13.—(1) Subject to the deduction specified in sub-paragraph (2) and the reductions applicable in sub-paragraph (5), there shall be met under this paragraph the amounts, calculated on a weekly basis, in respect of the following housing costs—
(a)payments by way of rent or ground rent relating to a long tenancy F2...;
(b)service charges;
(c)payments by way of rentcharge within the meaning of section 1 of the Rentcharges Act 1977 M1;
(d)payments under a co-ownership scheme;
(e)payments under or relating to a tenancy or licence of a Crown tenant;
(f)where the dwelling occupied as the home is a tent, payments in respect of the tent and the site on which it stands.
(2) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), the deductions to be made from the weekly amounts to be met under this paragraph are—
(a)where the costs are inclusive of any of the items mentioned in paragraph 5(2) of Schedule I to the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987 M2 (payment in respect of fuel charges), the deductions prescribed in that paragraph unless the claimant provides evidence on which the actual or approximate amount of the service charge for fuel may be estimated, in which case the estimated amount;
(b)where the costs are inclusive of ineligible service charges within the meaning of paragraph 1 of Schedule I to the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987 (ineligible service charges) the amounts attributable to those ineligible service charges or where that amount is not separated from or separately identified within the housing costs to be met under this paragraph, such part of the payments made in respect of those housing costs which are fairly attributable to the provision of those ineligible services having regard to the costs of comparable services;
(c)any amount for repairs and improvements, and for this purpose the expression “repairs and improvements” has [F3the meaning in sub-paragraph (7)].
(3) Where arrangements are made for the housing costs, which are met under this paragraph and which are normally paid for a period of 52 weeks, to be paid instead for a period of 53 weeks, or to be paid irregularly, or so that no such costs are payable or collected in certain periods, or so that the costs for different periods in the year are of different amounts, the weekly amount shall be the amount payable for the year divided by 52.
(4) Where the claimant or the claimant’s partner—
(a)pays for reasonable repairs or redecorations to be carried out to the dwelling he occupies; and
(b)that work was not the responsibility of the claimant or his partner; and
(c)in consequence of that work being done, the costs which are normally met under this paragraph are waived,
then those costs shall, for a period not exceeding 8 weeks, be treated as payable.
(5) Where in England and Wales an amount calculated on a weekly basis in respect of housing costs specified in sub-paragraph (l)(e) (Crown tenants) includes water charges, that amount shall be reduced—
(a)where the amount payable in respect of water charges is known, by that amount;
(b)in any other case, by the amount which would be the likely weekly water charge had the property not been occupied by a Crown tenant.
[F4(6) In this paragraph—
(a)“co-ownership scheme” means a scheme under which a dwelling is let by a housing association and the tenant, or his personal representative, will, under the terms of the tenancy agreement or of the agreement under which he became a member of the association, be entitled, on his ceasing to be a member and subject to any condition stated in either agreement, to a sum calculated by reference directly or indirectly to the value of the dwelling;
(b)“Crown tenant” means a person who occupies a dwelling under a tenancy or licence where the interest of the landlord belongs to Her Majesty in right of the Crown or to a government department or is held in trust for Her Majesty for the purposes of a government department except (in the case of an interest belonging to Her Majesty in right of the Crown) where the interest is under the management of the Crown Estate Commissioners [F5or a relevant person] ;
(c)“housing association” has the meaning assigned to it by section 1(1) of the Housing Associations Act 1985;
(d)“long tenancy” means a tenancy granted for a term of years certain exceeding twenty one years, whether or not the tenancy is, or may become, terminable before the end of that term by notice given by or to the tenant or by re-entry, forfeiture (or, in Scotland, irritancy) or otherwise and includes a lease for a term fixed by law under a grant with a covenant or obligation for perpetual renewal unless it is a lease by sub-demise from one which is not a long tenancy][F6; and]
(e)[F6“relevant person”, in relation to any property, rights or interests to which section 90B(5) of the Scotland Act 1998 applies, means the person who manages that property or those rights or interests.]
[F7(7) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2)(c), “repairs and improvements” means any of the following measures undertaken with a view to maintaining the fitness of the dwelling for human habitation or, where the dwelling forms part of a building, any part of a building containing that dwelling—
(a)provision of a fixed bath, shower, wash basin, sink or lavatory, and necessary associated plumbing, including the provision of hot water not connected to a central heating system;
(b)repairs to existing heating system;
(c)damp proof measures;
(d)provision of ventilation and natural lighting;
(e)provision of drainage facilities;
(f)provision of facilities for preparing and cooking food;
(g)provision of insulation of the dwelling occupied as the home;
(h)provision of electric lighting and sockets;
(i)provision of storage facilities for fuel or refuse;
(j)repairs of unsafe structural defects;
(k)adapting a dwelling for the special needs of a disabled person; or
(l)provision of separate sleeping accommodation for persons of different sexes aged 10 or over but under the age of 20 who live with the claimant and for whom the claimant or the claimant’s partner is responsible.]
Textual Amendments
F1Words in Sch. II para. 13 heading substituted (with effect in accordance with regs.19 - 21 of the amending S.I.) by The Loans for Mortgage Interest Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/725), reg. 1(2)(a), Sch. 5 para. 4(d)(i)
F2Words in Sch. 02 para. 13(1)(a) omitted (2.10.2006) by The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 4) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/2378), regs. 1(3), 14(5)(a)
F3Words in Sch. II para. 13(2)(c) substituted (with effect in accordance with regs.19 - 21 of the amending S.I.) by The Loans for Mortgage Interest Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/725), reg. 1(2)(a), Sch. 5 para. 4(d)(ii)
F4Sch. II para. 13(6) added (6.10.2003) by The State Pension Credit (Consequential, Transitional and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/3019), regs. 1(2)(b), 23(l)(iii)
F5Words in Sch. II para. 13(6)(b) inserted (1.4.2017) by The Crown Estate Transfer Scheme 2017 (S.I. 2017/524), art. 1(2), Sch. 5 para. 94(a)
F6Sch. II para. 13(6)(e) and word inserted (1.4.2017) by The Crown Estate Transfer Scheme 2017 (S.I. 2017/524), art. 1(2), Sch. 5 para. 94(b)
F7Sch. II para. 13(7) inserted (with effect in accordance with regs.19 - 21 of the amending S.I.) by The Loans for Mortgage Interest Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/725), reg. 1(2)(a), Sch. 5 para. 4(d)(iii)
Marginal Citations