# The Social Security (Work-focused Interviews for Lone Parents) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001, Note: Explanatory note

Extent: N.I.

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)
These Regulations impose a requirement on lone parents who claim, or are entitled to, income support to take part in a work-focused interview (“an interview”). An interview can take place in the lone parent’s home if the interviewer considers that it would be unreasonable to require the lone parent to attend elsewhere. Lone parents are required to take part in further interviews at yearly intervals for so long as they remain on income support (regulation 2).
Regulation 3 prescribes circumstances as to when a lone parent is to be regarded as having taken part in an interview and regulation 4 specifies the circumstances where the requirement to take part in an interview is not to apply.
Regulation 5 specifies that an interview can be deferred and regulation 6 provides that the requirement to take part in an interview can be waived where an interview would not be of assistance to the lone parent or it would not be appropriate in the circumstances of the case.
Regulations 7 and 8 set out the sanctions imposed on lone parents who fail to take part in an interview without good cause.
Regulation 9 provides that a decision that a lone parent has failed to take part in an interview without good cause can be appealed to an appeal tribunal under Article 13 of the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (S.I. 1998/1506 (N.I. 10)).
These Regulations do not impose a charge on business.
These Regulations make in relation to Northern Ireland only provision corresponding to provision contained in Regulations made by the Secretary of State for Social Security 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 (c. 8), are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2001/152/note (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-work-focused-interviews-for-lone-parents-regulations-northern-ireland-2001/note
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.