Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 section 230

Period of payment

Section 230 sets out the duration and stability of the Working Family Payment, ensuring that the weekly rate remains fixed for the payment period and that family membership is locked in for that period.

• Working Family Payment is awarded for a fixed period of 52 weeks (unless regulations specify otherwise), running from the date it first becomes receivable.
• Once the payment is in place, changes in a family's circumstances during the 52-week period do not alter the weekly rate, unless regulations specifically provide otherwise.
• Where a payment is being made to a particular family, no person who was part of that family at the start of the period can be treated as a member of any other family for the duration.
• This "family lock-in" rule prevents overlapping claims and ensures consistent entitlement throughout the payment cycle.