The Income Support (General) Regulations 1987

CHAPTER V E+W+S other income

Calculation of income other than earnings E+W+S

40.—(1) For the purposes of regulation 29 (calculation of income other than earnings) the income of a claimant which does not consist of earnings to be taken into account shall, subject to paragraphs [F1 (2) to (3A)], be his gross income and any capital treated as income under regulations F2 ... 41 and 44 (F2 ... capital treated as income and modifications in respect of children and young persons).

(2) There shall be disregarded from the calculation of a claimant's gross income under paragraph (1), any sum, where applicable, specified in Schedule 9.

(3) Where the payment of any benefit under the benefit Acts F3 is subject to any deduction by way of recovery the amount to be taken into account under paragraph (1) shall be the gross amount payable.

[F4 (3A) Where a loan is made to a person pursuant to arrangements made under section 1 of the Education (Student Loans) Act 1990 [F5 or article 3 of the Education (Student Loans) (Northern Ireland) Order 1990] and that person ceases to be a student before the end of the academic year in respect of which the loan is payable or, as the case may be, before the end of his course, a sum equal to the weekly amount apportionable under paragraph (2) of regulation 66A shall be taken into account under paragraph (1) for each week, in the period over which the loan fell to be apportioned, following the date on which that person ceases to be a student; but in determining the weekly amount apportionable under paragraph (2) of regulation 66A so much of that paragraph as provides for a disregard shall not have effect.]

(4) For the avoidance of doubt there shall be included as income to be taken into account under paragraph (1) any payment to which regulation 35(2) or 37(2) (payments not earnings) applies.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in reg. 40(1) substituted (1.9.1990) by The Social Security Benefits (Student Loans and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1990 (S.I. 1990/1549), regs. 1(1)(a), 5(4)(a) (with reg. 7(1))

F2 Words in reg. 40(1) omitted (12.12.1988) by virtue of The Income Support (General) Amendment No. 5 Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988/2022), regs. 1(1)(a), 9

F3 The benefit Acts are specified in section 84(1) of the Social Security Act 1986 (c. 50).

F4 Reg. 40(3A) inserted (1.9.1990) by The Social Security Benefits (Student Loans and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1990 (S.I. 1990/1549), regs. 1(1)(a), 5(4)(b) (with reg. 7(1))

F5 Words in reg. 40(3A) inserted (13.3.1991) by The Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1991 (S.I. 1991/236), regs. 1(1)(a), 9 (with reg. 1(2))

Commencement Information

I1 Reg. 40 in force at 11.4.1988, see reg. 1

Capital treated as income E+W+S

41.—(1) Any capital payable by instalments which are outstanding on the first day in respect of which income support is payable or the date of the determination of the claim, whichever is earlier, or, in the case of a review, the date of any subsequent review shall, if the aggregate of the instalments outstanding and the amount of the claimant's capital otherwise calculated in accordance with Chapter VI of this Part exceeds [F6 £8,000], be treated as income.

(2) Any payment received under an annuity shall be treated as income.

(3) In the case of a person to whom section 23 of the Act (trade disputes) applies [F7 or in respect of whom section 20(3) of the Act (conditions of entitlement to income support) has effect as modified by section 23A(b) of the Act (effect of return to work)], any payment under [F8 [F9 section 17 or 24 of the Children Act 1989] or, as the case may be, section 12, 24 or 26 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 (local authorities' duty to promote welfare of children and powers to grant financial assistance to persons in, or formerly in, their care) shall be treated as income].

[F10 (4) In the case of a person to whom section 20(3) of the Act (conditions of entitlement to income support) has effect as modified by section 23A(b) of that Act (effect of return to work), any amount by way of repayment of income tax deducted from his emoluments in pursuance of section 203 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988, shall be treated as income.]

[F11 (5) Any earnings to the extent that they are not a payment of income shall be treated as income.]

