Part IIIBenefits

Amendments etc. of Contributions and Benefits Act

71Budgeting loans: criteria for making awards

1

In subsection (1) of section 140 of the Contributions and Benefits Act (social fund: principles of determination), after the word “award” there shall be inserted the words “of a community care grant or a crisis loan”.

2

After that subsection there shall be inserted the following subsection—

1A

Subject to subsection (2) below, in determining whether to make an award of a budgeting loan to the applicant, or the amount or value to be awarded, an appropriate officer shall have regard to—

a

such of the applicant’s personal circumstances as are of a description specified in directions issued by the Secretary of State; and

b

the criteria specified in paragraphs (b) to (e) of subsection (1) above;

but where the criterion mentioned in paragraph (a) above would preclude the award of such a loan, the appropriate officer shall have regard instead to such other criterion as may be specified in directions so issued.

3

In subsection (4) of that section, paragraph (e) shall cease to have effect and after paragraph (a) there shall be inserted the following paragraph—

aa

that in circumstances specified in the direction an application for an award of a community care grant may be treated as an application for an award of a crisis loan, and vice versa;