The Housing Renewal Grants (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2000

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Housing Renewal Grants Regulations 1996 (“ 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 local housing authorities to owner-occupier and tenant applicants under Chapter I of Part I of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996.

Most of these amendments are consequential on changes to the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987 (S.I. 1987/1971) upon which the means test is based. There are also minor and drafting amendments.

Regulation 4 amends regulation 3 of the principal Regulations to provide that no grant is payable where a person who, though entitled to apply for a grant, has not applied, lives or intends to live in the property, and is a “person from abroad”.

Regulation 5 provides that a local housing authority shall require a statement and supporting evidence of a relevant person’s national insurance number.

Regulation 6 provides that a person shall not be treated as engaged in remunerative work when engaged in an activity for which a sports award is made.

Regulation 8 lowers the multipliers in regulation 12 of the principal Regulations (reduction in amount of grant).

Regulations 9 and 10 amend the calculation of the applicable amount by the addition of the housing allowance and a new disabled child’s housing allowance under the new Part V of Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations.

Regulation 11 increases the maximum deduction for relevant childcare charges.

Regulation 12 provides that the earnings of an employee shall include:

• – the amount of any non-cash voucher and

• – any additional remuneration under the requirements of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, where a person qualifies for the national minimum wage.

Regulation 13 provides that the earnings of self-employed earners shall not include the amount of a sports award.

Regulation 14 provides that a person’s notional income shall include the amount of that person’s pension which is paid to a third party except where that person is a trustee in bankruptcy or other person acting on behalf of creditors or where a bankruptcy order has been made or, in Scotland, the person’s estate is subject to sequestration.

Regulation 15 makes the equivalent provision in respect of notional capital to that made in regulation 14.

Regulation 16 amends regulation 41 of the principal Regulations to provide a definition of “student loan” and to substitute a revised definition of “year”.

Regulations 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 make amendments to the principal Regulations concerning the treatment of student loans.

Regulation 22 uprates the applicable amounts and premiums in Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations and adds Part V (Housing Allowances) to Schedule 1.

Regulation 23 provides for the following to be disregarded in the calculation of a person’s income other than earnings–

• an educational maintenance allowance;

• certain payments to a student by a parent where the student is, or is not, in receipt of a student’s student loan; and

• a sports award.

Regulation 24 provides for the payment of a sports award to be disregarded for the purposes of calculating a persons capital.

Regulation 25 contains transitional provisions.