Textual Amendments

F6 Sum in Reg. 41(1) substituted (9.4.1990) by The Income-Related Benefits (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1990 (S.I. 1990/671), regs. 1(1)(c), 5(2)

F7 Words in reg. 41(3) substituted (11.4.1988) by The Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988/663), regs. 1(1), 18

F8 Words in reg. 41(3) substituted (10.7.1989) by The Family Credit and Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 (S.I. 1989/1034), regs. 1(1)(a), 7

F9 Words in reg. 41(3) substituted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/468), reg. 1(1), Sch. para. 4

F10 Reg. 41(4) added (12.9.1988) by The Income Support (General) Amendment No. 4 Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988/1445), regs. 1(1)(b), 9

F11 Reg. 41(5) added (9.10.1989) by The Income Support (General) Amendment No. 2 Regulations 1989 (S.I. 1989/1323), regs. 1(1)(b), 13

Commencement Information

I2 Reg. 41 in force at 11.4.1988, see reg. 1

Notional income E+W+S

42.—(1) A claimant shall be treated as possessing income of which he has deprived himself for the purpose of securing entitlement to income support or increasing the amount of that benefit.

(2) Except in the case of—

(a) a discretionary trust;

(b) a trust derived from a payment made in consequence of a personal injury;

(c) unemployment benefit under the Social Security Act which may be payable to a claimant who is not required to be available for employment; or

(d) an increase of child benefit payable to a claimant under regulation 2(2) of the Child Benefit and Social Security (Fixing and Adjustment of Rates) Regulations 1976 F12 (rates of child benefit),

[F13 (e) family credit;]

[F13 (f) disability working allowance,]

income which would become available to the claimant upon application being made but which has not been acquired by him shall be treated as possessed by him but only from the date on which [F14 it could be expected to be acquired were an application made].

(3) Except in the case of a discretionary trust, or a trust derived from a payment made in consequence of a personal injury, any income which is due to be paid to the claimant but—

(a) has not been paid to him;

(b) is not a payment prescribed in regulation 9 or 10 of the Social Security (Payments on Account, Overpayment and Recovery) Regulations 1987 F15 (duplication and prescribed payments or maintenance payments) and not made on or before the date prescribed in relation to it,

shall [F16 except for any amount to which paragraph (3A) or (B) applies] be treated as possessed by the claimant.

[F17 (3A) This paragraph applies to an amount which is due to be paid to the claimant under an occupational pension scheme but which is not paid because the trustees or managers of the scheme have suspended or ceased payments F18 ... due to an insufficiency of resources.]

[F17 (3B) This paragraph applies to any amount by which a payment made to the claimant from an occupational pension scheme falls short of the payment to which he was due under the scheme where the shortfall arises because the trustees or managers of the scheme have insufficient resources available to them to meet in full the scheme’s liabilitiesF19 ....]

[F20 (4) Any payment of income, other than a payment of income made under the Macfarlane Trust[F21 , the Macfarlane (Special Payments) Trust][F22 , the Macfarlane (Special Payments) (No. 2) Trust][F23 , the Fund[F24 , the Eileen Trust]] or [F25 the Independent Living Funds], made—

(a) to a third party in respect of a single claimant or in respect of a member of the family (but not a member of the third party’s family) shall be treated—

(i) in a case where that payment is derived from a payment of any benefit under the benefit Acts, a war disablement pension or war widow’s pension, as possessed by that single claimant, if it is paid to him, or by that member, if it is paid to any member of that family;

(ii) in any other case, as possessed by that single claimant or by that member to the extent that it is used for the food, ordinary clothing or footwear, household fuel, rent or rates for which housing benefit is payable, [F26 or]F27 ... any housing costs to the extent that they are met under regulations 17(1)(e) or 18(1)(f) (housing costs) F28 ... F29 ... F30 ...), of that single claimant or, as the case may be, of any member of that family[F31 , or is used for any [F32 council tax] or water charges for which that claimant or member is liable;]

(b) to a single claimant or a member of the family in respect of a third party (but not in respect of another member of that family) shall be treated as possessed by that single claimant or, as the case may be, that member of the family to the extent that it is kept or used by him or used by or on behalf of any member of the family;

but, except where sub-paragraph (a)(i) applies and in the case of a person to whom section 23 of the Act (trade disputes) applies, this paragraph shall not apply to any payment in kind.]

