The Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006

Severe disability premium

14.—(1) The condition is that the claimant is a severely disabled person.

(2) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1), a claimant shall be treated as being a severely disabled person if, and only if—

(a) in the case of a single claimant, a lone parent or a claimant who is treated as having no partner in consequence of sub-paragraph (3)—

(i) he is in receipt of attendance allowance, or the care component of disability living allowance at the highest or middle rate prescribed in accordance with section 72(3) of the Act;

(ii) subject to sub-paragraph (4), he has no non-dependants aged 18 or over normally residing with him or with whom he is normally residing, and

(iii) no person is entitled to, and in receipt of, a carer’s allowance under section 70 of the Act(1) in respect of caring for him;

(b) in the case of a claimant who has a partner—

(i) the claimant is in receipt of attendance allowance, or the care component of disability living allowance at the highest or middle rate prescribed in accordance with section 72(3) of the Act;

(ii) his partner is also in receipt of such an allowance or, if he is a member of a polygamous marriage, all the partners of that marriage are in receipt of such an allowance, and

(iii) subject to sub-paragraph (4), the claimant has no non-dependants aged 18 or over normally residing with him or with whom he is normally residing,

and either a person is entitled to or in receipt of a carer’s allowance in respect of caring for only one of a couple or, in the case of a polygamous marriage, for one or more but not all the partners of the marriage, or as the case may be, no person is entitled to and in receipt of such an allowance in respect of caring for either member of a couple or any partner of a polygamous marriage.

(3) Where a claimant has a partner who does not satisfy the condition in sub-paragraph (2)(b)(ii), and that partner is blind or is treated as blind within the meaning of paragraph 13(1)(a)(v) and (2), that partner shall be treated for the purposes of sub-paragraph (2) as if he were not a partner of the claimant.

(4) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2)(a)(ii) and (b)(iii) no account shall be taken of—

(a) a person receiving attendance allowance, or the care component of disability living allowance at the highest or middle rate prescribed in accordance with section 72(3) of the Act;

(b) a person who is blind or is treated as blind within the meaning of paragraph 13(1)(a)(v) and (2).

(5) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2)(b) a person shall be treated—

(a) as being in receipt of attendance allowance, or the care component of disability living allowance at the highest or middle rate prescribed in accordance with section 72(3) of the Act, if he would, but for his being a patient for a period exceeding 28 days, be so in receipt;

(b) as being entitled to and in receipt of a carer’s allowance if he would, but for the person for whom he was caring being a patient in hospital for a period exceeding 28 days, be so entitled and in receipt.

(6) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2)(a)(iii) and (b), no account shall be taken of an award of carer’s allowance to the extent that payment of such an award is backdated for a period before the date on which the award is made.

(7) In sub-paragraph (2)(a)(iii) and (b), references to a person being in receipt of a carer’s allowance shall include references to a person who would have been in receipt of that allowance but for the application of a restriction under section 6 of the Fraud Act (loss of benefit provisions).

(1)

Section 70 was amended by regulation 2(3) of S.R. 1994 No. 370 and Article 3 of S.R. 2002 No. 321