The Social Security (Third Party Deductions and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2003

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations provide for amendments to the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 (S.I. 1987/1968) (“the Claims and Payments Regulations”) and the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 (S.I. 1987/1967) (“the Income Support Regulations”).

Regulation 2 substitutes references to the Part III accommodation rate contained in paragraph 13 of Schedule 7 of the Income Support Regulations 1987 and paragraph 15 of Schedule 5 of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/1460) which are being revoked, with references to the Polish Resettlement Act 1947 (c. 19), regulation 21(3) of the Income Support Regulations or regulation 85(4) of the Jobseekers Allowance Regulations 1996 as appropriate.

Regulation 2 also provides for direct payments to third parties to be made from the guarantee credit award of state pension credit. The circumstances where deductions from state pension credit may be taken are those specified in regulation 15(7) of the State Pension Credit Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/1792.)

The Regulations provide for a specific amount to form the amount prescribed for personal expenses which is the minimum amount kept by a claimant after deductions have been made.

Regulation 3 omits paragraph (1B) of Schedule 7 of the Income Support Regulations which is no longer relevant due to the change in the hospital down-rating period from 6 weeks to 52 weeks. This regulation also removes an obsolete reference to paragraph 18 of Schedule 7 (applicable amounts in special cases) to the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 in regulation 21(2) of the same Regulations.

These Regulations do not impose a charge on business.