[F33 (4A) Where the claimant lives in a residential care home or a nursing home, or is temporarily absent from such a home, any payment made by a person other than the claimant or a member of his family in respect of some or all of the cost of maintaining the claimant or a member of his family in that home shall be treated as possessed by the claimant or by that member of his family.]

(5) Where a claimant's earnings are not ascertainable at the time of the determination of the claim or of any subsequent review the adjudication officer shall treat the claimant as possessing such earnings as is reasonable in the circumstances of the case having regard to the number of hours worked and the earnings paid for comparable employment in the area.

(6) Where—

(a) a claimant performs a service for another person; and

(b) that person makes no payment of earnings or pays less than that paid for a comparable employment in the area,

the adjudication officer shall treat the claimant as possessing such earnings (if any) as is reasonable for that employment unless the claimant satisfies him that the means of that person are insufficient for him to pay or to pay more for the service; but this paragraph shall not apply to a claimant who is engaged by a charitable or voluntary body or is a volunteer if the adjudication officer is satisfied that it is reasonable for him to provide his services free of charge.

(7) Where a claimant is treated as possessing any income under any of paragraphs (1) to (4) the foregoing provisions of this Part shall apply for the purposes of calculating the amount of that income as if a payment had actually been made and as if it were actual income which he does possess.

(8) Where a claimant is treated as possessing any earnings under paragraph (5) or (6) the foregoing provisions of this Part shall apply for the purposes of calculating the amount of those earnings as if a payment had actually been made and as if they were actual earnings which he does possess except that paragraph (3) of regulation 36 (calculation of net earnings of employed earners) shall not apply and his net earnings shall be calculated by taking into account the earnings which he is treated as possessing, less—

(a) an amount in respect of income tax equivalent to an amount calculated by applying to those earnings [F34 the lower rate or, as the case may be, the lower rate and the basic rate of tax] in the year of assessment less only the personal relief to which the claimant is entitled under sections 8(1) and (2) and 14(1)(a) and (2) of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1970 (personal relief) as is appropriate to his circumstances; but, if the period over which those earnings are to be taken into account is less than a year, [F35 the earnings to which the lower rate and, if appropriate, the basic rate of tax is to be applied and] the amount of the personal relief deductible under this paragraph shall be calculated on a pro rata basis;

[F36 (b) where the weekly amount of those earnings equals or exceeds the lower earnings limit, an amount representing primary Class 1 contributions under the Contributions and Benefits Act, calculated by applying to those earnings the initial and main primary percentages in accordance with section 8(1) (a) and (b) of that Act; and]

(c) one-half of any sum payable by the claimant by way of a contribution towards an occupational or personal pension scheme.

[F37 (8A) In paragraphs (3A) and (3B) the expression “resources” has the same meaning as in the Social Security Pensions Act 1975 by virtue of section 66(1) of that Act.]

[F38 (9) In paragraph (4) the expression “ordinary clothing or footwear” means clothing or footwear for normal daily use, but does not include school uniforms, or clothing or footwear used solely for sporting activities.]

Textual Amendments

F12 S.I. 1976/1267; relevant amending instruments are S.I. 1980/110, 1986/1172 and 1987/45.

F13 Reg. 42(2)(e)(f) inserted (6.4.1992) by The Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/468), regs. 1(1), 4 (with reg. 1(2))

F14 Words in reg. 42(2) substituted (11.4.1988) by The Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988/663), regs. 1(1), 19(a)

F15 S.I. 1987/491.

