The Income-related Benefits (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

Amendment of the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations

3.—(1) The Housing Benefit (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987(1) shall be amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (4).

(2) In Schedule 5 (capital to be disregarded) after paragraph 23(2) there shall be inserted the following paragraph—

“23A.— (1) An amount equal to any interim assistance grant paid by the London Bombings Relief Charitable Fund for the purpose of relieving immediate need faced by the claimant arising in consequence of—

(a) an injury he suffered in the terrorist attacks carried out in London on 7th July 2005 as a result of which he stayed at least one night in hospital; or

(b) the death of a partner or close relative of his in, or as a result of, those attacks.

(2) A disregard which applies by virtue of sub-paragraph (1) shall have effect only in relation to—

(a) an award of housing benefit during which the grant is paid; and

(b) where that award is followed by one or more further awards of housing benefit which begins immediately after the end of the previous award, such further award, provided that the claimant in respect of that further award—

(i) is the person who received the grant, or

(ii) is the partner of that person, or was the partner of that person at the date of the latter’s death.

(3) In sub-paragraph (1), “the London Bombings Relief Charitable Fund” means the company limited by guarantee (number 5505072) and registered charity of that name established on 11th July 2005 for the purpose of (amongst other things) relieving sickness, disability or financial need of victims (including families or dependants of victims) of the terrorist attacks carried out in London on 7th July 2005.”.

(3) The amendment made by paragraph (4) is to the Regulations as modified in their application to persons to whom regulation 2 of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003(3) applies.

(4) In Schedule 5ZA(4) (capital to be disregarded) after paragraph 16(5) there shall be inserted the following paragraph—

“16A.— (1) An amount equal to any interim assistance grant paid by the London Bombings Relief Charitable Fund for the purpose of relieving immediate need faced by the claimant arising in consequence of—

(a) an injury he suffered in the terrorist attacks carried out in London on 7th July 2005 as a result of which he stayed at least one night in hospital; or

(b) the death of a partner or close relative of his in, or as a result of, those attacks.

(2) A disregard which applies by virtue of sub-paragraph (1) shall have effect only in relation to—

(a) an award of housing benefit during which the grant is paid; and

(b) where that award is followed by one or more further awards of housing benefit which begins immediately after the end of the previous award, such further award, provided that the claimant in respect of that further award—

(i) is the person who received the grant, or

(ii) is the partner of that person, or was the partner of that person at the date of the latter’s death.

(3) In sub-paragraph (1), “the London Bombings Relief Charitable Fund” means the company limited by guarantee (number 5505072) and registered charity of that name established on 11th July 2005 for the purpose of (amongst other things) relieving sickness, disability or financial need of victims (including families or dependants of victims) of the terrorist attacks carried out in London on 7th July 2005.”.

(1)

S.R. 1987 No. 461

(2)

Paragraph 23 was substituted by regulation 3(8)(a) of S.R. 1991 No. 204 and amended by regulation 4(8)(a) of S.R. 1992 No. 201, regulation 4(6)(a) of S.R. 1993 No. 233 and regulation 3(1), (2)(a), (3) and (4)(a) of S.R. 2004 No. 213

(3)

S.R. 2003 No. 197

(4)

Schedule 5ZA was inserted by regulation 12 of, and Schedule 2 to, S.R. 2003 No.197

(5)

Paragraph 16 was amended by regulation 2(14)(c)(xvi) of S.R. 2003 No. 418 and regulation 3(5) and (6)(a) of S.R. 2004 No. 213