The Income Support (General) Regulations 1987

Temporary absence from Great Britain E+W+S

4.—(1) Where a claimant is entitled to income support for a period immediately preceding a period of temporary absence from Great Britain, his entitlement to income support [F1 shall continue only—

(a) in the circumstances specified in paragraph (2), during the first 4 weeks of that period of temporary absence; and

(b) in the circumstances specified in paragraph (3), during the first 8 weeks of that period.]

(2) The circumstances in which a claimant's entitlement to income support is to continue during the first four weeks of a temporary absence from Great Britain are that—

(a) the period of absence is unlikely to exceed 52 weeks; and

(b) while absent from Great Britain, the claimant continues to satisfy the other conditions of entitlement to income support; and

(c) any one of the following conditions applies—

[F2 (i) the claimant falls within one or more of the prescribed categories of person listed in Schedule 1B other than paragraphs 7, 15, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26 or 27 of that Schedule; or]

[F2 (ii) the claimant falls within paragraph 7 of Schedule 1B (persons incapable of work) and his absence from Great Britain is for the sole purpose of receiving treatment from an appropriately qualified person for the incapacity by reason of which he satisfies the conditions of that paragraph; or]

(iii) he is in Northern Ireland; or

(iv) he is a member of a couple and he and his partner are both absent from Great Britain, and a premium referred to in paragraph 9, [F3 9A,] 10, 11 or 13 of Schedule 2 (applicable amounts) is applicable in respect of his partner [F4 or

[F5 (v) on the day on which the absence began he had satisfied the provisions of [F6 paragraph 7 of Schedule 1B] (persons incapable of work) for a continuous period of not less than—

(aa) 196 days in the case of a claimant who is terminally ill within the meaning of section 30B(4) of the Contributions and Benefits Act, or who is entitled to the highest rate of the care component of disability living allowance; or

(bb) 364 days in any other case,

and for this purpose any two or more separate periods separated by a break of not more than 56 days shall be treated as one continuous period.]]

[F7 (3) The circumstances in which a claimant’s entitlement to income support is to continue during the first 8 weeks of a temporary absence from Great Britain are that—

(a) the period of absence is unlikely to exceed 52 weeks; and

(b) the claimant continues to satisfy the other conditions of entitlement to income support; and

(c) the claimant is, or the claimant and any other member of his family are, accompanying a member of the claimant’s family who is a child or young person solely in connection with arrangements made for the treatment of that child or young person for a disease or bodily or mental disablement; and

(d) those arrangements relate to treatment—

(i) outside Great Britain;

(ii) during the period whilst the claimant is, or the claimant and any member of his family are, temporarily absent from Great Britain; and

(iii) by, or under the supervision of, a person appropriately qualified to carry out that treatment.]

[F8 (3A) A claimant’s entitlement to income support shall continue during a period of temporary absence from Great Britain if—

(a) he satisfied the conditions of entitlement to income support immediately before the beginning of that period of temporary absence; and

(b) that period of temporary absence is for the purpose of the claimant receiving treatment at a hospital or other institution outside Great Britain where that treatment is being provided—

(i) under section 3 of the National Health Service Act 1977 (services generally);

(ii) pursuant to arrangements made under section 23 of that Act (voluntary organisations and other bodies); or

(iii) pursuant to arrangements made under paragraph 13 of Schedule 2 to the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (National Health Service Trusts – specific powers).]

[F7 (4) In paragraphs (2) and (3) “appropriately qualified” means qualified to provide medical treatment, physiotherapy or a form of treatment which is similar to, or related to, either of those forms of treatment.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in reg. 4(1) substituted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2)(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1990 (S.I. 1990/547), regs. 1(1)(b), 3(a)

F2 Reg. 4(2)(c)(i)(ii) substituted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Income Support (General) (Jobseeker’s Allowance Consequential Amendments) Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/206), regs. 1(1), 5(2)

F3 Word in reg. 4(2)(c)(iv) inserted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(6) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits Schemes and Social Fund (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/1944), regs. 1(1)(a), 6(3) (with reg. 13)

F4 Reg. 4(2)(c)(v) and word added (11.4.1988) by The Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988/663), regs. 1(1), 3

F5 Reg. 4(2)(c)(v) substituted (13.4.1995) by The Disability Working Allowance and Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1995/482), regs. 1(1), 5 (with reg. 1(4))

F6 Words in reg. 4(2)(c)(v) substituted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Income Support (General) (Jobseeker’s Allowance Consequential Amendments) Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/206), regs. 1(1), 5(3)

F7 Reg. 4(3)(4) added (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2)(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1990 (S.I. 1990/547), regs. 1(1)(b), 3(b)

F8 Reg. 4(3A) inserted (4.10.2004) by The Social Security (Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance) Amendment Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/1869), regs. 1, 2(2)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Reg. 4(2)(c)(v) modified (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Income Support (General) (Jobseeker’s Allowance Consequential Amendments) Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/206), regs. 1(1), 27(2)

Commencement Information

I1 Reg. 4 in force at 11.4.1988, see reg. 1