Legislation – The Social Security (Coronavirus) (Further Measures) (Amendment) and Miscellaneous Amendment Regulations 2020

Regulation 2 of these Regulations amends the Social Security (Coronavirus) (Further Measures) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/371) (“the Further Measures Regulations”) in response to the continuing outbreak of Coronavirus disease in Great Britain.

Regulation 2 of the Further Measures Regulations gave the Secretary of State discretion to apply a number of measures in relation to the minimum income floor (MIF), which applies to self-employed claimants in universal credit.

Regulation 8 of the Further Measures Regulations enables any period during which a person is infected or contaminated with Coronavirus disease, in isolation or caring for a child or qualifying young person in their household who is so infected or contaminated or is in isolation, to not be counted towards a period of sickness under regulation 55 or 55ZA of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/207) or regulation 46 or 46A of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/378). This means that a person will not lose entitlement to jobseeker’s allowance because of Coronavirus disease.

Regulation 9 of the Further Measures Regulations allows carers to retain their entitlement to carer’s allowance if they have a temporary break in caring as a result of isolation due to, or infection or contamination with, Coronavirus disease of either the carer or the person cared for.

Following a review by the Secretary of State of the operation of the Further Measures Regulations, regulation 2 amends the provision by which the Further Measures Regulations expire after eight months so that regulation 2 of the Further Measures Regulations now expires on 30th April 2021 and regulations 8 and 9 now expire on 12th May 2021.

Regulation 3 of these Regulations amends a typographic defect in the Universal Credit (Persons who have attained state pension credit qualifying age) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/655). The amendment ensures the correct operation of regulation 7 of those Regulations, the effect of which is as explained in the explanatory note to those Regulations.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, public or voluntary sectors is foreseen.