Provides for regulations to enable a person entitled to benefit to nominate another to receive that benefit; to appoint a person to exercise rights or powers on behalf of a claimant or beneficiary who is under 16 or who is certified by a registered medical practitioner as being or likely soon to become unable to manage his or her financial affairs; and, subject to prescribed conditions for assuring the claimant’s personal welfare, to authorise an appointee to receive and deal with sums payable on behalf of the claimant or beneficiary.

Permits, where the Minister considers the circumstances warrant, regulations to authorise appointment to receive and deal with specified benefits (including illness benefit; jobseeker’s benefits; injury benefit; State pensions contributory, transition and non‑contributory; invalidity and disablement pensions; jobseeker’s allowance; farm assist; pre‑retirement allowance; blind pension; disability allowance; bereaved partner’s (contributory) pension; one‑parent family payment; domiciliary care allowance; child benefit; working family payment; and supplementary welfare allowance), subject to reasonableness limits and specified statutory deductions; allows dispensing with probate for payment and distribution among persons appearing entitled (beneficial beneficiaries, next of kin or creditors); and makes provision for the powers and obligations of appointees, including an obligation to account.