The National Health Service (Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges) Amendment Regulations 1997

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations further amend the National Health Service (Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges) Regulations 1988.

They add to the list of persons eligible for remission or payment in full, persons living in accommodation provided by, or under arrangements made with, a local authority who are unable to pay for that accommodation at the standard rate fixed by the authority or the full rate determined under the arrangements; specify that a notice of entitlement in respect of persons in local authority accommodation or a person living in a residential care home or nursing home is effective for a period of twelve months from the date of claim; and define the expressions “standard rate”, “full rate”, “nursing home” and “residential care home” (regulations 2, 3 and 7).

These Regulations require a person whose entitlement to income support or income-based jobseeker’s allowance is less than ten pence to make a claim in writing and a person in local authority accommodation to claim on a form provided for that purpose (regulation 4).

They also amend Schedule 1 to make further modifications to those provisions of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 by reference to which a person’s resources and requirements are calculated. In particular the amendments provide—

• that income is calculated on the basis of there being 52 weeks in the year;

• that the Higher Pension Premium is applicable to single claimants and lone parents aged at least 60, and in the case of couples where at least one is aged at least 60;

• that there shall be a single allowance applicable for young persons aged at least 16 and under 19, who are in full-time education;

• for certain earnings to be disregarded (regulations 5 and 6).

These Regulations do not impose a charge on business.