The Rent Officers (Housing Benefit and Universal Credit Functions) (Local Housing Allowance Amendments) Order 2013

Amendment to the Rent Officers (Universal Credit Functions) Order 2013

4.—(1) The Rent Officers (Universal Credit Functions) Order 2013(1) is amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph (6)(b) of article 3 (Broad rental market area determinations) and in paragraph (3) of article 4 (Local housing allowance determinations) for “1st April” substitute “7th April”.

(3) Schedule 1 (Local housing allowance determinations)(2) is amended as follows—

(a) For paragraph 2 (Local housing allowance for category of accommodation in paragraph 1) substitute—

“Local housing allowance for category of accommodation in paragraph 1

2.— (1) Subject to paragraph 5 (anomalous local housing allowances) the rent officer must determine a local housing allowance for each category of accommodation in paragraph 1 as follows.

(2) For the broad rental market areas listed in column 1 of the table in paragraph 6 the local housing allowance is—

(a) for a category of accommodation listed in column 2 in relation to that broad rental market area, either—

(i) the rate last determined increased by 4 per cent; or

(ii) the maximum local housing allowance for that category of accommodation listed in column (2) of the table in paragraph 4 (Maximum local housing allowance) where that is lower than or equal to the rate last determined increased by 4 per cent;

(b) for any category of accommodation not listed in column 2 of the table in paragraph 6 in relation to that broad rental market area, either—

(i) the rent at the 30th percentile determined in accordance with paragraph 3 (Rent at the 30th percentile); or

(ii) the rate last determined for that category of accommodation increased by 1 per cent. where that is lower than or equal to the rent at the 30th percentile determined in accordance with paragraph 3.

(3) For all other broad rental market areas the local housing allowance for a category of accommodation is, either—

(a) the rent at the 30th percentile determined in accordance with paragraph 3; or

(b) the rate last determined for that category of accommodation increased by 1 per cent. where that is lower than or equal to the rent at the 30th percentile determined in accordance with paragraph 3.

(4) Where the local housing allowance would otherwise not be a whole number of pence, it must be rounded to the nearest whole penny by disregarding any amount less than half a penny and treating any amount of half a penny or more as a whole penny.”;

(b) in paragraph 3 (Rent at the 30th percentile)—

(i) for sub-paragraph (3) substitute—

“(3) The rent officer must compile a list of rents in ascending order of the monthly rents which, in the rent officer’s opinion, are payable—

(a) for accommodation let under an assured tenancy for each category of accommodation specified in paragraph 1; and

(b) in the 12 month period ending on the 30th day of the September preceding the date of the determination.”;

(ii) for sub-paragraph (6) substitute—

“(6) Sub-paragraph (7) applies where the rent officer is not satisfied that the list of rents in respect of any category of accommodation would contain sufficient rents, payable in the 12 month period ending on the 30th day of the September preceding the date of the determination for accommodation in the broad rental market area, to enable a local housing allowance to be determined which is representative of the rents that a landlord might reasonably be expected to obtain in that area.”;

(c) for paragraph 4 (Amount determined by reference to the previous local housing allowance)(3) substitute—

“Maximum local housing allowance

4.   The maximum local housing allowance for each category of accommodation specified in the paragraph of this Schedule listed in column (1) is the amount specified for that category of accommodation in column (2).

(1) Paragraph of this Schedule defining the category of accommodation	(2) Maximum local housing allowance for that category of accommodation
paragraph 1(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)	£1121.33
paragraph 1(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use)	£1121.33
paragraph 1(c) (two bedrooms)	£1300.70
paragraph 1(d) (three bedrooms)	£1524.96
paragraph 1(e) (four bedrooms)	£1794.11”;

(d) after paragraph 5 insert—

“6.   The table referred to in paragraph 2(2) of this Schedule is below.

(1) Broad rental market area	(2) Paragraph of this Schedule defining the category of accommodation
Aberdeen and Shire	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms) paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms) paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Argyll and Bute	paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use)
Ashford	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Aylesbury	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms)
Barnsley	paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use)
Bath	paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms) paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms)
Bedford	paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Blackwater Valley	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Blaenau Gwent	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Bolton and Bury	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Brecon and Radnor	paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms)
Bridgend	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Brighton and Hove	paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms)
Bristol	paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Caerphilly	paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Cambridge	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms) paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Canterbury	paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Central Lancs	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Central London	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Ceredigion	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use)
Cheltenham	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Cherwell Valley	paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms) paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Chesterfield	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Chichester	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Coventry	paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms)
Crawley & Reigate	paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Derby	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Durham	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
East Cheshire	paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
East Thames Valley	paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms) paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms)
Exeter	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Fife	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Forth Valley	paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Gloucester	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Greater Glasgow	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
High Weald	paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms)
Hull & East Riding	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Inner East London	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use)
Inner North London	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Inner South East London	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms) paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms) paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Inner South West London	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms)
Inner West London	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms)
Lancaster	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Leeds	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Luton	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms) paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms)
Maidstone	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Mendip	paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Merthyr Cynon	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Mid & East Devon	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use)
Mid & West Dorset	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Mid Staffs	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Neath Port Talbot	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Newbury	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
North Cornwall & Devon Borders	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
North Nottingham	paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use)
North West Kent	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
North West London	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms) paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms) paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
North West Wales	paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Northampton	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Outer East London	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms) paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms) paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Outer North London	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms) paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Outer South London	paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms) paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Outer South West London	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms) paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms) paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Oxford	paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms)
Rotherham	paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms)
Scarborough	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Scottish Borders	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Sheffield	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
South Cheshire	paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms)
South East Herts	paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use)
South Gwynedd	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Southampton	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Southern Greater Manchester	paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms)
Staffordshire North	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Taff Rhondda	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Thanet	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Walton	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Warwickshire South	paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms)
West Wiltshire	paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)
Wolds and Coast	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Worcester North	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Worcester South	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)
Yeovil	paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation)”.

(1)

S.I. 2013/382.

(2)

Schedule 1 was amended by S.I. 2013/1544.

(3)

Paragraph 4 was amended by S.I. 2013/1544.