The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2012

Treatment of child care charges E+W

25.—(1) This paragraph applies where an applicant is incurring relevant child care charges and—

(a) is a lone parent and is engaged in remunerative work;

(b) is a member of a couple both of whom are engaged in remunerative work; or

(c) is a member of a couple where one member is engaged in remunerative work and the other—

(i) is incapacitated;

(ii) is an in-patient in hospital; or

(iii) is in prison (whether serving a custodial sentence or remanded in custody awaiting trial or sentence).

(2) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) and subject to sub-paragraph (4), a person to whom sub-paragraph (3) applies must be treated as engaged in remunerative work for a period not exceeding 28 weeks during which he—

(a) is paid statutory sick pay;

(b) is paid short-term incapacity benefit at the lower rate under sections 30A to 30E of the SSCBA;

(c) is paid an employment and support allowance;

(d) is paid income support on the grounds of incapacity for work under regulation 4ZA of, and paragraph 7 or 14 of Schedule 1B to, the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987; or

(e) is credited with earnings on the grounds of incapacity for work or limited capability for work under regulation 8B of the Social Security (Credits) Regulations 1975.

(3) This sub-paragraph applies to a person who was engaged in remunerative work immediately before—

(a) the first day of the period in respect of which he was first paid statutory sick pay, short-term incapacity benefit, an employment and support allowance or income support on the grounds of incapacity for work; or

(b) the first day of the period in respect of which earnings are credited,

as the case may be.

(4) In a case to which sub-paragraph (2)(d) or (e) applies, the period of 28 weeks begins on the day on which the person is first paid income support or on the first day of the period in respect of which earnings are credited, as the case may be.

(5) Relevant child care charges are those charges for care to which sub-paragraphs (6) and (7) apply, and are to be calculated on a weekly basis in accordance with sub-paragraph (9).

(6) The charges are paid by the applicant for care which is provided—

(a) in the case of any child of the applicant’s family who is not disabled, in respect of the period beginning on that child’s date of birth and ending on the day preceding the first Monday in September following that child’s fifteenth birthday; or

(b) in the case of any child of the applicant’s family who is disabled, in respect of the period beginning on that person’s date of birth and ending on the day preceding the first Monday in September following that person’s sixteenth birthday.

(7) The charges are paid for care which is provided by one or more of the care providers listed in sub-paragraph (8) and are not paid—

(a) in respect of the child’s compulsory education;

(b) by an applicant to a partner or by a partner to an applicant in respect of any child for whom either or any of them is responsible in accordance with regulation 7 (circumstances in which a person is treated as responsible or not responsible for another); or

(c) in respect of care provided by a relative of the child wholly or mainly in the child’s home.

(8) The care to which sub-paragraph (7) refers may be provided—

(a) out of school hours, by a school on school premises or by a local authority—

(i) for children who are not disabled in respect of the period beginning on their eighth birthday and ending on the day preceding the first Monday in September following their fifteenth birthday; or

(ii) for children who are disabled in respect of the period beginning on their eighth birthday and ending on the day preceding the first Monday in September following their sixteenth birthday; or

(b) by a child care provider approved in accordance with the Tax Credit (New Category of Child Care Provider) Regulations 1999(1); or

(c) by persons registered under Part 2 of the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010(2); or

(d) by a person who is excepted from registration under Part 2 of the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010 because the child care that person provides is in a school or establishment referred to in article 11, 12 or 14 of the Child Minding and Day Care Exceptions (Wales) Order 2010(3); or

(e) by—

(i) persons registered under section 59(1) of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010(4); or

(ii) local authorities registered under section 83(1) of that Act,

where the care provided is child minding or day care of children within the meaning of that Act; or

(f) by a person prescribed in regulations made pursuant to section 12(4) of the Tax Credits Act 2002(5); or

(g) by a person who is registered under Chapter 2 or 3 of Part 3 of the Childcare Act 2006(6); or

(h) by any of the schools mentioned in section 34(2) of the Childcare Act 2006(7) in circumstances where the requirement to register under Chapter 2 of Part 3 of that Act does not apply by virtue of section 34(2) of that Act; or

(i) by any of the schools mentioned in section 53(2) of the Childcare Act 2006 in circumstances where the requirement to register under Chapter 3 of Part 3 of that Act does not apply by virtue of section 53(2) of that Act; or

(j) by any of the establishments mentioned in section 18(5) of the Childcare Act 2006(8) in circumstances where the care is not included in the meaning of “childcare” for the purposes of Part 1 and Part 3 of that Act by virtue of that subsection; or

(k) by a foster parent or kinship carer under the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011(9), F1 ... or the Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009(10) in relation to a child other than one whom the foster parent is fostering or kinship carer is looking after; or

[F2 (ka) by a foster parent under the Fostering Panels (Establishment and Functions) (Wales) Regulations 2018 or a person with whom a child is placed under regulation 26 of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (Wales) Regulations 2015 (temporary approval of a relative, friend or other person connected with the child) or regulation 28 of those Regulations (temporary approval of a particular prospective adopter) in relation to a child other than one whom the foster parent is fostering or the person is looking after; or]

(l) by a provider of personal care within the meaning of paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010(11) and being a regulated activity prescribed by those Regulations [F3 or by a person who is employed, or engaged under a contract for services, to provide care and support by the provider of a domiciliary support service within the meaning of Part 1 of the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016]; or

(m) by a person who is not a relative of the child wholly or mainly in the child’s home.

