The Universal Credit (Persons who have attained state pension credit qualifying age) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020
These Regulations amend various instruments that govern the entitlement of a claimant (“C”), who has reached state pension credit qualifying age (“the qualifying age”), to universal credit (“UC”), state pension credit (“SPC”) and housing benefit for pensioners (“HB”), so as to provide for a smooth transition between those benefits where a person reaches that age, becomes part of a mixed-age couple, or certain other changes of circumstance occur. See section 1(6) of the State Pension Credit Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 (c. 14 (N.I.)) for the definition of “the qualifying age”. “Mixed-age”, in relation to a couple or a marriage, means where one member has attained the qualifying age and the other has not (see regulation 2(2)(b) which amends regulation 5 of the State Pension Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 (S.R. 2003 No. 28) (“the 2003 Regulations”) to insert that definition).