Explanatory note

These Regulations further amend the Child Benefit (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1979 in order to provide that section 11(1A) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (“the Administration Act”) (as inserted by Article 66 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (“the Order”)) shall not apply to claims for child benefit made in respect of children in the care of voluntary organisations (regulation 2).

In addition, these Regulations further amend the Social Security (Guardian’s Allowances) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1975 in order to remove the exemption from the requirement to state a national insurance number when claiming guardian’s allowance (regulation 3). The exemption existed because payment of guardian’s allowance is dependent upon receipt of child benefit and, prior to the coming into force of section 11(1A) of the Administration Act, there was no requirement to state, or apply for, a national insurance number when claiming child benefit.

The Regulations also contain a consequential revocation (regulation 4).

These Regulations are made in consequence of Article 66 of the Order which inserted subsection (1C) into section 11 of the Administration Act. The Welfare Reform and Pensions (Commencement No. 3) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000 (S.R. 2000 No. 133 (C. 5)) provides for the coming into operation of Article 66 of the Order, for the purposes only of authorising the making of regulations on 18th April 2000 and for all other purposes on 15th May 2000. As these Regulations are made before the end of the period of 6 months from the commencement of the said Article, they are, accordingly exempt, by virtue of section 150(5)(b) of the Administration Act, from reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.