The Housing Benefit Regulations 2006

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Date on which change of circumstances is to take effectE+W+S

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79.—(1) Except in cases where [F1regulation 34 (disregard of changes in tax, contributions, etc) applies, and subject to regulation 8(3) of the Decisions and Appeals Regulations and] the following provisions of this regulation, and to [F2regulation 80(5)]), a change of circumstances which affects entitlement to, or the amount of, housing benefit (“change of circumstances”) shall take effect from the first day of the benefit week following the date on which the change of circumstances actually occurs, and where that change is cessation of entitlement to any benefit under the benefit Acts, the date on which the change actually occurs shall be the day immediately following the last day of entitlement to that benefit.

[F3(2) Subject to paragraph (8) [F4and regulation 8(3) of the Decisions and Appeals Regulations] where the change of circumstances is a change in the amount of rent payable in respect of a dwelling, that change shall take effect from the day on which it actually occurs.]

[F5(2A) Subject to paragraphs (8) [F6to (10)], except in a case where regulation 8(3) of the Decisions and Appeals Regulations applies, where the change of circumstances is—

(a)that a person moves into a new dwelling occupied as the home, or

(b)any other event which—

(i)entitles a person to be treated as occupying two dwellings as his home under regulation 7(6), or

(ii)brings to an end a person’s right to be treated as occupying two dwellings as his home under that regulation, in a case where he has, immediately prior to the event, been treated as occupying two dwellings as his home,

that change of circumstances shall take effect on the day on which it actually occurs.

(2B) Subject to paragraph (8), where the change of circumstances is the expiry of a maximum period of time, referred to in regulation 7(6), for which a person can be treated as occupying two dwellings as his home, that change shall take effect on the day after the last day of that period]

(3) Subject to paragraphs (8) F7..., where the change of circumstances is an amendment to these Regulations that change, subject to [F2regulation 80(5)], shall take effect as follows—

(a)where the amendment is made by an order under section 150 of the Administration Act (annual up-rating of benefits)—

(i)in a case in which the claimant's weekly amount of eligible rent falls to be calculated in accordance with regulation 80(2)(b) [F8or (c)] (calculation of weekly amounts), from 1st April;

(ii)in any other case, from the first Monday in April,

in the year in which that order comes into force;

(b)in respect of any other amendment, from the date on which the amendment of these Regulations comes into force in the particular case.

[F9(4) Subject to paragraph (8), if two or more changes of circumstances occurring in the same benefit week would, but for this paragraph, take effect in different benefit weeks in accordance with this regulation, they shall all take effect on the first day of the benefit week in which they occur, unless a change taking effect under paragraphs (2), (2A) or (2B) takes effect in that week, in which case the changes shall all take effect on the day on which that change takes effect.]

(5) Where, during a benefit week commencing on the first Monday in April—

(a)a change of circumstances takes effect in accordance with paragraph (3)(a)(ii);

(b)one or more changes of circumstances occur to which paragraph (1) applies; and

(c)no other change of circumstances occurs to which this regulation applies,

any change of circumstances to which paragraph (1) applies and which occurs in that benefit week shall take effect from the first day of that benefit week.

(6) Where the change of circumstances is that income, or an increase in the amount of income, other than a benefit or an increase in the amount of a benefit under [F10the Act,] [F11Part 4 of the 2012 Act] [F12or article 24A of the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) Order 2011], is paid in respect of a past period and there was no entitlement to income of that amount during that period, the change of circumstances shall take effect from the first day on which such income, had it been paid in that period at intervals appropriate to that income, would have fallen to be taken into account for the purposes of these Regulations.

(7) Without prejudice to paragraph (6), where the change of circumstances is the payment of income, or arrears of income, in respect of a past period, the change of circumstances shall take effect from the first day on which such income, had it been timeously paid in that period at intervals appropriate to that income, would have fallen to be taken into account for the purposes of these Regulations.

[F13(8) Subject to paragraph (9), where a change of circumstances occurs which has the effect of bringing entitlement to an end it shall take effect on the first day of the benefit week following the benefit week in which that change actually occurs except in a case where a person is liable to make payments, which fall due on a daily basis, F14... in which case that change shall take effect on the day on which it actually occurs.

(9) Where the change of circumstances is that a person moves to a new dwelling and immediately after the move he is treated as occupying his former dwelling as his home in accordance with regulation 7(7) or (10) then that change of circumstances shall take effect on the day after the last day for which he is treated as [F15occupying] the former dwelling in accordance with whichever of those regulations applies in his case.]

[F16(10) Where the change of circumstances is that the person moves to a new dwelling and immediately before the move that person is treated as occupying the new dwelling in accordance with regulation 7(8) then that change of circumstances shall take effect on the first day on which the person is treated as occupying the new dwelling as the home under that regulation.]

Textual Amendments

F1Words in reg. 79(1) substituted (24.9.2007) by The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No.4) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2470), regs. 1, 4(2)

F2Words in reg. 79(1)(3) substituted (7.4.2008) by The Housing Benefit (Local Housing Allowance and Information Sharing) Amendment Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2868), regs. 1(3), 15 (with reg. 1(6))

F3Reg. 79(2) substituted (3.4.2006) by The Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Consequential Provisions) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/217), reg. 1(1), Sch. 2 para. 27(10) (with regs. 2, 3, Sch. 3, Sch. 4)

F4Words in reg. 79(2) substituted (24.9.2007) by The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No.4) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2470), regs. 1, 4(3)

F5Reg. 79(2A)(2B) inserted by S.I. 2005/2502, reg. 2(10)(c) (as amended) (3.4.2006) by The Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Consequential Provisions) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/217), reg. 1(1), Sch. 2 para. 27(10) (with regs. 2, 3, Sch. 3, Sch. 4)

F6Words in reg. 79(2A) substituted (1.10.2007) by The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 5) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2618), regs. 1(1), 11(9)(a)

F7Words in reg. 79(3) omitted by virtue of S.I. 2005/2502, reg. 2(10)(d)(i) (as amended) (3.4.2006) by virtue of The Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Consequential Provisions) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/217), reg. 1(1), Sch. 2 para. 27(10) (with regs. 2, 3, Sch. 3, Sch. 4)

F8Words in reg. 79(3)(a)(i) inserted by S.I. 2005/2502, reg. 2(10)(d)(ii) (as amended) (3.4.2006) by The Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Consequential Provisions) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/217), reg. 1(1), Sch. 2 para. 27(10) (with regs. 2, 3, Sch. 3, Sch. 4)

F9Reg. 79(4) substituted (3.4.2006) by The Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Consequential Provisions) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/217), reg. 1(1), Sch. 2 para. 27(10) (with regs. 2, 3, Sch. 3, Sch. 4)

F10Words in reg. 79(6) substituted (8.4.2013) by The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme (Consequential Provisions: Subordinate Legislation) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/591), art. 2(2), Sch. para. 34(5)(a)

F11Words in reg. 79(6) inserted (8.4.2013) by The Personal Independence Payment (Supplementary Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/388), reg. 2, Sch. para. 36(5)