Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987.

In particular, they provide that in relation to a claimant who is engaged in work experience whilst participating in the New Deal for Lone Parents or in a scheme which has been approved by the Department of Economic Development as supporting the objectives of the New Deal for Lone Parents, for the purposes of determining entitlement to income support of that claimant—

• notional earnings shall not be attributed except where the claimant has been engaged in such work experience with the same employer for more than 26 weeks or 150 hours, whichever shall first occur (regulation 2(2));

• child care expenses reimbursed to the claimant shall be disregarded (regulation 2(3)).

These Regulations also make consequential changes to the Social Security (New Deal Pilot) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998 (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.