
2025 No. 127
Social Security
The Social Security (Claims and Payments) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025
Made 8th July 2025
Coming into operation 1st August 2025
The Department for Communities makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 5(1)(a) and (j), 165(1), (4), (5), (5A) and (6) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 and now vested in it.
Citation, commencement and interpretation
1 

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security (Claims and Payments) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 and shall come into operation on 1 August 2025.
Amendment of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations
2 

(1) The Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 shall be amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (5).
(2) For regulation 4(11) (making a claim for benefit) substitute—“
(11) A claim for the following benefits may be made by telephone call to a telephone number specified by the Department for the purpose of the benefit for which the claim is made, unless the Department directs, in any particular case, that the claim must be made in writing—
(a) a bereavement support payment;
(b) graduated retirement benefit;
(c) a retirement pension;
(d) a shared additional pension;
(e) a social fund payment for funeral expenses or winter fuel payment;
(f) a state pension under Part 1 of the 2015 Act;
(g) a widowed parent’s allowance.”
(3) In regulation 4(11) (making a claim for benefit) after sub-paragraph (b) insert—“
(ba) industrial injuries benefit;”
(4) For regulation 4ZC(2)(electronic claims for benefit) substitute—“
(2) This regulation applies to the following benefits—
(a) attendance allowance;
(b) bereavement support payment;
(c) a budgeting loan;
(d) carer’s allowance;
(e) disability living allowance;
(f) graduated retirement benefit;
(g) a jobseeker’s allowance;
(h) maternity allowance;
(i) retirement pension;
(j) a shared additional pension;
(k) a social fund funeral payment;
(l) a social fund payment in respect of maternity expenses;
(m) state pension credit and;
(n) state pension under Part 1 of the 2015 Act.”
(5) In paragraph 2 (conditions for the use of electronic communication) of Schedule 8D—
(a) for sub-paragraph (1) substitute—“
(1) The Department may use an electronic communication in connection with claims for, and awards of —
(a) attendance allowance;
(b) bereavement support payment;
(c) a budgeting loan;
(d) carer’s allowance;
(e) disability living allowance;
(f) an employment and support allowance;
(g) graduated retirement benefit;
(h) a jobseeker’s allowance;
(i) a maternity allowance;
(j) retirement pension;
(k) shared additional pension;
(l) a social fund funeral payment;
(m) a social fund payment in respect of maternity expenses;
(n) state pension credit;
(o) state pension under Part 1 of the 2015 Act.
(1A) The Department may use an electronic communication in connection with awards of—
(a) incapacity benefit;
(b) income support.”
(b) in sub-paragraph (2), for “sub-paragraph (1)” substitute “sub-paragraphs (1) and (1A)”.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Communities on 8th July 2025
(L.S.)David Tarr
A senior officer of the Department for Communities
