Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland
2018 No. 2
Housing
The Housing Benefit (Executive Determinations) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2018
Made
8th January 2018
Coming into operation
26th January 2018
The Department for Communities makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 122(1)(d), 129(A)(2) and 171(1) and (3) to (5) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992(1) and now vested in it(2).
Proposals in respect of these Regulations were not referred to the Social Security Advisory Committee since it appeared to the Department for Communities that by reason of the urgency of the matter it was expedient not to do so(3).
Citation, commencement and interpretation
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Housing Benefit (Executive Determinations) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2018 and shall come into operation on 26th January 2018.
(2) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(4) shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Assembly.
Amendment to the Housing Benefit (Executive Determinations) Regulations
2.—(1) The Housing Benefit (Executive Determinations) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008(5) are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3).
(2) In regulation 3(3)(6) (broad rental market area determinations and local housing allowance determinations) for sub-paragraph (b) insert—
“(b)for all other purposes —
(i)on the next 1st April following the day on which the determination is made; or
(ii)where the next 1st April is within 11 months beginning with the date on which the determination is made, on the next 1st April after that.”.
(3) In the Schedule (broad rental market area determinations and local housing allowance determinations)—
(a)in paragraph 2 (local housing allowance for category of dwelling in paragraph 1) —
(i)in sub-paragraph (3)(a)(7) for “determined for that category of dwelling on 30th January 2015” substitute “last determined for that category of dwelling”;
(ii)in sub-paragraph (3A)(8)—
(aa)in paragraph (a) for “determined for that category of dwelling on 30th January 2015” substitute “last determined for that category of dwelling”;
(bb)for the table in paragraph (b) substitute—
| “(1) Category of dwelling as defined in the following paragraphs of this Schedule | (2) Maximum local housing allowance for that category of dwelling |
|---|---|
| Paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) | £268.46 |
| Paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) | £268.46 |
| Paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms) | £311.40 |
| Paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms) | £365.09 |
| Paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms) | £429.53” |
(b)for the table in paragraph 5A(9) substitute—
| “(1) Broad rental market area | (2) Category of dwelling as defined in the following paragraphs of this Schedule |
|---|---|
| BRMA1 – South | Paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) |
| BRMA1 – South | Paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms) |
| BRMA1 – South | Paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms) |
| BRMA1 – South | Paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms) |
| BRMA2 – North | Paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms) |
| BRMA2 – North | Paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms) |
| BRMA3 – Lough Neagh Lower | Paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) |
| BRMA3 – Lough Neagh Lower | Paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedroom) |
| BRMA3 – Lough Neagh Lower | Paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms) |
| BRMA3 – Lough Neagh Lower | Paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms) |
| BRMA4 – North West | Paragraph 1(1)(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) |
| BRMA4 – North West | Paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) |
| BRMA4 – North West | Paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedrooms) |
| BRMA6 – South East | Paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms) |
| BRMA6 – South East | Paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms) |
| BRMA8 – Belfast | Paragraph 1(1)(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) |
| BRMA8 – Belfast | Paragraph 1(1)(c) (two bedroom) |
| BRMA8 – Belfast | Paragraph 1(1)(d) (three bedrooms) |
| BRMA8 – Belfast | Paragraph 1(1)(e) (four bedrooms)” |
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Communities on 8th January 2018
(L.S.)
Anne McCleary
A senior officer of the Department for Communities
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations amend the Housing Benefit (Executive Determinations) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 (“the Executive Determinations Regulations”) to make changes to the manner in which a local housing allowance is determined.
Regulation 2 amends the Executive Determinations Regulations by substituting tables that provide that, for dwellings in specified categories in specified broad rental market areas, the local housing allowance is the lower of (a) the rent as last determined plus 3% and (b) the maximum allowance applicable to the dwelling, as specified in the table inserted by these Regulations.
For other dwellings, the local housing allowance is lower of the rent as last determined and the rent at the 30th percentile, determined in accordance with the Executive Determinations Regulations.
Further, these Regulations also amends the Executive Determinations Regulations so that any changes to a broad rental market area made as a result of a broad rental market area determination takes effect either from the 1st of April following the day on which the determination is made or, if that is within 11 months of the day on which the determination is made, the 1st of April the following year.
1992 c. 7; section 129A was inserted by section 30(2) of the Welfare Reform Act (Northern Ireland) 2007 (2007 c. 2 (N.I.)) and section 171(1) was amended by paragraph 5 of Schedule 4 to the Tax Credits Act 2002 (c. 21)
See Article 8(b) of S.R. 1999 No. 481 and section 1(7) of the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (c.5 (N.I.))
See sections 149(2) and 150(1)(a) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 8)
S.R. 2008 No. 100; relevant amending Regulations are S.R. 2012 No. 157, S.R. 2016 No.6 and S.R. 2017 No. 9
Paragraph (3) was substituted by regulation 2(3)(c) of S.R. 2012 No. 157
Sub-paragraph (3) was substituted by regulation 2(a)(ii) of S.R. 2016 No. 6 and amended by regulation 2(3)(a)(ii) of S.R. 2017 No. 9
Sub-paragraph (3A) was inserted by regulation 2(3)(a)(iii) of S.R. 2017 No. 9
Paragraph 5A was inserted by regulation 2(3)(b) of S.R. 2017 No. 9