Social Welfare Act, 1991

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Minimum payment of unemployment assistance.

11.—(1) The Principal Act is hereby amended by the insertion after section 140 of the following section:

“Minimum payment of unemployment assistance.

140A.—(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 140 (1) (b), where the sole means of a claimant for unemployment assistance, who is not one of a couple, are assessed under the provisions of paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section 146 and where the rate of assistance payable to or in respect of such a claimant, as calculated in accordance with the provisions of the said section 140 (1) (b), would be a weekly amount which is 10p or more but less than £5, such person shall be entitled to payment of unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £5.

(2) (a) For the purposes of subsection (1) ‘couple’ means a married couple who are living together or a man and a woman who are not married to each other but are cohabiting as man and wife.

(b) For the purposes of paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section 146 when applied to subsection (1) of this section ‘spouse’ means each person of a couple in relation to the other.”.

(2) This section shall come into operation on the 24th day of July, 1991.