(9) Relevant child care charges are to be estimated over such period, not exceeding a year, as is appropriate in order that the average weekly charge may be estimated accurately having regard to information as to the amount of that charge provided by the child minder or person providing the care.

(10) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)(c) the other member of a couple is incapacitated where—

(a) he is aged not less than 80;

(b) he is aged less than 80, and—

(i) an additional condition specified in paragraph 26 is treated as applying in his case; and

(ii) he satisfies that condition or would satisfy it but for his being treated as capable of work by virtue of a determination made in accordance with regulations made under section 171E of the SSCBA(12);

(c) the [F4 other member of the couple would be a member of the support group or] [F5 a member of the work-related activity group] by virtue of a determination made in accordance with the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2008(13) [F6 or the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2013];

(d) he is, or is treated as, incapable of work and has been so incapable, or has been so treated as incapable, of work in accordance with the provisions of, and regulations made under, Part 12A of the SSCBA(14) (incapacity for work) for a continuous period of not less than 196 days; and for this purpose any two or more separate periods separated by a break of not more than 56 days must be treated as one continuous period;

(e) he is, or is treated as having, limited capability for work and has had, or been treated as having, limited capability for work in accordance with the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2008 [F7 or the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2013] for a continuous period of not less than 196 days and for this purpose any two or more separate periods separated by a break of not more than 84 days must be treated as one continuous period;

(f) there is payable in respect of him one or more of the following pensions or allowances—

(i) long-term incapacity benefit or short-term incapacity benefit at the higher rate under Schedule 4 to the SSCBA(15);

(ii) attendance allowance under section 64 of the SSCBA;

(iii) severe disablement allowance under section 68 of the SSCBA;

(iv) disability living allowance(16);

(v) personal independence payment;

(vi) an AFIP;

(vii) increase of disablement pension under section 104 of the SSCBA;

(viii) a pension increase paid as part of a war disablement pension or under an industrial injuries scheme which is analogous to an allowance or increase of disablement pension under sub-paragraph (ii), (iv), (v) or (vii) above;

(ix) main phase employment and support allowance;

(g) a pension [F8 or allowance or payment to which sub-paragraph (v), (vii) or (viii)] of paragraph (f) above refers was payable on account of his incapacity but has ceased to be payable in consequence of his becoming a patient, which in this paragraph means a person (other than a person who is serving a sentence of imprisonment or detention in a youth custody institution) who is regarded as receiving free in-patient treatment within the meaning of regulation 2(4) and (5) of the Social Security (Hospital In-Patients) Regulations 2005(17);

(h) an attendance allowance under section 64 of the SSCBA or disability living allowance would be payable to that person but for—

(i) a suspension of benefit in accordance with regulations made under section 113(2) of the SSCBA; or

(ii) an abatement as a consequence of hospitalisation;

(i) the daily living component of personal independence payment would be payable to that person but for a suspension of benefit in accordance with regulations under section 86 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (hospital in-patients);

(j) an AFIP would be payable to that person but for a suspension of payment in accordance with any terms of the armed and reserve forces compensation scheme which allow for a suspension because a person is undergoing medical treatment in a hospital or similar institution.

(k) paragraph (f), (g), (h) or (i) would apply to him if the legislative provisions referred to in those paragraphs were provisions under any corresponding enactment having effect in Northern Ireland; or

(l) he has an invalid carriage or other vehicle provided to him by the Secretary of State or a clinical commissioning group under paragraph 9 of Schedule 1 to the National Health Service Act 2006(18) or under section 46 of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978(19) or provided by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland under Article 30(1) of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972(20).

(11) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (10), once sub-paragraph (10)(d) applies to the person, if he then ceases, for a period of 56 days or less, to be incapable, or to be treated as incapable, of work, that paragraph is to, on his again becoming so incapable, or so treated as incapable, of work at the end of that period, immediately thereafter apply to him for so long as he remains incapable, or is treated as remaining incapable, of work.

(12) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (10), once sub-paragraph (10)(e) applies to the person, if he then ceases, for a period of 84 days or less, to have, or to be treated as having, limited capability for work, that paragraph is to, on his again having, or being treated as having, limited capability for work at the end of that period, immediately thereafter apply to him for so long as he has, or is treated as having, limited capability for work.

