Explanatory note

These Regulations amend—

• the Social Security (Work-focused Interviews for Lone Parents) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001,

• the Social Security (Work-focused Interviews) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001,

• the Social Security (Work-focused Interviews) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003,

• the Social Security (Work-focused Interviews for Partners) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003, and

• Social Security (Incapacity Benefit Work-focused Interviews) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008,

to give effect to section 29 of the Welfare Reform Act (Northern Ireland) 2010. That section amended provisions of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (“the 1992 Act”) about work-focused interviews to reflect the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 which, as from 6th April 2010, progressively equalises and increases the age at which women and men become eligible for a state pension.

The amendments provide that the maximum age at which a person can be required to attend one or more work-focused interviews under the Regulations referred to above will be “pensionable age” as defined in section 167(1) of the 1992 Act by reference to Schedule 2 to the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1995, instead of the age of 60. However, a man born before 6th April 1955 will be treated as attaining pensionable age when a woman born on the same day would attain that age.

A consequential amendment is also made to the Social Security and Child Support (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999.

As these Regulations are made by virtue of, or consequential upon, section 29 of the Welfare Reform Act (Northern Ireland) 2010, and are made before the end of the period of 6 months from the commencement of that section, they are, accordingly, exempt, by virtue of section 150(5)(b) of the 1992 Act, from prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.