These Regulations amend the Housing Renovation etc. Grants (Reduction of Grant) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 (“the principal Regulations”) which set out the means test for determining the amount of renovation grant and disabled facilities grant which may be paid by the Housing Executive to owner-occupier and tenant applicants under Chapter I of Part III of the Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1992.

Most of these amendments are consequential on changes to the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 (S.R. 1987 No. 461).

Regulation 4 amends regulation 3 of the principal Regulations to provide that no grant is payable where a person who, though entitled to apply for a grant, has not applied, lives or intends to live in the property, and is a “person from abroad”.

Regulation 5 provides that a person shall not be treated as engaged in remunerative work when engaged in an activity for which a sports award is made.

Regulation 6 amends regulation 9 of the principal Regulations (the applicable amount) by increasing the applicable amount (which is an amount to be deducted from an applicant’s financial resources as part of the means test). The amendment provides for a larger amount for an application for disabled facilities grant to carry out works for the benefit of a child or young person.

Regulation 7 lowers the multipliers in regulation 11 of the principal Regulations (reduction in amount of grant).

Regulation 8 increases the maximum deduction for relevant childcare charges.

Regulation 9 provides that the earnings of an employee shall include:

• the amount of any non-cash voucher and

• any additional remuneration under the requirements of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, where a person qualifies for the national minimum wage.

Regulation 10 provides that the earnings of self-employed earners shall not include the amount of a sports award.

Regulation 11 provides that a person’s notional income shall include the amount of that person’s pension which is paid to a third party except where that person is a trustee in bankruptcy or other person acting on behalf of creditors or where a bankruptcy order has been made or, in Scotland, the person’s estate is subject to sequestration.

Regulation 12 makes the equivalent provision in respect of notional capital to that made in regulation 11.

Regulation 13 amends regulation 40 of the principal Regulations to provide a definition of “student loan” and to substitute a revised definition of “year”.

Regulations 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 make amendments to the principal Regulations concerning the treatment of student loans.

Regulation 19 uprates the applicable amounts and premiums in Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations.

Regulation 20 provides for the following to be disregarded in the calculation of a person’s income other than earnings:

• an educational maintenance allowance;

• certain payments to a student by a parent where the student is, or is not, in receipt of a student loan, and

• a sports award.

Regulation 21 provides for the payment of a sports award to be disregarded for the purposes of calculating a person’s capital.

Regulation 22 contains transitional provisions.