Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004

Provision in relation to certain administrative schemes.

19.—The Principal Act is amended by inserting the following section after section 245A:

“Qualified adult (administrative schemes).

245B.—(1) A person who, apart from this section, would be a qualified adult for the purposes of a scheme to which this section applies shall not be a qualified adult for the purposes of such a scheme unless the person is a spouse within the meaning of this Act.

(2) Notwithstanding any enactment but without prejudice to subsection (1), the circumstances in which there arises an entitlement to—

(a) an allowance under a scheme to which this section applies, or

(b) an increase in the amount of such an allowance,

by reference to the status or description of one or both, or all, of 2 or more persons residing or living together are those circumstances expressly set out in the scheme and not otherwise.

(3) This section applies to the following schemes, namely, the schemes administered by the Minister and known as—

(a) the Free Travel Scheme,

(b) the National Fuel Scheme,

(c) the Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme,

(d) the Back to Education Allowance,

(e) the Back to School Clothing and Foot-wear Allowance,

(f) the Back to Work Allowance (Employees),

(g) the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance,

(h) the Smokeless Fuels Allowance, and

(i) the Household Benefits Package,

being, in each case, the scheme in the terms as it has effect on 1 April 2004.”.