
1 

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security (Coronavirus) (Prisoners) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 and come into operation on 8th April 2020.
(2) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Assembly.
2 

(1) The Regulations in paragraph (2) are to be read as if the definition of “prisoner” did not include a person on temporary release in accordance with the provisions of the Prison Act (Northern Ireland) 1953.
(2) The regulations are—
(a) the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987;
(b) the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996;
(c) the State Pension Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003;
(d) the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008; and
(e) the Universal Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016.
3 
The following provisions are to be read as if the words “on temporary release in accordance with the provisions of the Prison Act (Northern Ireland) 1953” were omitted—
(a) regulation 16(3)(b) of the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987;
(b) regulation 78(3)(b) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996;
(c) regulation 5(1)(c) of the State Pension Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003; and
(d) regulation 156(4)(b) of the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008.
4 
Regulation 15(1) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 is to be read as if the words in sub-paragraph (b) were omitted.
5 
For the purposes of entitlement to housing benefit, the following provisions are to be read as if the words in sub-paragraph (b) were omitted—
(a) regulation 7(14) of the Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006; and
(b) regulation 7(14) of the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006.
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(1) The Department must keep the operation of these Regulations under review.
(2) These Regulations cease to have effect at the end of the period of 8 months beginning on and including 13th March 2020.
Signed by the authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Will Quince
Minister for Welfare Delivery
Department for Work and Pensions
At 10.23 a.m. on 7th April 2020