
1 
These Regulations may be cited as the Social Fund (Child Funeral Fund) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 and shall come into operation on 1st June 2022.
2 
In these Regulations—
 “claimant” means the person responsible for the fees and expenses chargeable in the organisation of the funeral of the deceased where the entitlement requirements in regulation 3 have been met;
 “Child Funeral Fund payment” means a one-off lump sum payment of £3056.00; and
 “qualifying age” means an age less than 18 years old”.
3 
A claimant is entitled to a Child Funeral Fund payment where—
(a) the deceased was—
(i) of qualifying age at the time of death; or
(ii) a still-birth as defined in Article 2(2) of the Births and Deaths Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 or born after the 24th week of pregnancy;
(b) the funeral takes place after 1st June 2022;
(c) the funeral takes place in Northern Ireland; and
(d) were it not for these Regulations those fees or expenses would be chargeable to a person involved in the organisation of the funeral.
4 

(1) No payment may be made under these Regulations where a payment has already been made under any other government schemes.
(2) No payment may be made under these Regulations if—
(a) a payment has been made in respect of funeral expenses arising from the death of the same person under the Social Fund Maternity and Funeral Expenses (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005; or
(b) a payment has been made in respect of funeral expenses arising from the death of the same person under Regulations made under section 34 of the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018,
5 

(1) The Social Fund Maternity and Funeral Expenses (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 are amended in accordance with paragraph (2).
(2) After regulation 4(2) (provision against double payment: funeral expenses) insert—“
(3) No funeral payment may be made under these Regulations for an item or service for which payment has been received under the Social Fund (Child Funeral Fund) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022”.
6 

(1) The Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 are amended in accordance with paragraph (2).
(2) In regulation 2(1) (interpretation), in the definition of “social fund funeral payment” after “Social Fund Maternity and Funeral Expenses (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005” insert, “including social fund payments made under the Social Fund (Child Funeral Fund) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022”.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Communities on 25th March 2022
(L.S.)Anne McCleary
A senior officer of the Department for Communities
