The Housing Benefit and Universal Credit (Sanctuary Schemes) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. 2006 No. 405) and the Universal Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 (S.R. 2016 No. 216) to make an exception to exclude individuals in the social rented sector from under-occupancy deductions where domestic violence has been inflicted upon or threatened against the claimant or a member of that claimant’s household and they are consequently living in a property that is adapted under a sanctuary scheme.

Regulation 2 amends regulation A14 of the Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 to include an exception from under-occupancy deductions for any housing benefit claimant who is living in a social sector rented property that is adapted under a sanctuary scheme as a result of a member of that household having had domestic violence threatened or inflicted upon them. It also inserts definitions for terms used in the amendment.

Regulation 3 amends paragraph 35 of Schedule 4 to the Universal Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 to include an equivalent exception from under-occupancy deductions for Universal Credit claimants living in social rented sector properties adapted under a sanctuary scheme.

Regulation 5 provides that the regulation relating to universal credit has effect on 1st October 2021 if a claimant’s assessment period begins on that day and, if it does not, on the first date of a claimant’s next assessment period following 1st October 2021.

These Regulations make in relation to Northern Ireland only provisions corresponding to provisions in Regulations made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in relation to Great Britain and accordingly, by virtue of section 149(3) of, and paragraph 10 of Schedule 5 to, the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 8), are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.