The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Default Scheme) (England) Regulations 2012

PART 13 When entitlement begins and change of circumstances

Date on which entitlement begins

106.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), any person by whom or in respect of whom an application for a reduction under this scheme is made and who is otherwise entitled to that reduction is so entitled from the reduction week following the date on which that application is made or is treated as made.

(2) Where a person is otherwise entitled to a reduction under this scheme and becomes liable for the first time for the authority’s council tax in respect of a dwelling of which he is a resident in the reduction week in which his application is made or is treated as made, he is so entitled from that reduction week.

Date on which change of circumstances is to take effect

107.—(1) Except in cases where paragraph 60 (disregard of changes in tax, contributions, etc.) applies and subject to the following provisions of this paragraph and (in the case of applicants who are pensioners) paragraph 108 (change of circumstance where state pension credit in payment), a change of circumstances which affects entitlement to, or the amount of, a reduction under this scheme (“change of circumstances”), takes effect from the first day of the reduction week following the date on which the change actually occurs.

(2) Where that change is cessation of entitlement to any benefit under the benefit Acts, the date on which the change actually occurs is the day immediately following the last day of entitlement to that benefit.

(3) Subject to sub-paragraph (4), where the change of circumstances is a change in the amount of council tax payable, it takes effect from the day on which it actually occurs.

(4) Where the change of circumstances is a change in the amount a person is liable to pay in respect of council tax in consequence of regulations under section 13 of the 1992 Act (reduced amounts of council tax) or changes in the discount to which a dwelling may be subject under section 11 or 11A of that Act(1) (discounts), it takes effect from the day on which the change in amount has effect.

(5) Where the change of circumstances is the applicant’s acquisition of a partner, the change takes effect on the day on which the acquisition takes place.

(6) Where the change of circumstances is the death of an applicant’s partner or their separation, it takes effect on the day the death or separation occurs.

(7) If two or more changes of circumstances occurring in the same reduction week would, but for this paragraph, take effect in different reduction weeks in accordance with sub-paragraphs (1) to (6) they take effect from the day to which the appropriate sub-paragraph from (3) to (6) above refers, or, where more than one day is concerned, from the earlier day.

(8) Where the change of circumstances is that income, or an increase in the amount of income, other than a benefit or an increase in the amount of a benefit under the SSCBA, is paid in respect of a past period and there was no entitlement to income of that amount during that period, the change of circumstances takes effect from the first day on which such income, had it been paid in that period at intervals appropriate to that income, would have fallen to be taken into account for the purposes of this scheme.

(9) Without prejudice to sub-paragraph (8), where the change of circumstances is the payment of income, or arrears of income, in respect of a past period, the change of circumstances takes effect from the first day on which such income, had it been timeously paid in that period at intervals appropriate to that income, would have fallen to be taken into account for the purposes of this scheme.

(10) Sub-paragraph (11) applies if—

(a) the applicant or his partner has attained the age of 65; and

(b) either—

(i) a non-dependant took up residence in the applicant’s dwelling; or

(ii) there has been a change of circumstances in respect of a non-dependant so that the amount of the deduction which falls to be made under paragraph 30 increased.

(11) Where this sub-paragraph applies, the change of circumstances referred to in sub-paragraph (10)(b) takes effect from the effective date.

(12) In sub-paragraph (11), but subject to sub-paragraph (13), “the effective date” means—

(a) where more than one change of a kind referred to in sub-paragraph (10)(b) relating to the same non-dependant has occurred since—

(i) the date on which the applicant’s entitlement to a reduction under this scheme first began; or

(ii) the date which was the last effective date in respect of such a change,

whichever is the later, the date which falls 26 weeks after the date on which the first such change occurred;

(b) where paragraph (a) does not apply, the date which falls 26 weeks after the date on which the change referred to in sub-paragraph (10)(b) occurred.

(13) If in any particular case the date determined under sub-paragraph (12) is not the first day of a reduction week, the effective date in that case is to be the first day of the next reduction week to commence after the date determined under that sub-paragraph.

