; and

(ii)in sub-paragraph (b) for “or working tax credit” substitute “, working tax credit or relevant universal credit”.

(4) In regulation 12 (meaning of “benefit” for the purposes of Article 28E of the Order)(3), for “and housing benefit” substitute “, housing benefit and relevant universal credit”.