Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Social Security (Invalid Care Allowance) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1976, the Social Security (Widow’s Benefit and Retirement Pensions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1979, the Social Security (Maternity Allowance) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987, the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987, the Social Security (Incapacity Benefit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994, 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.

Regulation 1 provides for citation, commencement and interpretation.

Regulations 2 to 11 amend the above Regulations to provide that where a person is the partner of a benefit claimant; has no right to enter or remain in the United Kingdom; is not entitled to social security benefits; and has not previously been allocated a national insurance number, the claimant will not be required to state a national insurance number in relation to that person on a claim form.

Regulation 12 makes a consequential revocation.

In so far as these Regulations are required, for the purposes of regulations 9 and 10, to be referred to the Social Security Advisory Committee under section 149(2) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992, after agreement by the Social Security Advisory Committee, they have not been so referred by virtue of section 150(1)(b) of that Act. Otherwise they 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, that Act, are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.