F16 Words in reg. 42(3) inserted (22.5.1992) by The Income Support (General) Amendment (No.2) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/1198), regs. 1, 2(a)

F17 Reg. 42(3A)(3B) inserted (22.5.1992) by The Income Support (General) Amendment (No.2) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/1198), regs. 1, 2(b)

F18 Words in reg. 42(3A) omitted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Income-related Benefits Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/315), regs. 1(1)(c), 6(a)

F19 Words in reg. 42(3B) omitted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Income-related Benefits Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/315), regs. 1(1)(c), 6(b)

F20 Reg. 42(4) substituted (12.9.1988) by The Income Support (General) Amendment No. 4 Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988/1445), regs. 1(1)(b), 10(a)

F21 Words in reg. 42(4) inserted (31.1.1990) by The Income-related Benefits Schemes Amendment Regulations 1990 (S.I. 1990/127), regs. 1(1), 3(3)(a)

F22 Words in reg. 42(4) inserted (11.5.1991) by The Income-related Benefits Schemes and Social Security (Recoupment) Amendment Regulations 1991 (S.I. 1991/1175), regs. 1(1), 5(3)

F23 Words in reg. 42(4) inserted (7.5.1992) by The Income-related Benefits Schemes and Social Security (Recoupment) Amendment Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/1101), regs. 1(1), 6(3)

F24 Words in reg. 42(4) inserted (14.5.1993) by The Income-related Benefits Schemes and Social Security (Recoupment) Amendment Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/1249), regs. 1(1)(a), 4(3)(a)

F25 Words in reg. 42(4) substituted (22.4.1993) by The Social Security Benefits (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/963), regs. 1, 2(3)(4)

F26 Word in reg. 42(4)(a)(ii) inserted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/527), regs. 1(1)(b), 4(2)(a)

F27 Words in reg. 42(4)(a)(ii) omitted (7.10.1991) by virtue of The Income Support (General) Amendment No. 4 Regulations 1991 (S.I. 1991/1559), regs. 1(1)(c), 8(a) (with reg. 1(2))

F28 Words in reg. 42(4)(a)(ii) omitted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Income-related Benefits Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/527), regs. 1(1)(b), 4(2)(b)

F29 Words in reg. 42(4)(a)(ii) omitted (10.4.1989) by virtue of The Income Support (General) Amendment No. 4 Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988/1445), reg. 1(1)(c), Sch. 1 para. 4 (with reg. 28)

F30 Words in reg. 42(4)(a)(ii) omitted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(1)(c) of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 (S.I. 1989/534), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 7

F31 Words in reg. 42(4)(a)(ii) added (7.10.1991) by The Income Support (General) Amendment No. 4 Regulations 1991 (S.I. 1991/1559), regs. 1(1)(c), 8(b) (with reg. 1(2))

F32 Words in reg. 42(4)(a)(ii) substituted (1.4.1993) by The Income-related Benefits Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/315), reg. 1(1)(b), Sch. para. 2

F33 Reg. 42(4A) inserted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/527), regs. 1(1)(b), 4(3)

F34 Words in reg. 42(8)(a) substituted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 3) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/2155), regs. 1(1), 18(a)

F35 Words in reg. 42(8)(a) inserted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 3) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/2155), regs. 1(1), 18(b)

F36 Reg. 42(8)(b) substituted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/527), regs. 1(1)(b), 4(4)

F37 Reg. 42(8A) inserted (22.5.1992) by The Income Support (General) Amendment (No.2) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/1198), regs. 1, 2(c)

F38 Reg. 42(9) added (12.9.1988) by The Income Support (General) Amendment No. 4 Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988/1445), regs. 1(1)(b), 10(b)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Reg. 42(4) applied with modifications (1.4.1993) by The National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/2977), regs. 1, 17(3)

Commencement Information

I3 Reg. 42 in force at 11.4.1988, see reg. 1

Notional earnings of seasonal workers E+W+S

F39 43.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F39 Reg. 43 revoked (9.10.1989) by The Income Support (General) Amendment No. 2 Regulations 1989 (S.I. 1989/1323), regs. 1(1)(b), 14

Commencement Information

I4 Reg. 43 in force at 11.4.1988, see reg. 1

Modifications in respect of children and young persons E+W+S

44.—(1) Any capital of a child or young person payable by instalments which are outstanding on the first day in respect of which income support is payable or at the date of the determination of the claim, whichever is earlier, or, in the case of a review, the date of any subsequent review shall, if the aggregate of the instalments outstanding and the amount of that child's or young person's other capital calculated in accordance with Chapter VI of this Part in like manner as for the claimantF40 ... would exceed £3,000, be treated as income.