(13) For the purposes of sub-paragraphs (6) and (8)(a), a person is disabled if he is a person—

(a) to whom an attendance allowance or care component of disability allowance is payable or would be payable but for—

(i) a suspension of benefit in accordance with regulations under section 113(2) of the SSCBA; or

(ii) an abatement as a consequence of hospitalisation;

(b) to whom the daily living component of personal independence payment is payable or [F9 has ceased to be payable by virtue of] a suspension of benefit in accordance with regulations under section 86 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (hospital in-patients);

(c) who is registered as F10 ...[F11 severely sight-impaired in a register kept under section 77(1) of the Care Act 2014 (registers of sight-impaired adults)] F12 ..., in Scotland, has been certified as blind and in consequence he is registered as blind in a register maintained by or on behalf of a council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994(21) [F13 or is registered as severely sight-impaired in a register kept by a local authority in Wales under section 18(1) of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014]; or

(d) who ceased to be registered as blind [F14 or severely sight-impaired] in such a register within the period beginning 28 weeks before the first Monday in September following that person’s fifteenth birthday and ending on the day preceding that person’s sixteenth birthday.

(14) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) a person on maternity leave, paternity leave [F15 , shared parental leave] or adoption leave is to be treated as if he is engaged in remunerative work for the period specified in [F16 sub-paragraph (15)] (“the relevant period”) provided that—

(a) in the week before the period of maternity leave, paternity leave [F15 , shared parental leave] or adoption leave began he was in remunerative work;

(b) the applicant is incurring relevant child care charges within the meaning of sub-paragraph (5); and

(c) he is entitled to either statutory maternity pay under section 164 of the SSCBA(22), F17 ... statutory paternity pay by virtue of section 171ZA or 171ZB of that Act, F18 ..., statutory adoption pay by virtue of section 171ZL of that Act, maternity allowance under section 35 of that Act [F19 , statutory shared parental pay by virtue of section 171ZU or 171ZV of that Act] or qualifying support.

(15) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (14) the relevant period begins on the day on which the person’s maternity, paternity leave [F20 , shared parental leave] or adoption leave commences and ends on—

(a) the date that leave ends;

(b) if no child care element of working tax credit is in payment on the date that entitlement to maternity allowance, qualifying support, statutory maternity pay, ordinary or additional statutory paternity pay [F21 statutory shared paternity pay or statutory adoption pay ends], the date that entitlement ends; or

(c) if a child care element of working tax credit is in payment on the date that entitlement to maternity allowance or qualifying support, statutory maternity pay, ordinary or additional statutory paternity pay [F21 statutory shared paternity pay or statutory adoption pay ends], the date that entitlement to that award of the child care element of the working tax credit ends,

whichever shall occur first.

(16) In sub-paragraphs (14) and (15)—

(a) “qualifying support” means income support to which that person is entitled by virtue of paragraph 14B of Schedule 1B to the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987(23); and

(b) “child care element” of working tax credit means the element of working tax credit prescribed under section 12 of the Tax Credits Act 2002 (child care element).

(17) In sub-paragraphs (6), (8)(a) and (13)(d), “the first Monday in September” means the Monday which first occurs in the month of September in any year.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(8)(k) omitted (29.4.2019) by virtue of The Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016 (Consequential Amendments to Secondary Legislation) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/237), reg. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 21(2)(a)

F2 Sch. 1 para. 25(8)(ka) inserted (29.4.2019) by The Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016 (Consequential Amendments to Secondary Legislation) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/237), reg. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 21(2)(b)

F3 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(8)(l) inserted (14.1.2019) by The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1346), regs. 1(1), 3(c)

F4 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(10)(c) substituted (12.1.2018 with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1305), regs. 1(1), 9(d)

F5 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(10)(c) inserted (3.4.2017) by The Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit (Miscellaneous Amendments and Transitional and Savings Provisions) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/204), reg. 1, Sch. 1 para. 8(3)(b) (with Sch. 2 paras. 1-7)

F6 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(10)(c) inserted (with application in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/3312), regs. 1(1), 2(5)(c)(i)

F7 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(10)(e) inserted (with application in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/3312), regs. 1(1), 2(5)(c)(i)

F8 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(10)(g) substituted (with application in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/3312), regs. 1(1), 2(5)(c)(ii)

F9 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(13)(b) substituted (with application in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/3312), regs. 1(1), 2(5)(c)(iii)

F10 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(13)(c) omitted (6.4.2016) by virtue of The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (Consequential Amendments) (Secondary Legislation) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/211), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 135(4)(a)

F11 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(13)(c) inserted (1.4.2015) by The Care Act 2014 (Consequential Amendments) (Secondary Legislation) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/643), art. 1(2), Sch. para. 36(4)(a) (with art. 4)

