Housing Renovation etc. Grants (Reduction of Grant) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

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

Regulation 4 amends regulation 6 of the principal Regulations to take account of the introduction of the Preparation for Employment Programme which, in Northern Ireland, has replaced the intensive activity period (New Deal) programme.

Regulation 5 amends regulation 8 of the principal Regulations to remove the unintended conflict between regulations 7 and 8 where a child or young person has been fostered.

Regulation 6 amends regulation 9 of the principal Regulations to increase the “applicable amount” of income that can be received without reduction in the amount of grant. The amendment provides for a more generous allowance where the application is for disabled facilities grant to carry out works for the benefit of a child or young person.

Regulation 7 increases the multipliers in regulation 11 of the principal Regulations.

Regulation 8 increases the amount of capital which a child or young person may have without the amounts determined in accordance with paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations ceasing to apply.

Regulation 9 increases the amount that may be deducted from weekly earnings in respect of payments for childcare.

Regulation 10 amends regulation 18 of the principal Regulations to provide that a woman on maternity leave should be treated as if she was engaged in remunerative work, so enabling relevant childcare charges to be deducted from weekly earnings determined in accordance with regulation 17 of the principal Regulations (childcare charges incurred in respect of the child to whom the maternity leave relates will not be treated as relevant childcare charges).

Regulations 11 and 12 amend regulations 30 and 37 of the principal Regulations to take account of payments made in connection with the employment programmes known as the Preparation for Employment Programme and the Preparation for Employment Programme for 50 plus.

Regulations 13, 14 and 15 make various amendments to regulations concerning students and trainees, including amendments consequential on the establishment of the Learning and Skills Council for England.

Regulation 16 uprates the applicable amounts and premiums in Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations and adds a premium payable to certain persons who are no longer entitled to bereavement allowance.

Regulation 17 adds items to the list of sums in Schedule 3 which are disregarded in the determination of income other than earnings, namely payments relation to discretionary housing payments and £15 of any widowed parent’s or mother’s allowance. Amendments are also made to existing paragraphs consequential on various changes to New Deal schemes and the establishment of National Health Service trusts.

Regulation 18 adds items to the list of sums in Schedule 4 which are disregarded as capital, namely discretionary housing payments, training grant payable under the New Deal 50 Plus, Employment Credit Scheme and compensation for loss etc. suffered during the Second World War. Amendments are also made to an existing paragraph consequential on various changes to New Deal schemes.

Regulation 19 contains transitional provisions.