(2) In the case of a child or young person who is residing at an educational establishment at which he is receiving relevant education—

(a) any payment made to the educational establishment, in respect of that child's or young person's maintenance, by or on behalf of a person who is not a member of the family or by a member of the family out of funds contributed for that purpose by a person who is not a member of the family, shall be treated as income of that child or young person but it shall only be taken into account over periods during which that child or young person is present at that educational establishment; and

(b) if a payment has been so made, for any period in a benefit week in term-time during which that child or young person returns home, he shall be treated as possessing an amount of income in that week calculated by multiplying the amount of personal allowance and disabled child premium, if any, applicable in respect of that child or young person by the number equal to the number of days in that week in which he was present at his educational establishment and dividing the product by seven; but this sub-paragraph shall not apply where the educational establishment is provided under section 8 of the Education Act 1944 F41 (duty of local authority to secure primary and secondary schools) by a local education authority or where the payment is made under section 49 or 50 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 F42 (power of education authority to assist persons).

(3) Where a child or young person—

(a) is resident at an educational establishment and he is wholly or partly maintained at that establishment by a local education authority under section 8 of the Education Act 1944; or

(b) is maintained at an educational establishment under section 49 or 50 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980,

he shall for each day he is present at that establishment be treated as possessing an amount of income equal to the sum obtained by dividing the amount of personal allowance and disabled child premium, if any, applicable in respect of him by seven.

(4) Where the income of a child or young person who is a member of the claimant's family calculated in accordance with [F43 Chapters I to V] of this Part exceeds the amount of the personal allowance and disabled child premium, if any, applicable in respect of that child or young person, the excess shall not be treated as income of the claimant.

(5) Where the capital of a child or young person if calculated in accordance with Chapter VI of this Part in like manner as for the claimant, [F44 except as provided in paragraph (1)], would exceed £3,000, any income of that child or young person shall not be treated as income of the claimant.

(6) In calculating the net earnings or net profit of a child or young person there shall be disregarded, (in addition to any sum which falls to be disregarded under paragraphs 11 to 13), any sum specified in paragraphs 14 and 15 of Schedule 8 (earnings to be disregarded).

(7) Any income of a child or young person which is to be disregarded under Schedule 9 (income other than earnings to be disregarded) shall be disregarded in such manner as to produce the result most favourable to the claimant.

(8) Where a child or young person is treated as possessing any income under paragraphs (2) and (3) the foregoing provisions of this Part shall apply for the purposes of calculating that income as if a payment had actually been made and as if it were actual income which he does possess.

[F45 (9) For the purposes of this regulation, a child or young person shall not be treated as present at his educational establishment on any day if on that day he spends the night with the claimant or a member of his household.]

Textual Amendments

F40 Words in reg. 44(1) omitted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Income-related Benefits Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 4) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/2119), regs. 1(1)(a), 15(2)

F41 1944 c. 31 section 8 was amended by the Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1948 (c. 40) section 3, the Education Act 1980 (c. 20) section 38 and Schedule 7 and by the Education Act 1981 (c. 60) section 2.

F42 1980 c. 44 section 50 was amended by the Education (Scotland) Act 1981 (c. 58) section 2.

F43 Words in reg. 44(4) substituted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 4) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/2119), regs. 1(1)(a), 15(3)

F44 Words in reg. 44(5) substituted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 4) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/2119), regs. 1(1)(a), 15(4)

F45 Reg. 44(9) added (11.4.1988) by The Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988/663), regs. 1(1), 20

Commencement Information

I5 Reg. 44 in force at 11.4.1988, see reg. 1