Common amendments13.

(1)

In regulation 2(1) of the Housing Benefit Regulations (interpretation), after the definition of “net profit” there shall be inserted the following definition—

““the New Deal options” means the employment programmes specified in regulation 75(1)(a) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 and the training scheme specified in regulation 75(1)(b)(ii) of those Regulations;”.

(2)

In each of the regulations specified in paragraph (3)—

(a)

there shall be inserted in the appropriate place the following definition—

““Preparation for Employment Programme for 50 plus” means the programme known by that name and provided in pursuance of arrangements made under section 1 of the Employment and Training Act (Northern Ireland) 1950, being a programme lasting for up to 52 weeks for any one individual aged 50 years or over on the day that he first joined any such programme, and consisting for that individual of any one or more of the following elements, namely employed earner’s employment, assistance in pursuing self-employed earner’s employment, education and training, work experience, assistance with job search, motivation and skills training;”;

(b)

after the definition of “self-employed earner” there shall be inserted the following definition—

  • ““self-employment route” means—

    1. (a)

      that part of the Employment Option of the New Deal which is specified in regulation 75(1)(a)(i)(bb) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996; or

    2. (b)

      assistance in pursuing self-employed earner’s employment whilst participating in—

      1. (i)
        in the Preparation for Employment Programme specified in regulation 75(1)(a)(v)34 of those Regulations, or
      2. (ii)

        in the Preparation for Employment Programme for 50 plus”.

(3)

The regulations specified in this paragraph (interpretation) are—

(a)

regulation 2(1) of the Housing Benefit Regulations;

(b)

regulation 2(1) of the Income Support Regulations.

(4)

In each of the regulations specified in paragraph (5), in sub-paragraph (c) after head (i) there shall be inserted the following head—

“(ia)

in the Preparation for Employment Programme for 50 plus; or”.

(5)

The regulations specified in this paragraph (which relate to notional income) are—

(a)

regulation 35(3A) of the Housing Benefit Regulations35;

(b)

regulation 42(4ZA) of the Income Support Regulations36.

(6)

In each of the regulations specified in paragraph (7), at the end of sub-paragraph (b)(i) there shall be added “, other than where the service is performed in connection with the claimant’s participation in the Preparation for Employment Programme specified in regulation 75(1)(a)(v) of those Regulations or in the Preparation for Employment Programme for 50 plus”.

(7)

The regulations specified in this paragraph (which relate to notional earnings) are—

(a)

regulation 35(5A) of the Housing Benefit Regulations37;

(b)

regulation 42(6A) of the Income Support Regulations38.

(8)

In each of the regulations specified in paragraph (9), after sub-paragraph (b)(i) there shall be inserted the following—

“(ia)

in the Preparation for Employment Programme for 50 plus; or”.

(9)

The regulations specified in this paragraph (which relate to notional capital) are—

(a)

regulation 43(3A) of the Housing Benefit Regulations39;

(b)

regulation 51(3A) of the Income Support Regulations40.

(10)

In each specified paragraph of the Schedules specified in paragraph (11), for sub-paragraph (d)41 there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph—

“(d)

any child care expenses reimbursed to the claimant in respect of his participation in a New Deal option or in the Preparation for Employment Programme for 50 plus”;

(11)

The paragraph numbers and Schedules specified in this paragraph (which relate to sums to be disregarded in the calculation of income other than earnings) are—

(a)

paragraph 11 of Schedule 4 to the Housing Benefit Regulations42;

(b)

paragraph 13 of Schedule 9 to the Income Support Regulations43.

(12)

For each specified paragraph of the Schedules specified in paragraph (13), there shall be substituted the following paragraph—

  • “Any mandatory top-up payment made to a person pursuant to section 1 of the Employment and Training Act (Northern Ireland) 1950 in respect of that person’s participation in—

    1. (a)

      the self-employment route;

    2. (b)

      an employment programme specified in—

      1. (i)

        regulation 75(1)(a)(ii) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 (Voluntary Sector Option of the New Deal);

      2. (ii)

        regulation 75(1)(a)(iii) of those Regulations (Environmental Task Force Option of the New Deal), or

      3. (iii)

        the Preparation for Employment Programme specified in regulation 75(1)(a)(v) of those Regulations, or

    3. (c)

      the Preparation for Employment Programme for 50 plus.”.

(13)

The paragraph numbers and Schedules specified in this paragraph (which relate to sums to be disregarded in the calculation of income other than earnings) are—

(a)

paragraph 66 of Schedule 4 to the Housing Benefit Regulations44;

(b)

paragraph 60 of Schedule 9 to the Income Support Regulations45.

(14)

For each specified paragraph of the Schedules specified in paragraph (15), there shall be substituted the following paragraph—

  • “Any mandatory top-up payment made to a person pursuant to section 1 of the Employment and Training Act (Northern Ireland) 1950 in respect of that person’s participation in—

    1. (a)

      the self-employment route;

    2. (b)

      an employment programme as specified in—

      1. (i)

        regulation 75(1)(a)(ii) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 (Voluntary Sector Option of the New Deal);

      2. (ii)

        regulation 75(1)(a)(iii) of those Regulations (Environmental Task Force Option of the New Deal), or

      3. (iii)

        the Preparation for Employment Programme specified in regulation 75(1)(a)(v) of those Regulations, or

    3. (c)

      the Preparation for Employment Programme for 50 plus,

    but only for the period of 52 weeks from the date of receipt of the payment.”.

(15)

The paragraph numbers and Schedules specified in this paragraph (which relate to capital to be disregarded) are—

(a)

paragraph 51 of Schedule 5 to the Housing Benefit Regulations46;

(b)

paragraph 48 of Schedule 10 to the Income Support Regulations47.