Regulation 3 Further provisions as to claimsI1C1

After regulation 4 of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987^f1 (making a claim for benefit) there shall be inserted the following regulations—

“Further provisions as to claims

4A

(1)

Where a claimant resides in a postcode district specified in Schedule 1 to the Social Security (Claims and Information) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 any claim for a benefit to which paragraph (2) applies may be made to an office of a relevant authority displaying the

logo.

(2)

The benefits to which this paragraph applies are—

(a)

a jobseeker’s allowance;

(b)

income support;

(c)

incapacity benefit;

(d)

invalid care allowance;

(e)

widow’s benefit;

(f)

bereavement benefits;

(g)

disability living allowance.

(3)

A claim made in accordance with paragraph (1), other than a claim for income support or a jobseeker’s allowance, shall be made in writing on a form approved by the Department for the purpose of the benefit to which the claim is made, or in such other manner, being in writing, as the person to whom the claim is made may accept as sufficient in the circumstances of the particular case.

(4)

In the case of a claim for income support or a jobseeker’s allowance, the provisions of regulation 4(1A) to (1C)^f2 shall apply.

(5)

In these Regulations “relevant authority” means the Department, the Department of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment or a person providing services to either of those Departments.

Forwarding claims and information

4B

(1)

An office of a relevant authority displaying the

logo may—

(a)

record information or evidence relating to any social security matter supplied by or obtained from a person, whether or not the information or evidence is supplied or obtained in connection with the making of a claim for benefit;

(b)

give information or advice with respect to any social security matter to persons who are making, or have made, claims for any benefit to which regulation 4A(2) applies.

(2)

A relevant authority, other than the Department, shall forward to the Department—

(a)

any claim for benefit made under regulation 4A(1) together with any information or evidence supplied to the authority in connection with that claim; and

(b)

any information or evidence relating to any other social security matter, except where the information or evidence relates solely to housing benefit, given to the authority by a person making a claim for, or who has claimed, a benefit to which regulation 4A(2) applies.”.