The Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006

Calculation and payment of an extended payment (severe disablement allowance and incapacity benefit)

2.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this paragraph and except in the case of a mover, the amount of the extended payment (severe disablement allowance and incapacity benefit) shall be equal to the amount of housing benefit which was payable to the claimant for the last benefit week before he ceased to be entitled to housing benefit.

(2) In a case where the last benefit week referred to in sub-paragraph (1) fell, in whole or in part, within a rent and rate-free period, the last benefit week for the purposes of that sub-paragraph shall be taken to be the last benefit week that did not fall within a rent and rate-free period.

(3) Where the last benefit week before he ceased to be entitled to housing benefit was a week in which the claimant’s eligible rent was calculated in accordance with regulation 59(4)(c), sub-paragraph (1) shall have effect as if the reference to the last benefit week before he ceased to be entitled to housing benefit was a reference to the week before that week.

(4) Subject to sub-paragraph (5), the extended payment (severe disablement allowance and incapacity benefit) shall be payable for each of the weeks in the period specified in regulation 51(6)(a), and shall be paid at such time and in such manner as is appropriate, having regard to—

(a) the times at which and the frequency with which a person’s liability to make payment of rent or rates arises; and

(b) the reasonable needs and convenience of the person entitled thereto.

(5) No extended payment (severe disablement allowance and incapacity benefit) shall be payable for a week which is a rent and rate-free period for the purposes of regulation 60(1).