F12 Word in Sch. 1 para. 25(13)(c) omitted (6.4.2016) by virtue of The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (Consequential Amendments) (Secondary Legislation) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/211), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 135(4)(b)

F13 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(13)(c) inserted (6.4.2016) by The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (Consequential Amendments) (Secondary Legislation) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/211), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 135(4)(c)

F14 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(13)(d) inserted (1.4.2015) by The Care Act 2014 (Consequential Amendments) (Secondary Legislation) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/643), art. 1(2), Sch. para. 36(4)(b) (with art. 4)

F15 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(14) inserted (31.12.2014) by The Shared Parental Leave and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (Consequential Amendments to Subordinate Legislation) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/3255), arts. 1(2), 27(4)(d)(i)

F16 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(14) substituted (13.1.2014 with application in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/3181), regs. 1(1), 2(7)(d)

F17 Word in Sch. 1 para. 25(14) omitted (5.4.2015) by virtue of The Shared Parental Leave and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (Consequential Amendments to Subordinate Legislation) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/3255), arts. 1(3), 27(4)(d)(ii) (with art. 35(1))

F18 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(14) omitted (5.4.2015) by virtue of The Shared Parental Leave and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (Consequential Amendments to Subordinate Legislation) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/3255), arts. 1(3), 27(4)(d)(iii) (with art. 35(1))

F19 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(14) inserted (31.12.2014) by The Shared Parental Leave and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (Consequential Amendments to Subordinate Legislation) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/3255), arts. 1(2), 27(4)(d)(iv)

F20 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(15) inserted (31.12.2014) by The Shared Parental Leave and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (Consequential Amendments to Subordinate Legislation) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/3255), arts. 1(2), 27(4)(e)(i)

F21 Words in Sch. 1 para. 25(15) substituted (31.12.2014) by The Shared Parental Leave and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (Consequential Amendments to Subordinate Legislation) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/3255), arts. 1(2), 27(4)(e)(ii)

Commencement Information

I1 Sch. 1 para. 25 in force at 27.11.2012, see reg. 1(1)

(1)

S.I. 1999/3110 was partially revoked in relation to England by S.I. 2007/2481 which also established a transitional scheme to recognise existing registrations. Alternative systems of registration are established under the Child care Act 2006 (c. 21).

(2)

2010 nawm 10.

(3)

S.I. 2010/2574 (W. 214).

(4)

2010 asp 8.

(5)

2002 c. 21; section 12(4) has been repealed by paragraph 1 of Schedule 14 to the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5) but that provision is not yet in force.

(6)

2006 c. 21.

(7)

Section 34(2) has been amended by paragraphs 30 and 32 and section 53(2) (see paragraph (i)) by paragraphs 30 and 34 of Schedule 1 to the Education and Skills Act 2008 (c. 25) but those provisions are not yet in force.

(8)

Section 18(5) has been amended by section 8 of, and paragraph 19 of Schedule 1 to, the Children and Young Persons Act 2008 (c. 23).

(9)

S.I. 2011/581.

(10)

S.S.I. 2009/210.

(11)

S.I. 2010/781; paragraph 1 has been amended by S.I. 2012/1513.

(12)

1992 c. 4; section 171E was inserted by section 6 of the Social Security (Incapacity for Work) Act 1994 (c. 18) and subsequently amended by paragraph 76 of Schedule 7 to the Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14).

(13)

S.I. 2008/1794.

(14)

Part 12A was inserted by section 5 of the Social Security (Incapacity for Work) Act 1994 Act and amended by section 70 of, and paragraphs 20 and 23 of Schedule 8 to, the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (c. 30). It has been repealed by paragraph 9(1) and (12) of Schedule 3 to the Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5) but those provisions are not yet in force.

(15)

Relevant amendments have been made by article 3 of, and the Schedule to, S.I. 2012/780. Part 12A has been repealed by Schedule 8 to the Welfare Reform Act 2007 but that provision is not yet in force.

(16)

Section 71 of the SSCBA which makes provision for disability living allowance was amended by section 67 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 and has been repealed by section 90 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 but that provision is not yet in force.

(17)

S.I. 2005/3660.

(18)

2006 c. 41; paragraph 9 has been amended by section 17 (to replace references to the Secretary of State with clinical commissioning groups) of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7) but those provisions are not yet fully in force.

(19)

1978 c. 29.

(20)

S.I. 1972/1265 (N.I. 14).

(21)

1994 c. 65.

(22)

1992 c. 4; section 164 was amended by paragraph 12 of the Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc) Act 1999 (c. 2) and section 20 of, and paragraph 6 of Schedule 7 and paragraph 1 of Schedule 8 to, the Employment Act 2002 (c. 22).

(23)

S.I. 1987/1967; Schedule 1B was inserted by paragraph 7 of Schedule 10 to S.I. 1996/206.