These Regulations amend the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 (S.I. 1987/1967), the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/207), the State Pension Credit Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/1792), the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/213), the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/214), the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/794), the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/376) and the Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/1230).

The amendments provide for the payment of arrears of an armed forces independence payment or a payment made to compensate a person for the non-payment of an armed forces independence payment to be disregarded in the calculation of that person’s capital for the purposes of assessing that person’s entitlement to income support, jobseeker’s allowance, employment and support allowance or universal credit in accordance with the rules relating to the calculation of those benefits.

The amendments also provide for the payment of arrears of maternity allowance or a payment made to compensate a person for the non-payment of maternity allowance to be disregarded in the calculation of that person’s capital for the purposes of assessing that person’s entitlement to income support, jobseeker’s allowance, state pension credit, housing benefit, employment and support allowance or universal credit in accordance with the rules relating to the calculation of those benefits.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.