The Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006

Treatment of payments from access funds

63.—(1) This regulation applies to payments from access funds that are not payments to which regulation 66(2) or (3) applies.

(2) A payment from access funds, other than a payment to which paragraph (3) applies, shall be disregarded as income.

(3) Subject to paragraph (5) and paragraph 35 of Schedule 6, any payments from access funds which are intended and used for food, household fuel, rent or rates or both or ordinary clothing or footwear, of a single claimant or any other member of his family shall be disregarded as income to the extent of £20 per week.

(4) For the purposes of paragraph (3), “rent or rates” means eligible rent or rates less any deductions in respect of non-dependants which fall to be made under regulation 72.

(5) Where a payment from access funds is made—

(a) on or after 1st September or the first day of the course, whichever first occurs, but before receipt of any student loan in respect of that year and that payment is intended for the purpose of bridging the period until receipt of the student loan; or

(b) before the first day of the course to a person in anticipation of that person becoming a student,

that payment shall be disregarded as income.