The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments No. 5) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007

Amendment of the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations N.I.

10.—(1) The Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006(1) are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (7).

(2) In regulation 2(1) (interpretation)—

(a) omit the definition of “lower rate”; and

(b) after the definition of “sports award” insert—

““starting rate”, where it relates to the rate of tax, has the same meaning as in the Income Tax Act 2007 (see section 989 of that Act);”.

(3) In regulation 7(8) (circumstances in which a person is or is not to be treated as occupying a dwelling as his home)—

(a) for “Where a person” substitute “Where”;

(b) in sub-paragraph (a), at the beginning, insert “a person”;

(c) for sub-paragraph (b) substitute—

“(b) either—

(i) that person had claimed housing benefit before moving in and either no decision has yet been made on that claim or it has been refused but a further claim has been made or treated as made within 4 weeks of the date on which the claimant moved into the new dwelling occupied as the home, or

(ii) that person notified the move to the new dwelling as a change of circumstances under regulation 65 before the move, or the move to the new dwelling was otherwise notified before the move under that regulation; and”; and

(d) for “he shall be treated” substitute “the person shall be treated”.

(4) In regulation 34(5)(a) (calculation of net earnings of employed earners) for “lower rate”, in each place where it occurs, substitute “starting rate”.

(5) In regulation 38(1) (deductions of tax and contributions of self-employed earners) for “lower rate”, in each place where it occurs, substitute “starting rate”.

(6) For regulation 43 (calculation of capital in the United Kingdom) substitute—

“Calculation of capital in the United Kingdom

43.   Capital which a claimant possesses in the United Kingdom shall be calculated at its current market or surrender value less—

(a) where there would be expenses attributable to the sale, 10 per cent.; and

(b) the amount of any encumbrance secured on it.”.

(7) In regulation 57 (date on which change of circumstances is to take effect)—

(a) in paragraph (3) for “and (11)” substitute “to (11A)”; and

(b) after paragraph (11) insert—

“(11A) Where the change of circumstances is that the person moves to a new dwelling and immediately before the move that person is treated as occupying the new dwelling in accordance with regulation 7(8) then that change of circumstances shall take effect on the first day on which the person is treated as occupying the new dwelling as the home under that regulation.”.

Commencement Information

I1 Reg. 10 in operation at 1.10.2007, see reg. 1(1)

(1)

S.R. 2006 No. 406 to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations