
1 
These Regulations may be cited as the Fuel Allowance Payments Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 and shall come into operation on 20th March 2012.
2 
The Department for Social Development makes the Scheme set out in the Schedule.
Sealed with the official seal of the Department for Social Development on 20th March 2012
(L.S.)Heather Cousins
A senior officer of the Department for Social Development

SCHEDULE
Regulation 2
1 

(1) This Scheme may be cited as the Fuel Allowance Payments Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2012.
(2) In this Scheme:—
 “the Department” means the Department for Social Development;
 “the higher rate” means a single payment of £100;
 “a fuel allowance payment” means financial assistance provided under this Scheme;
 “income support” means income support under section 123 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992;
 “the qualifying week” means the week beginning with (and including) Monday 12th December 2011 and ending with Sunday 18th December 2011;
 “social security information” means information held by or on behalf of the Department and obtained as a result of, or for the purpose of, the exercise of the Department’s functions in relation to social security;
 “state pension credit” means state pension credit under the State Pension Credit Act (Northern Ireland) 2002;
 “the standard rate” means a single payment of £75.
2 

(1) A person is not eligible for a fuel allowance payment at the standard rate unless they were in receipt of:—
(a) income support;
(b) income-related employment and support allowance; or
(c) income-based job seeker’s allowanceon any one day during the qualifying week.
(2) A person is not eligible for a fuel allowance payment at the higher rate unless they were in receipt of state pension credit on any one day during the qualifying week.
3 

(1) A person who is eligible for a fuel allowance payment, and has not received it by 29th February 2012, may apply for a payment.
(2) An application under sub-paragraph (1) must:—
(a) be in writing to the Department or by telephone to 0300 200 7870;
(b) be received by the Department before 30th June 2012; and
(c) specify:—
(i) the applicant’s name, address, date of birth and national insurance number;
(ii) the date on which the application is sent to the Department; and
(iii) the benefits that the applicant is in receipt of.
(3) If the Department is satisfied that a person making an application under sub-paragraph (1) is eligible for a fuel allowance payment and has not already received such a payment, the Department shall make that payment.
4 
No account shall be taken of eligibility for a fuel allowance payment in considering a person’s entitlement to a Social Fund payment or a payment under either of the following social security benefits:—
(a) income support; or
(b) state pension credit.
5 
The Department may use social security information for the purpose of determining whether a person is eligible for a fuel allowance payment.
6 
The Department shall make fuel allowance payments under the Scheme.