Change of circumstances where state pension credit in payment

108.—(1) Sub-paragraphs (2) and (3) apply where—

(a) the applicant is in receipt of state pension credit;

(b) the amount of state pension credit awarded to him is changed in consequence of a change in the applicant’s circumstances or the correction of an official error; and

(c) the change in the amount of state pension credit payable to the applicant results in a change in the amount of a reduction he receives under this scheme.

(2) Where the change of circumstance is that an increase in the amount of state pension credit payable to the applicant results in—

(a) an increase in the reduction he receives under this scheme, the change takes effect from the first day of the reduction week in which state pension credit becomes payable at the increased rate; or

(b) a decrease in the reduction he receives under this scheme, the change takes effect from the first day of the reduction week next following the date on which—

(i) the local authority receives notification from the Secretary of State of the increase in the amount of state pension credit; or

(ii) state pension credit is increased,

whichever is the later.

(3) Where the change of circumstance (“the relevant change”) is that the applicant’s state pension credit has been reduced and in consequence the reduction the applicant receives under this scheme reduces—

(a) in a case where the applicant’s state pension credit has been reduced because the applicant failed to notify the Secretary of State timeously of a change of circumstances, the relevant change takes effect from the first day of the reduction week from which state pension credit was reduced; or

(b) in any other case the relevant change takes effect from the first day of the reduction week next following the date on which—

(i) the authority receives notification from the Secretary of State of the reduction in the amount of state pension credit; or

(ii) state pension credit is reduced,

whichever is the later.

(4) Where the change of circumstance is that state pension credit is reduced and in consequence of the change, the amount of a reduction he receives under this scheme is increased, the change takes effect from the first day of the reduction week in which state pension credit becomes payable at the reduced rate.

(5) Where a change of circumstance occurs in that an award of state pension credit has been made to the applicant or his partner and this would result in a decrease in the amount of reduction he receives under this scheme, the change takes effect from the first day of the reduction week next following the date on which—

(a) the authority receives notification from the Secretary of State of the award of state pension credit; or

(b) entitlement to state pension credit begins,

whichever is the later.

(6) Where, in the case of an applicant who, or whose partner, is or has been awarded state pension credit comprising only the savings credit, there is—

(a) a change of circumstances of a kind described in any of sub-paragraphs (2) to (5) which results from a relevant calculation or estimate; and

(b) a change of circumstances which is a relevant determination,

each of which results in a change in the amount of reduction the applicant receives under this scheme, the change of circumstances referred to in sub-paragraph (b) takes effect from the day specified in sub-paragraph (2), (3), (4) or (5) as the case may be, in relation to the change referred to in paragraph (a).

(7) Where a change of circumstance occurs in that a guarantee credit has been awarded to the applicant or his partner and this would result in an increase in the amount of a reduction the applicant receives under this scheme, the change takes effect from the first day of the reduction week next following the date in respect of which the guarantee credit is first payable.

(8) Where a change of circumstances would, but for this sub-paragraph, take effect under the preceding provisions of this paragraph within the 4 week period specified in paragraph 93 (continuing reductions where state pension credit claimed), that change takes effect on the first day of the first reduction week to commence after the expiry of the 4 week period.

(9) In this paragraph—

“official error” means an error made by—

(a)

the authority or a person—

(i)

authorised to carry out any function of the authority relating to this scheme; or

(ii)

providing services relating to this scheme directly or indirectly to the authority; or

(b)

an officer of—

(i)

the Department for Work and Pensions; or

(ii)

the Commissioners of Inland Revenue,

acting as such,

but excludes any error caused wholly or partly by any person or body not specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this definition and any error of law which is shown to have been an error only by virtue of a subsequent decision of the court;

“relevant calculation or estimate” means the calculation or estimate made by the Secretary of State of the applicant’s or, as the case may be, the applicant’s partner’s income and capital for the purposes of the award of state pension credit;

“relevant determination” means a change in the determination by the authority of the applicant’s income and capital using the relevant calculation or estimate, in accordance with paragraph 36(1).

(1)

Section 11A was inserted by section 75(1) of the Local Government Act 2003 (c.26).