Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Social Fund Maternity and Funeral Expenses (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 to add to those eligible for a Sure Start Maternity Grant: people awarded residence orders; (adoption orders and parental orders are already included in the legislation); orders freeing a child for adoption to prospective adopters with whom a child is placed; those adopting under certain orders granted outside the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man; guardians, and a parent (not the mother) who has responsibility for the child concerned where the parents are not partners when a Sure Start Maternity Grant is claimed.

The Regulations also recast the provision against double payment to reflect these changes.

These Regulations also make consequential and other amendments to the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 in relation to the prescribed time for claiming a Sure Start Maternity Grant. The definitions of “actual confinement” and “confinement” are updated and the reference to “28 weeks” is amended to “24 weeks” for consistency with other legislation.

Regulation 4 makes consequential revocations.

These Regulations make in relation to Northern Ireland only provision corresponding to provision 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.