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The Social Security (Income and Capital Disregards) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026

S.R. 2026/181 · Made 16 October 2026 · Extends to Northern Ireland

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 16 October 2026.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Made 16th October 2026

Coming into operation in accordance with regulation 1(2)

The Department for Communitiesf1 makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 122(1)(d), 129A(2), 131(1), 132(3) and (4), 132A(3) and 171(1), (3) and (4) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992f2, and now vested in itf3, sections 15(3) and (6)(b) and 19(1) to (3) of the State Pension Credit Act (Northern Ireland) 2002f4, sections 4(2), 17(1) and (3) and 25(2) of the Welfare Reform Act (Northern Ireland) 2007f5 and Article 48(1) and (2) of, and paragraph 4(1) and (3)(a) of Schedule 1 to, the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015f6.

Regulations 3 and 4 are made with the consent of the Department of Financef7.

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

See section 1(7) of the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (c. 5 (N.I.))

f2

1992 c. 7. Section 129A was inserted by section 30(2) of the Welfare Reform Act (Northern Ireland) 2007 (c. 2). Section 132A was inserted by paragraph 3 of Schedule 2 to the State Pension Credit Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 (2002 c. 14). Section 171(1) was amended by paragraph 5 of Schedule 4 to the Tax Credits Act 2002 (c. 21)

f3

See Article 8(b) of S.R. 1999 No. 481

f4

2002 c. 14 (N.I.)

f5

2007 c. 2 (N.I.). Section 25(2) was amended by Article 57(2)(b) of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/2006 (N.I. 1))

f6

S.I. 2015/2006 (N.I. 1); see Article 2 of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015 (Cessation of Transitory Provision) Order 2020 (S.I. 2020/927)

f7

See section 171(6A) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 as inserted by Article 3(3) of the Social Security (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/1579 (N.I. 8)); see also Article 6(b) of S.R. 1999 No. 481 and section 1(4) of the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (c. 5 (N.I.))

Contents

  1. 1Citation, commencement and interpretation
  2. 2Amendment of the State Pension Credit Regulations
  3. 3Amendment of the Housing Benefit Regulations
  4. 4Amendment of the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations
  5. 5Amendment of the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations
  6. 6Amendment of the Universal Credit Regulations
  7. Signature
  8. Explanatory note

1Citation, commencement and interpretationI1

(1)

These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security (Income and Capital Disregards) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026.

(2)

These Regulations come into operation on 31st October 2026 or, if later, the day on which section 12 of the Abuse Redress Measure 2025f1 comes into force.

(3)

The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954f2 shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Assembly.

2Amendment of the State Pension Credit RegulationsI1

(1)

The State Pension Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003f1 are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (4).

(2)

In regulation 1(2) (citation, commencement and interpretation)—

(a)

after the definition of “child abuse payment”f2 insert—

  • ““Church of England Redress payment” means a payment by the scheme administered by the redress body under the Abuse Redress Measure 2025;”;

(b)

in the definition of “qualifying person”f3 after “a Mother and Baby Scheme payment” insert “, a Church of England Redress payment”.

(3)

In paragraph 14(8) (persons residing with the claimant) of Schedule 2 (housing costs) after head (bea)f4 insert—

“(beb)

any Church of England Redress payment;”.

(4)

In paragraph 15 of Schedule 5 (income from capital)—

(a)

in sub-paragraph (1A)f5 after “Mother and Baby Scheme payment” insert “, Church of England Redress payment”;

(b)

in each of sub-paragraphs (2) to (5) and (6)f6 after “a Mother and Baby Scheme payment” insert “, a Church of England Redress payment”.

3Amendment of the Housing Benefit RegulationsI1

(1)

The Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006f1 are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (8).

(2)

In regulation 2(1) (interpretation)—

(a)

after the definition of “child who cannot share a bedroom”f2 insert—

  • ““Church of England Redress payment” means a payment by the scheme administered by the redress body under the Abuse Redress Measure 2025;”;

(b)

in the definition of “qualifying person”f3 after “a Mother and Baby Scheme payment” insert “, a Church of England Redress payment”.

(3)

In regulation 39(7A)f4 (notional income) after sub-paragraph (ea) insert—

“(eb)

a Church of England Redress payment;”.

(4)

In regulation 43(6)f5 (income treated as capital) after “a Mother and Baby Scheme payment” insert “, a Church of England Redress payment”.

(5)

In regulation 46(4A)f6 (notional capital) after sub-paragraph (fa) insert—

“(fb)

a Church of England Redress payment;”.

(6)

In regulation 72(9)f7 (non-dependant deductions) after sub-paragraph (bg) insert—

“(bh)

any Church of England Redress payment;”.

