The Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1989

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations further amend the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 in the following respects–

(a) they introduce an increased pensioner premium for persons aged 75 and over and uprate the amount of the higher pensioner premium with effect from 9th October 1989 (regulations 4 and 5); and provide for an earnings disregard of £15 where but for the new premiums a person would have been entitled to the disability premium (regulation 10);

(b) they make provision for boarders not to be treated as non-dependants if they live in the household of another claimant and for a deduction to be made from a claimant’s housing costs in respect of boarders aged 18 or over (regulation 6); make a number of miscellaneous amendments to the provisions for determining a boarder’s protected sum and provide for that sum not to be reduced by any increase in his applicable amount consequent on the new premiums (regulation 7);

(c) they make provision for the applicable amount of persons in hostels not to include an amount in respect of accommodation and provide transitional protection for such persons who would otherwise suffer a loss in their benefit income (regulation 10); make an amendment consequential on the omission of board and lodging areas (regulation 8); and make a minor amendment to references to the definition of residential accommodation (regulations 3 and 9).

These Regulations are made before the expiry of 12 months from the commencement of the provisions under which they are made: they are accordingly exempt, by section 61(5) of the Social Security Act 1986, from reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee and have not been so referred.