Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Social Fund (Cold Weather Payments) (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1988 (“the 1988 Regulations”).

The Schedule to the 1988 Regulations specifies weather stations which are relevant to determining whether there is a recorded or forecasted period of cold weather.

Regulation 2 substitutes the Schedule to the 1988 Regulations with the Schedule to these Regulations. The new Schedule largely re-enacts the list contained in the former Schedule, but it reassigns the postcodes from an existing station, Ballykelly, to a new weather station, Magilligan.

Regulation 3 makes a consequential revocation.

The Postcode Atlas of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the postcode maps may be obtained from their publishers. A person may establish the current postcode for his or her address by contacting the Royal Mail Postcode Enquiries Office (telephone 08457 111 222) or by logging on to the Royal Mail website at www.royalmail.com.

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, are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.