Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Discretionary Financial Assistance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 (“the principal Regulations”).

Regulation 2(2) amends regulation 3 of the principal Regulations. Regulation 2(2)(a) inserts paragraph (aa) to preclude discretionary housing payments being made to meet a need for financial assistance which arises because of charges for water, sewerage or allied environmental services and is consequential on the Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/3336 (N.I. 21)). Regulation 2(2)(b) updates a reference to the Child Support (Northern Ireland) Order 1991. Regulation 2(2)(c) adds paragraph (j) to preclude discretionary housing payments being made to meet a need for financial assistance which arises because of a reduction in housing benefit to recover an overpayment. Regulation 2(3) substitutes regulation 5 of the principal Regulations to make it clear that discretionary housing payments may only be made in respect of a period where the person is or was entitled to housing benefit.

In so far as these Regulations are required, for the purposes of regulation 2(2)(c), to be referred to the Social Security Advisory Committee under section 149(2) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992, after agreement by the Social Security Advisory Committee, they have not been so referred by virtue of section 150(1)(b) of that Act. Otherwise they make in relation to Northern Ireland only provision corresponding to provision contained in Regulations made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in relation to Great Britain and accordingly, by virtue of section 149(3) of, and paragraph 10 of Schedule 5 to, that Act, are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.