Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland
2018 No. 36
Housing
The Universal Credit Housing Costs (Executive Determinations) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2018
Made
5th March 2018
Laid before Parliament
6th March 2018
Coming into operation
2nd April 2018
The Secretary of State makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by Articles 16, 38(1) and 48(2)(b) of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015(1).
Those powers are exercisable by the Secretary of State by virtue of Article 4(1)(a) of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015.
Citation and commencement
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Universal Credit Housing Costs (Executive Determinations) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2018 and shall come into operation on 2nd April 2018.
Amendment of the Universal Credit Housing Costs (Executive Determinations) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016
2.—(1) The Universal Credit Housing Costs (Executive Determinations) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016(2) are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3).
(2) In regulation 3 (broad rental market area determinations)(3)—
(a)for paragraph (6)(b) (date on which a broad rental market area determination takes effect) substitute—
“(b)for all other purposes—
(i)on the next relevant Monday following the day on which the determination is made; or
(ii)where the next relevant Monday is within 11 months beginning with the day on which the determination is made, on the next relevant Monday after that.”;
(b)after paragraph (7) insert—
“(8) “Relevant Monday” has the same meaning as in regulation 4(4).”.
(3) In paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 (local housing allowance determinations)(4)—
(a)in sub-paragraph (2)(a), for “determined for that category of dwelling on 30th January 2015” substitute “ last determined for that category of dwelling”;
(b)in sub-paragraph (2A)—
(i)in paragraph (a) for “determined for that category of dwelling on 30th January 2015” substitute “last determined for that category of dwelling”; and
(ii)for the table in paragraph (b), substitute—
| “(1) Category of dwelling as defined in the following paragraphs of this Schedule | (2) Maximum local housing allowance for that category of dwelling |
|---|---|
| Paragraph 1(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) | £1,163.30 |
| Paragraph 1(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) | £1,163.30 |
| Paragraph 1(c) (two bedrooms) | £1,349.43 |
| Paragraph 1(d) (three bedrooms) | £1,582.09 |
| Paragraph 1(e) (four bedrooms) | £1,861.28” |
(c)for the table in paragraph 5(5) substitute—
| “(1) Broad rental market area | (2) Category of dwelling as defined in the following paragraphs of this Schedule |
|---|---|
| BRMA1 –South | Paragraph 1(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) |
| BRMA1 – South | Paragraph 1(c) (two bedrooms) |
| BRMA1 – South | Paragraph 1(d) (three bedrooms) |
| BRMA1 – South | Paragraph 1(e) (four bedrooms) |
| BRMA2 – North | Paragraph 1(d) (three bedrooms) |
| BRMA2 – North | Paragraph 1(e) (four bedrooms) |
| BRMA3 – Lough Neagh Lower | Paragraph 1(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) |
| BRMA3 – Lough Neagh Lower | Paragraph 1(c) (two bedrooms) |
| BRMA3 – Lough Neagh Lower | Paragraph 1(d) (three bedrooms) |
| BRMA3 – Lough Neagh Lower | Paragraph 1(e) (four bedrooms) |
| BRMA4 – North West | Paragraph 1(a) (one bedroom, shared accommodation) |
| BRMA4 – North West | Paragraph 1(b) (one bedroom exclusive use) |
| BRMA4 – North West | Paragraph 1(c) (two bedrooms) |
| BRMA6 – South East | Paragraph 1(d) (three bedrooms) |
| BRMA6 – South East | Paragraph 1(e) (four bedrooms) |
| BRMA8 – Belfast | Paragraph 1(b) (one bedroom, exclusive use) |
| BRMA8 – Belfast | Paragraph 1(c) (two bedrooms) |
| BRMA8 – Belfast | Paragraph 1(d) (three bedrooms) |
| BRMA8 – Belfast | Paragraph 1(e) (four bedrooms)” |
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Kit Malthouse
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Department for Work and Pensions
5th March 2018
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations amend the Universal Credit Housing Costs (Executive Determinations) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 (“the UC Executive Determinations Regulations”) to make changes to the manner in which the local housing allowance is determined.
Regulation 2 amends those Regulations by substituting tables that provide that, for dwellings in specified categories in specified broad rental market areas, the local housing allowance is the lower of (a) the rent as last determined plus 3% and (b) the maximum allowance applicable to the dwelling, as specified in the table inserted by these Regulations.
For other dwellings the local housing allowance is the lower of the rent as last determined and the rent at the 30th percentile, determined in accordance with the UC Executive Determinations Regulations.
Regulation 2 also amends the UC Executive Determinations Regulations so that any changes to a broad rental market area made as a result of a broad rental market area determination take effect on the relevant Monday as defined in the UC Executive Determinations Regulations.
An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sector is foreseen.
Regulation 3 was amended by regulation 2(2) of S.R. 2017 No. 144.
Schedule 1 was amended by regulation 2(3) of S.R. 2017 No.144.
Paragraph 5 was inserted by regulation 2(3)(b) of S.R. 2017 No. 144.