#2026/115Northern Ireland Welfare Reform Benefits Abolition Amendment Order 2026
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
This order changes the timetable for abolishing some older welfare benefits in Northern Ireland as claimants move into Universal Credit. It sets 1 October 2026 as the key date for ending remaining income-related Employment and Support Allowance awards that have not already been converted or ended under the transition rules. It also protects some vulnerable claimants from automatic abolition on that date, especially where someone has, or recently may have needed, an appointed person to act for them. Working-age Housing Benefit rules are also adjusted for people in temporary or specified accommodation, making the transition rules clearer for those groups.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.
Key Changes
- Sets 1 October 2026 as the appointed date for abolishing remaining income-related old style ESA awards that have not already transitioned
- Creates a saving for vulnerable claimants who have, or recently may have needed, an appointed person to act for them
- Adds and clarifies references to temporary accommodation and specified accommodation in the Housing Benefit transition rules
Obligations
What this law requires
Treat 1 October 2026 as the appointed day for bringing the abolition amendments into operation for old-style income-related Employment and Support Allowance awards that have not already come into operation and are not due to come into operation at the end of a two-week run-on period.
Do not treat the abolition amendments as coming into operation on 1 October 2026 for an old-style ESA award where, immediately before that date, a person is appointed to act for the claimant under regulation 52 of the 2016 Claims and Payments Regulations.
Do not treat the abolition amendments as coming into operation on 1 October 2026 for an old-style ESA award where, at any time in the six months ending on that date, the Department determined that the claimant was likely to need a person appointed to act for them, whether or not an appointment was actually made.
Only apply the appointed-day rule for conversion of contributory old-style ESA to days falling before 1 October 2026.
Apply the Transitional Regulations definitions of “specified accommodation” and “temporary accommodation” when administering the amended commencement and abolition rules.