Explanatory note

Regulation 2 of these Regulations amends—

• the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987,

• the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996,

• the State Pension Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003,

• the Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006,

• the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006, and

• the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008.

A new sub-paragraph is inserted after each of the provisions cited in regulation 2(1) of these Regulations, which will enable certain payments from an estate of a deceased infected person to be disregarded. A payment paid from such an estate derived from a payment made from an approved blood scheme, or the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme to the estate of the person for having been infected from contaminated blood products will be disregarded.

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.