(7)

In paragraph 37 of Schedule 6 (sums to be disregarded in the calculation of income other than earnings)—

(a)

in sub-paragraph (1A)f8 after head (ea) insert—

“(eb)

Church of England Redress payment;”;

(b)

in each of sub-paragraphs (2) to (6)f9 after “, a Mother and Baby Scheme payment” insert “, a Church of England Redress payment”.

(8)

In paragraph 25 of Schedule 7 (capital to be disregarded)—

(a)

in sub-paragraph (1A)f10 after “Mother and Baby Scheme payment” insert “, Church of England Redress payment”;

(b)

in each of sub-paragraphs (2) to (5) and (6)f11 after “a Mother and Baby Scheme payment” insert “, a Church of England Redress payment”.

4Amendment of the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) RegulationsI1

(1)

The Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006f1 are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (4).

(2)

In regulation 2(1) (interpretation)—

(a)

after the definition of “child who cannot share a bedroom”f2 insert—

  • ““Church of England Redress payment” means a payment by the scheme administered by the redress body under the Abuse Redress Measure 2025;”;

(b)

in the definition of “qualifying person”f3 after “a Mother and Baby Scheme payment” insert “, a Church of England Redress payment”.

(3)

In regulation 53(10)f4 (non-dependant deductions) after sub-paragraph (bg) insert—

“(bh)

any Church of England Redress payment;”.

(4)

In paragraph 16 of Schedule 7 (capital to be disregarded)—

(a)

in sub-paragraph (1A)f5 after “Mother and Baby Scheme payment” insert “, Church of England Redress payment”.

(b)

in each of sub-paragraphs (2) to (5) and (6)f6 after “a Mother and Baby Scheme payment” insert “, a Church of England Redress payment”.

5Amendment of the Employment and Support Allowance RegulationsI1

(1)

The Employment and Support Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008f1 are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (8).

(2)

In regulation 2(1) (interpretation)—

(a)

after the definition of “the Children Order” insert—

  • ““Church of England Redress payment” means a payment by the scheme administered by the redress body under the Abuse Redress Measure 2025;”;

(b)

in the definition of “qualifying person”f2 after “a Mother and Baby Scheme payment” insert “, a Church of England Redress payment”.

(3)

In regulation 107(5A)f3 (notional income - income due to be paid or income paid to or in respect of a third party) after sub-paragraph (ea) insert—

“(eb)

a Church of England Redress payment;”.

(4)

In regulation 112(8)(b)f4 (income treated as capital) after head (va) insert—

“(vb)

Church of England Redress payment;”.

(5)

In regulation 115(5A)f5 (notional capital) after sub-paragraph (fa) insert—

“(fb)

a Church of England Redress payment;”.

(6)

In paragraph 19(8)(b)f6 (non-dependant deductions) of Schedule 6 (housing costs) after “Mother and Baby Scheme payment” insert “, Church of England Redress payment”.

(7)

In paragraph 40 of Schedule 8 (sums to be disregarded in the calculation of income other than earnings)—

(a)

in sub-paragraph (1A)f7 after head (ea) insert—

“(eb)

Church of England Redress payment;”;

(b)

in each of sub-paragraphs (2) to (6)f8 after “a Mother and Baby Scheme payment” insert “, a Church of England Redress payment”.

(8)

In paragraph 27 of Schedule 9 (capital to be disregarded)—

(a)

in sub-paragraph (1A)f9 after “Mother and Baby Scheme payment” insert “, Church of England Redress payment”;

(b)

in each of sub-paragraphs (2) to (5) and (6)f10 after “a Mother and Baby Scheme payment” insert “, a Church of England Redress payment”.

6Amendment of the Universal Credit RegulationsI1

In regulation 76(1A) of the Universal Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016f1 (special schemes for compensation etc.)—

(a)

omit the “or” at the end of sub-paragraph (f);

(b)

after sub-paragraph (g) add—

“; or

(h)

the scheme administered by the redress body under the Abuse Redress Measure 2025.”.

Signature

Sealed with the Official Seal for the Department of Communities on 16th October 2026

(L.S)

David Tarr

A senior officer of the Department for Communities

The Department of Finance hereby consents to regulations 3 and 4 of the foregoing regulations

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance on 16th October 2026

(L.S)

Patrick Neeson

A senior officer of the Department of Finance

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations make amendments to the State Pension Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 (S.R. 2003 No. 28), the Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. 2006 No. 405), the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. 2006 No. 406), the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 (S.R. 2008 No. 280), and the Universal Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 (S.R. 2016 No. 216).

Regulation 1 provides for citation, commencement and interpretation.

Regulations 2 to 6 amend provisions regarding which payments are to be disregarded as income and capital for the purposes of calculating entitlement to benefits in order to create new disregards. The disregards cover payments made by the scheme administered by the Church of England under the Abuse Redress Measure 2025 (2025 No. 4).

These Regulations 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, the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 8), are not subject to requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.