
1 

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security (Notification of Change of Circumstances) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 and shall come into operation on 7th January 2002.
(2) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Assembly.
2 
Regulations 3 to 5 prescribe the person to whom, and manner in which, a change of circumstances must be notified for the purposes of sections 105A(1A) to (1G) and 106(1A) to (1F) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (offences relating to failure to notify a change of circumstances).
3 

(1) Where the benefit affected by the change of circumstances is a jobseeker’s allowance, notice must be given or sent to the Department in writing (except where it determines in any particular case that it will accept a notice other than in writing) at the office that the claimant is required to attend in accordance with a notification given to him under regulation 23 of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 (attendance).
(2) In this regulation “Department” includes a person designated as an employment officer by an order made by the Department under Article 10(3) of the Jobseekers (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (attendance, information and evidence).
4 

(1) Where the benefit affected by the change of circumstances is housing benefit, notice must be given or sent in writing to the relevant authority at—
(a) the designated office; or
(b) in a case where notification at another office is permitted under regulation 75 of the Housing Benefit Regulations (duty to notify changes of circumstances), that other office.
(2) In this regulation—
(a) “designated office” and “relevant authority” have the same meaning as in regulation 2(1) of the Housing Benefit Regulations (interpretation); and
(b) “the Housing Benefit Regulations” means the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987.
5 

(1) Where the benefit or other payment or advantage affected by the change of circumstances is not jobseeker’s allowance or housing benefit, notice must be given or sent to the Department in writing (except where it determines in any particular case that it will accept a notice other than in writing) at the appropriate office.
(2) In this regulation “the appropriate office” has the same meaning as in regulation 2(1) of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 (interpretation).
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Social Development on 3rd December 2001.
John O'Neill
Senior Officer of the
Department for Social Development
The Department of Finance and Personnel hereby consents to regulation 4 of the foregoing Regulations.Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance and Personnel on 3rd December 2001.
William Pauley
Senior Officer of the
Department of Finance and Personnel
