Citation, commencement and interpretation1.

(1)

These Regulations may be cited as the Housing Benefit (General) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 and shall come into operation on 1st April 1996.

(2)

In these Regulations “the principal Regulations” means the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 19874.

(3)

The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 19545 shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to a Measure of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Amendment of regulation 18 of the principal Regulations2.

In regulation 18(1) of the principal Regulations (patients)—

(a)

in sub-paragraphs (a), (b) and (d)(ii) for “£14·70” there shall be substituted “£15·30”;

(b)

in sub-paragraphs (c)(i) and (d)(i) for “£11·75” there shall be substituted “£12·25”;

(c)

in sub-paragraph (c)(ii) for “£29·40” there shall be substituted “£30·60”.

Amendment of regulation 63 of the principal Regulations3.

In regulation 63 of the principal Regulations (non-dependant deductions)—

(a)

in paragraph (1)—

(i)

in sub-paragraph (a)(ii) for “£2·30” there shall be substituted “£2·60”;

(ii)

in sub-paragraph (b)(ii) for “£1·15” there shall be substituted “£1·30”;

(b)

in paragraph 2(d) for “£111·00” there shall be substituted “£114·00”.

Amendment of Schedule 2 to the principal Regulations4.

In Schedule 2 to the principal Regulations (applicable amounts)—

(a)

for Part I (personal allowances) there shall be substituted the Part set out in Schedule 1 to these Regulations;

(b)

in Part II (family premium) in paragraph 3 for “£10·25” there shall be substituted “£10·55”;

(c)

for Part IV (amounts of premiums specified in Part III) there shall be substituted the Part set out in Schedule 2 to these Regulations.

Amendment of Schedule 4 to the principal Regulations5.

In Schedule 4 to the principal Regulations (sums to be disregarded in the calculation of income other than earnings) in paragraph 22(b) for “£9·20” there shall be substituted “£9·25”.

Revocations6.

Regulations 3(a) and 5 of the Housing Benefit (General) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 19946 and regulations 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Housing Benefit (General) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 19957 are hereby revoked.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health and Social Services for Northern Ireland on

W. G. Purdy
Assistant Secretary

The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland hereby consents to the foregoing Regulations.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland on

R. E. Aiken
Assistant Secretary