Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2010

Amendment to section 3 of Principal Act.

16.— Section 3 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by substituting the following subsection for subsection (10):

“(10) For the purposes of sections 43(3), 66(3), 76(3), 112(3), 117(3), 122(3), 134, 141(2)(d), 146, 149(2), 149(4), 150(3), 152, 158, 161, 181(4), 210(2), 211(3), 214(2), 216, 219(2), 250(2)(b), 297 and 298 and Chapter 9 of Part 3—

(a) ‘spouse’ means each person of a married couple who are living together, and

(b) ‘civil partner’ means each civil partner of a couple who are both parties to a civil partnership who are living together.”,

and

(b) by substituting the following subsection for subsection (11):

“(11) For the purposes of determining the entitlement of a person to an increase in respect of a qualified adult—

(a) references to a spouse in the definition of ‘qualified adult’ contained in section 2(2) and regulations made under that provision shall be read as including a party to a marriage that has been dissolved, being a dissolution that is recognised as valid in the State, and

(b) references to a civil partner in the definition of ‘qualified adult’ contained in section 2(2) and regulations made under that provision shall be read as including a party to a civil partnership that has been dissolved, being a dissolution that is recognised as valid in the State.”.