The Income Support (General) Regulations 1987

[F1 Modifications in cases of temporary absence and loss of entitlement to income support E+W+S

6.— (1) Paragraph 5(b) shall not apply to a claimant if–

(a) he becomes a patient within the meaning of regulation 21(3) (special cases); or

(b) on his ceasing to be a patient within the meaning of regulation 21(3), he returns to the hostel which he occupied immediately before he became a patient; or

(c) in a case to which sub-paragraph (3) applies, on his becoming re-entitled to income support, he is in the accommodation which he occupied immediately before he ceased to be entitled to income support.

(2) Except where sub-paragraph (4) applies, where a protected sum was applicable to the claimant immediately before he or any partner of his became a patient within the meaning of regulation 21(3) for a period of 14 weeks or less, he shall, subject to sub-paragraph (1)(b), on his or, as the case may be, his partner ceasing to be a patient be entitled to a protected sum equal to–

(a) the amount by which his protected total exceeds his applicable amount determined in accordance with the relevant provisions in the first benefit week in which his applicable amount ceases to be determined under paragraph 1 of Schedule 7 and either–

(i) any eligible housing benefit for the period of 7 consecutive days beginning on 9th October 1989; or, if greater,

(ii) in a case where sub-paragraph (4)(b) applied, any eligible housing benefit for the period of 7 consecutive days referred to in that sub-paragraph; or

[F2 (aa) where the first benefit week in which his applicable amount ceases to be determined under paragraph 1 of Schedule 7 is the relevant benefit week, the amount determined under paragraph 2(4) or, as the case may be, paragraph 2(6), less any reduction under paragraph 4(1) other than a reduction which arises by virtue of his ceasing to be a patient within the meaning of regulation 21(3); or]

(b) the amount of the protected sum to which he was entitled in the immediately preceding benefit week,

whichever is the lower.

(3) Paragraph 5(c) shall not apply to a claimant who has ceased to be entitled to income support for [F3 a period not exceeding the permitted period determined in accordance with regulation 3A (permitted period)]–

(a) if immediately before he ceased to be so entitled a protected sum was applicable to him; and

(b) except where sub-paragraph (4) applies, if during that period he becomes re-entitled, or would by virtue of this sub-paragraph be re-entitled, to income support he shall, subject to sub-paragraph (1)(c), be entitled to a protected sum equal to–

(i) the amount by which his protected total exceeds his applicable amount determined in accordance with the relevant provisions in the first benefit week in which he becomes so re-entitled and either any eligible housing benefit for the period of 7 consecutive days beginning 9th October 1989 or, if greater, in a case to which sub-paragraph (4)(b) applied, any eligible housing benefit for the period of 7 consecutive days referred to in that sub-paragraph; or

[F4 (ii) where the first benefit week in which he becomes so re-entitled is the relevant benefit week, the amount determined under paragraph 2(4) or, as the case may be, paragraph 2(6), less any reduction under paragraph 4(1) in that benefit week; or

(iii) where the first benefit week in which he becomes so re-entitled is a week subsequent to the relevant benefit week, the amount which would have been determined under paragraph 2(4) or, as the case may be, paragraph 2(6) had he been entitled in the relevant benefit week, less any reduction under paragraph 4(1) in the benefit week in which he becomes re-entitled; or

(iv) the amount of the protected sum to which he was previously entitled,]

whichever is the lower.

(4) Where a claimant or any partner of his is temporarily absent from his accommodation for a period not exceeding 14 weeks which includes the first or second week (or both)–

(a) in a case where a protected sum was applicable to the claimant immediately before his or, as the case may be, his partner’s return to that accommodation and the full charge was made for the accommodation during the temporary absence, on the claimant’s or, as the case may be, his partner’s return to that accommodation, the claimant shall be entitled to a protected sum equal to–

(i) the amount by which his protected total exceeds his applicable amount determined in accordance with the relevant provisions in the first complete benefit week after his, or as the case may be, his partner’s return to that accommodation and any eligible housing benefit for the period of 7 consecutive days beginning 9th October 1989; or

(ii) the amount of the protected sum which was applicable to him in the immediately preceding benefit week,

whichever is the lower.

(b) in a case where–

(i) a protected sum has not at any time been applicable to the claimant; or

(ii) immediately before the claimant’s or, as the case may be, his partner’s return to that accommodation a protected sum was applicable to the claimant but a reduced charge was made for the accommodation during the temporary absence,

the claimant on his or, as the case may be, his partner’s return to that accommodation shall, subject to sub-paragraph (5), be entitled to a protected sum equal to the amount by which his protected total exceeds his applicable amount determined in accordance with the relevant provisions in the first complete benefit week after his or, as the case may be, his partner’s return to that accommodation and the amount of eligible housing benefit for the period of 7 consecutive days beginning on the date determined in accordance with regulation 65 or, as the case may be, 68(2) of the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987 (date on which entitlement is to commence or change of circumstances is to take effect) following that person’s return to that accommodation.

(5) Where, in a case to which sub-paragraph (4)(b)(i) applies–

(a) in the first complete benefit week after the claimant’s or, as the case may be, his partner’s return to his accommodation the claimant’s income calculated in accordance with Part V or, as the case may be, VI exceeds the aggregate of his applicable amount determined in accordance with the relevant provisions and X; and

(b) the amount of income support to which he was entitled in the first week is more than the amount of housing benefit to which he would, but for this sub-paragraph, have been entitled in the period of 7 consecutive days beginning on the date determined in accordance with regulation 65 or, as the case may be, 68(2) of the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987 following his or, as the case may be, his partner’s return to that accommodation,

the protected sum applicable to the claimant shall be an amount equal to X+Y+10 pence.

(6) In sub-paragraph (5)–

“X” means the sum which, but for sub-paragraph (5), would be the protected sum applicable in a case to which sub-paragraph (4)(b)(i) applies;

“Y” means the amount of the excess to which sub-paragraph (5)(a) refers.

(7) The foregoing provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to a claimant if he or, if he has a partner, he or his partner, in the first week is temporarily living in a hostel and that accommodation is not the accommodation normally occupied as the home.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 3B inserted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(1)(c) of the amending S.I.) by The Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 (S.I. 1989/534), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 18, Sch. 2

F2 Sch. 3B para. 6(2)(aa) inserted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2)(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1990 (S.I. 1990/547), regs. 1(1)(b), 20(c)(i)

F3 Words in Sch. 3B para. 6(3) substituted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(1)(b) of the amending S.I.) by The Income Support (General) Amendment No. 3 Regulations 1989 (S.I. 1989/1678), regs. 1(1)(b), 9(d)

F4 Sch. 3B para. 6(3)(b)(ii)-(iv) substituted for Sch. 3B para. 6(3)(b)(ii) (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2)(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1990 (S.I. 1990/547), regs. 1(1)(b), 20(c)(ii)