The Social Security (Non-Dependant Deductions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security (Non-Dependant Deductions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 and shall come into operation—

(a) for the purposes of this regulation and regulation 2—

(i) in any case to which paragraph (2) applies, on 1st April 1997, and

(ii) in any other case, on 7th April 1997, and

(b) for the purposes of regulation 3, on 6th April 1998.

(2) This paragraph applies in any case where—

(a) rent is payable at intervals of one month or any other interval which is not a week or a multiple thereof, or

(b) payments by way of rates are not made together with payments of rent at weekly intervals or multiples thereof.

(3) Regulation 3 of these Regulations shall have effect in relation to any particular claimant for either of the benefits mentioned in that regulation, from the beginning of the first benefit week to commence for that claimant on or after 6th April 1998 and for the purpose of this paragraph, “benefit week” shall have the same meaning as in regulation 2(1) of the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987(1) or, where appropriate, in regulation 1(2) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996(2).

(4) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(3) shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to a Measure of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Amendment of regulation 63 of the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations

2.  In regulation 63 of the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987(4) (non-dependant deductions)—

(a) in paragraph (1)—

(i) in sub-paragraph (a)(i)(5) for “£32·00” there shall be substituted “£39·00”;

(ii) in sub-paragraph (a)(ii)(6) for “£2·60” there shall be substituted “£4·00”;

(b) after paragraph (2)(c)(7) there shall be inserted the following sub-paragraphs—

“(ca) not less than £150·00 but less than £200·00, the deduction to be made under this regulation in respect of a rent rebate or allowance shall be £32·00;

(cb) not less than £200·00 but less than £250·00, the deduction to be made under this regulation in respect of a rent rebate or allowance shall be £36·00;”;

(c) after paragraph (2)(d)(8) there shall be added the following sub-paragraphs—

“(e) not less than £114·00 but less than £200·00, the deduction to be made under this regulation in respect of a rate rebate shall be £2·60;

(f) not less than £200·00 but less than £250·00, the deduction to be made under this regulation in respect of a rate rebate shall be £3·50”.

Income support and jobseeker’s allowance: changes in thresholds for, and amounts of, non-dependant deductions relating to housing costs

3.  In both paragraph 18 of Schedule 3(9) to the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 and paragraph 17 of Schedule 2 to the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 (non-dependant deductions)—

(a) in sub-paragraph (1) for head (a) there shall be substituted the following head—

“(a) in respect of a non-dependant aged 18 or over who is engaged in any remunerative work, £39·00;”;

(b) after sub-paragraph (2)(c) there shall be added the following sub-paragraphs—

“(d) not less than £150·00 but less than £200·00, the deduction to be made under this paragraph shall be £32·00;

(e) not less than £200·00 but less than £250·00, the deduction to be made under this paragraph shall be £36·00”.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health and Social Services on

L.S.

John O'Neill

Assistant Secretary

6th January 1997.

The Department of the Environment hereby consents to regulation 2 of the foregoing Regulations.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of the Environment on

L.S.

R. E. Aiken

Assistant Secretary

6th January 1997.