PART 3Budgeting advances
Conditions for payment of budgeting advances12
1
The Secretary of State may make a budgeting advance to B for the purpose of defraying an intermittent expense of B if—
a
B makes an application to the Secretary of State for a budgeting advance;
b
B, or in a case where B is a member of a couple, B or their partner, is in receipt of universal credit;
c
except where paragraph (2) applies, B or, in a case where B is a member of a couple, B or their partner, has been in receipt of benefit for a continuous period of at least 6 months on the date of the application for a budgeting advance;
d
the earnings condition in regulation 13 is satisfied; and
e
the recovery condition in regulation 14 is satisfied.
2
This paragraph applies where the intermittent expense to be defrayed is necessarily related to B or, in a case where B is a member of a couple, their partner, obtaining or retaining employment.
3
For the purposes of paragraph (1)(c), “benefit” means—
a
universal credit;
b
employment and support allowance;
c
income support;
d
jobseeker's allowance; or
e
state pension credit.
4
For the purposes of paragraph (3)—
a
“employment and support allowance” means an income-related allowance under Part 1 of the 2007 Act as it has effect apart from the amendments made by Schedule 3, and Part 1 of Schedule 14, to the 2012 Act (to remove references to an income-related allowance);
b
“jobseeker's allowance” means an income-based jobseeker's allowance under the 1995 Act as it has effect apart from the amendments made by Part 1 of Schedule 14 to the 2012 Act (to remove references to an income-based allowance).