2014 No. 3270
Social Security
The Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment (Amendment) Regulations 2014
Made 10th December 2014
Laid before Parliament 15th December 2014
Coming into force 21st September 2015

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 138(2) and (4) and 175(1) and (3) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992.
1992 c.4. Amendments not relevant to these Regulations have been made to section 138. Section 175(1) was amended by paragraph 29(2) of Schedule 3 to the Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 (c.2).
In accordance with section 173(1) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992, the Secretary of State has obtained the agreement of the Social Security Advisory Committee that proposals in respect of these Regulations should not be referred to it.
1992 c.5.
See sections 170, 172(1) and 173(1)(b) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (c.5). Amendments not relevant to these Regulations have been made to section 170.

1 Citation and Commencement
These Regulations may be cited as the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment (Amendment) Regulations 2014 and come into force on 21st September 2015.

2 Amendment of the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2000
1 The Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2000 are amended as follows.
S.I. 2000/729. Relevant amending instruments are S.I. 2003/1737, 2003/2192, 2004/2154, 2008/1554, 2009/1488 and 2013/1509.
2 In regulation 2(1)(a)(ii) (social fund winter fuel payments) for the words from “Switzerland” to the end of paragraph (ii), substitute “any of the countries listed in the Schedule to these Regulations”.
3 At the end of the Regulations, insert—

“SCHEDULE
Countries
Republic of Austria
Kingdom of Belgium
Republic of Bulgaria
Republic of Croatia
Czech Republic
Kingdom of Denmark
Republic of Estonia
Republic of Finland
Federal Republic of Germany
Republic of Hungary
Republic of Iceland
Republic of Ireland
Republic of Italy
Republic of Latvia
Principality of Liechtenstein
Republic of Lithuania
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Kingdom of the Netherlands
Kingdom of Norway
Republic of Poland
Republic of Romania
Slovak Republic
Republic of Slovenia
Kingdom of Sweden
Swiss Confederation.
Regulation 2”

.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Steve Webb Minister of State Department for Work and Pensions 10th December 2014

EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations amend the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2000. They restrict entitlement to winter fuel payment for some of those living abroad. These payments are presently payable to certain eligible older people ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom or habitually resident in Switzerland or an EEA state other than the United Kingdom. The payments to those living abroad will now be restricted to eligible people habitually resident in the countries in Europe listed in the Schedule inserted by these Regulations.
A full impact assessment has not been produced for these Regulations as they have no impact on the private sector or civil society organisations.