The Rate Relief (Lone Pensioner Allowance) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations provide for a 20 per cent. rates rebate for a person who has attained the age of 70 years in respect of a dwelling which is occupied solely by him. The Regulations provide—

(a) for the grant of the rebate (regulation 3(1));

(b) that where a person occupies more than one dwelling, a rebate shall be granted only in respect of the dwelling which that person occupies as his only or principal residence (regulation 3(2));

(c) that in determining whether a dwelling is occupied solely by a person who has attained the age of 70 years, certain other persons are to be disregarded (regulation 3(3) and the Schedule);

(d) for the administration of the rebate by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (“the Executive”) in the case of Executive tenants, housing association tenants and private tenants and by the Department of Finance and Personnel (“the Department”) in all other cases (regulation 4);

(e) that a rebate shall be granted only if an application is made to the Department or the Executive (regulation 5);

(f) for information gathered in relation to a claim for housing benefit or rate relief to be used in relation to an application for a rebate under these Regulations but only with the consent of the claimant (regulation 6);

(g) for the rebate to be granted either by making a payment of the amount of the rebate to the person entitled to the rebate or by reducing the amount of any payment which that person is liable to make by way of rates (regulation 7);

(h) for the rebate to be applied after other reliefs including housing benefit and rate relief but before any allowance made under Article 20, 21 or 30 of the Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977 (regulation 8); and

(i) for the review of decisions made by the Department or the Executive and for appeals to the Northern Ireland Valuation Tribunal (regulations 9 and 10).