Explanatory note

These Regulations further amend the Optical Charges and Payments Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 (“the principal Regulations”) which provide for payments to be made, by means of a voucher system, in respect of costs incurred by certain categories of persons in connection with the supply, replacement and repair of optical appliances.

Regulation 2 provides for an increase in the charges for glasses and contact lenses supplied by an HSS trust.

Regulation 3 amends regulation 8 of the principal Regulations to increase the income level at which recipients of tax credit are entitled to health service optical vouchers.

Regulation 4 amends regulation 19 of the principal Regulations (redemption value of voucher for replacement or repair) to increase the redemption value of two categories of vouchers, namely, vouchers for replacement and vouchers for repair.

Regulation 5(1) amends Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations to increase the value of vouchers issued towards the cost of the supply and replacement of glasses and contact lenses.

Regulation 5(2) amends Schedule 2 to the principal Regulations by increasing the additional values for vouchers in respect of prisms, tints, and special categories of appliances.

Regulations 5(3) and the Schedule substitute a new Schedule 3 in the principal Regulations to increase the value of vouchers issued towards the cost of the repair and replacement of optical appliances.

The rate of increase is, on average, approximately 2·5%.