Definitions
the Administration Act means the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c.8) which contains most of the rules and regulation making powers relating to the claiming, payment and administration of social security benefits. It is a consolidation of pre-1992 legislation and has been extensively amended since then.
	the Contributions and Benefits Act means the Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c.7), which contains most of the rules relating to social security benefits, with the exception of JSA. It is a consolidation of pre-1992 legislation and has been extensively amended since then.
	the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act means the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act (Northern Ireland) 2000 (c.4 NI) which amongst other things provided for the reform of the Child Support system, introduced the State Second Pension and introduced measures to withdraw or reduce benefit entitlement where an offender has breached the terms of his community sentence.
	the Jobseekers Order means the Jobseekers (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (NI 15), which established JSA.
	the Fraud Order means the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Order (Northern Ireland) 1997. It amended the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992.
	the Department means the Department for Social Development.
	authorities administering HB means the Housing Executive or the RCA.
	confirmatory procedure means the procedure under which regulations and orders are laid before the Assembly after making but must be confirmed by a resolution of the Assembly within 6 months of their operative date, otherwise they cease to have effect.
	DFP means the Department of Finance and Personnel.
	HB means housing benefit, an income-related social security benefit administered by the Housing Executive and the Department of Finance and Personnel (the RCA), to assist people with housing costs.
	Housing Executive means the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
	IS means income support, an income-related benefit introduced in 1988 as successor to supplementary benefit, to support people not in remunerative work, whose net income is less than a minimum level. Rates are determined by age, family membership and other circumstances.
	joint-claim couple means a married or unmarried couple who are not members of a family which includes a person in respect of whom a member of the couple is entitled to Child Benefit.
	JSA means jobseeker’s allowance, a benefit introduced in 1996 to replace contributory Unemployment Benefit and IS for all those needing financial support due to unemployment.
	RCA means the Rate Collection Agency.