The Social Security Amendment (Capital Limitsand Earnings Disregards) Regulations 2000

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 (S.I. 1987/1967), the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/207), the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987 (S.I. 1987/1971) and the Council Tax Benefit (General) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/1814).

In particular, regulation 2(1) and (2) provides respectively that in income support and jobseeker’s allowance, claimants who are aged 60 or over or who have a partner aged 60 or over and to whom the limit of £16,000 does not apply, may be entitled to those benefits whilst having up to £12,000 of capital. It also provides in respect of those benefits, as does regulation 2(3) and (4) in respect of council tax benefit and housing benefit respectively, that tariff income shall only be taken into account for such claimants in respect of any capital they have between £6,000 and the relevant upper capital limit.

Regulation 3 of, and the Schedule to, these Regulations increase to £20 from £15 from April 2001, the amount of earnings which may be disregarded in determining entitlements to those benefits. Regulation 4 makes a saving provision.

These Regulations do not impose any charge on business.