The Social Security (Maternity Allowance) (Earnings) (Amendment) Regulations 2003

• Citation: S.I. 2003/659
• Sections: 3

Section 1 Citation, commencement and interpretation

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security (Maternity Allowance) (Earnings) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 and shall come into force on 6th April 2003.

(2) In these Regulations—

“the principal Regulations ” means the Social Security (Maternity Allowance) (Earnings) Regulations 2000 .

Section 2 Substitution of regulation 5 of the principal Regulations

For regulation 5 of the principal Regulations (the specified period) there shall be substituted the following regulation—

The specified period

(5)

(1) Subject to paragraph (2) below, for the purposes of section 35A(4) and (5) of the Contributions and Benefits Act, the specified period shall be the test period.

(2) Where a woman is treated by virtue of regulation 3(a) above as having received payments for at least 13 weeks (whether consecutive or not) falling within the test period, the first 13 such weeks shall be the specified period.

Section 3 Amendment of regulation 6 of the principal Regulations

For regulation 6(1) of the principal Regulations (determination of average weekly amount of specified payments) there shall be substituted the following paragraph—

(1) For the purposes of section 35A(4) of the Contributions and Benefits Act a woman’s average weekly amount of specified payments shall, subject to paragraph (2), be determined by dividing by 13 the payments made, or treated in accordance with these Regulations as made, to her or for her benefit—

(a) in the case of a woman to whom paragraph (2) of regulation 5 applies, in the 13 weeks referred to in that paragraph;

(b) in any other case, in the 13 weeks (whether consecutive or not) falling within the specified period in which such payments are greatest.