Regulation 3 Amendment of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations

(1)

The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996^f1 are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3).

(2)

In Schedule 1 (applicable amounts)—

(a)

in paragraph 14 (additional conditions for higher pensioner and disability premium)—

(i)

for sub-paragraph (1)(h)^f2 substitute—

“(h)
the claimant or, as the case may be, his partner, is certified as severely sight impaired or blind by a consultant ophthalmologist.”, and

(ii)

for sub-paragraph (2) substitute—

“(2)
For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)(h), a person who has ceased to be certified as severely sight impaired or blind on regaining his eyesight shall nevertheless be treated as severely sight impaired or blind, as the case may be, and as satisfying the additional condition set out in that sub-paragraph for a period of 28 weeks following the date on which he ceased to be so certified.”;

(b)

in paragraph 15 (severe disability premium)—

(i)

in sub-paragraph (3) for “blind or treated as blind” substitute “severely sight impaired or blind or treated as severely sight impaired or blind”, and

(ii)

in sub-paragraph (4)(c) for “blind or treated as blind” substitute “severely sight impaired or blind or treated as severely sight impaired or blind”;

(c)

in paragraph 16(1)(b)^f3 (disabled child premium) for “blind or treated as blind” substitute “severely sight impaired or blind or treated as severely sight impaired or blind”;

(d)

in paragraph 20H^f4 (additional conditions for higher pensioner and disability premium)—

(i)

for sub-paragraph (1)(i) substitute—

“(ii)
is certified as severely sight impaired or blind by a consultant ophthalmologist.”, and

(ii)

for sub-paragraph (3) substitute—

“(3)
For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)(i), a person who has ceased to be certified as severely sight impaired or blind on regaining his eyesight shall nevertheless be treated as severely sight impaired or blind, as the case may be, and as satisfying the additional condition set out in that sub-paragraph for a period of 28 weeks following the date on which he ceased to be so certified.”; and

(e)

in paragraph 20I (severe disability premium)—

(i)

in sub-paragraph (2) for “blind or treated as blind” substitute “severely sight impaired or blind or treated as severely sight impaired or blind”, and

(ii)

in sub-paragraph (3)(c) for “blind or treated as blind” substitute “severely sight impaired or blind or treated as severely sight impaired or blind”.

(3)

In Schedule 2 (housing costs), in paragraph 17(6)(a) (non-dependant deductions) for “blind or treated as blind” substitute “severely sight impaired or blind or treated as severely sight impaired or blind”.

Annotations

Footnotes

f1: S.R. 1996 No. 198; relevant amending Regulations are S.R. 1996 No. 503, S.R. 2000 No.350, S.R. 2003 No. 195, S.R. 2007 No. 154 and S.R. 2011 No. 135
f2: Sub-paragraph (1)(h) was amended by regulation 2(17)(c) of S.R. 1996 No.503
f3: Paragraph 16 remains in operation by virtue of regulation 1(7) of S.R. 2003 No. 195 and was substituted by regulation 3(8)(f) of S.R. 2007 No. 154 and amended by regulation 7(7)(b) of S.R. 2011 No. 135
f4: Paragraph 20H was inserted by paragraph 53(4) of Schedule 2 to S.R. 2000 No. 350