Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Social Security Pensions (Home Responsibilities) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994.

Regulation 2(a)(i), (b) and (c) enables the partner of a person getting child benefit for children under the age of 16, in certain circumstances, to get home responsibilities protection in their own right if their partner does not need that protection.

Regulation 2(a)(ii) updates an obsolete reference to the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987. Regulation 2(a)(iii) clarifies the time from when foster parents can get home responsibilities protection.

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, are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.