The State Pension Credit (Additional Amount for Child or Qualifying Young Person) (Amendment) Regulations 2018

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the State Pension Credit Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/1792) (“the 2002 Regulations”).

Regulation 2(2) and (3) amends regulation 6 of the 2002 Regulations, to provide for the payment of an additional amount to a pension credit claimant entitled to the standard minimum guarantee, where that claimant is responsible for a child or qualifying young person and does not have an award of a tax credit.

Regulation 2(4) inserts a new Schedule IIA into the 2002 Regulations which:

• applies to a claimant who is responsible for a “child” or “qualifying young person” (paragraph 1);

• defines the terms “child” and “qualifying young person” (paragraph 2);

• sets out the circumstances in which a person is or is not to be treated as responsible for a child or qualifying young person (paragraphs 3 to 8);

• specifies the additional amount of benefit applicable to a claimant where he or she is responsible for a child or qualifying young person; the amount is increased if the child or qualifying young person is entitled to a disability living allowance or personal independence payment or if they are certified as severely sight impaired or blind (paragraph 9); and

• provides for a higher amount to be payable where the eldest child or qualifying young person was born before 6th April 2017 (paragraph 10).

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as it has no impact on business or civil society organisations.