The Principal Act is hereby amended by the insertion after section 206 of the following section:
"206A. Payment in respect of loss of purchasing power.
(1) Where a person makes a claim for any benefit in accordance with section 205 and the payment of that claim is delayed for a period exceeding 12 months due solely or mainly to circumstances within the control of the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs and the person has not contributed to such delay, regulations may provide for a payment to be made in respect of the loss of purchasing power, subject to such conditions and in such circumstances as may be prescribed.
(2) In the case of a person to whom subsection (1) applies, the Minister may make regulations to provide for payment of an amount of costs, subject to such minimum and maximum limits as may be prescribed, actually and necessarily incurred by the said person.".