Amendments to the Housing Benefit Regulations5.

(1)

Regulation 12A of the Housing Benefit Regulations (requirement to refer to rent officers) shall be amended in accordance with the following paragraphs of this regulation.

(2)

After paragraph (1)(a), there shall be inserted the following sub-paragraph—

“(aa)

relevant information regarding a claim on which rent allowance may be awarded; or”.

(3)

In paragraph (2) after the words “a claim,” there shall be inserted the words “relevant information regarding a claim,”.

(4)

In paragraph (2)(a) after the words “that claim,” there shall be inserted the words “relevant information regarding a claim,”.

(5)

In paragraph (2)(a)(i) after the words “the claim,” there shall be inserted the words “relevant information,”.

(6)

After paragraph (3)(a), there shall be inserted the following sub-paragraph—

“(aa)

relevant information regarding a claim on which rent allowance may be awarded; or” .

(7)

After the definition of “registered housing association” in paragraph (8), there shall be inserted the following definition—

““relevant information” means information or evidence forwarded to the relevant authority by an appropriate DWP office regarding a claim on which rent allowance may be awarded, which completes the transfer of all information or evidence held by the appropriate DWP office relating to that claim;”.