Amendment to The Social Security (Income and Capital Disregards) (Amendment) Regulations 2021
The Commissioner welcomes the amendment to Social Security Regulations in Great Britain. This amendment will mean that victims and survivors of non-recent historical institutional childhood abuse in Northern Ireland, and who now live in Great Britain and are in receipt of means tested state benefits, will not have any redress payment taken into account as income. Their redress payments will not be counted as part of means testing.
The Commissioner congratulates the survivors who campaigned for a solution to this issue, which created uncertainty and stress for many survivors living in England, Scotland and Wales.
The legislation was laid in Parliament on 10 December 2021 and comes into force on 1 January 2022. A temporary arrangement has been in place and will continue until the Amendment comes into force.