The Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Local Housing Allowance) Amendment Order 2005

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) This order may be cited as the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Local Housing Allowance) Amendment Order 2005.

(2) This article and articles 2, 3, 5 and 6 shall come into force on 13th March 2005.

(3) Articles 4 and 7 shall come into force in relation to the area of a local authority specified in the Schedule to this Order on the date specified in that Schedule in relation to that local authority.

(4) In this Order—

(a) “local authority” has the same meaning as in the Social Security Administration Act 1992(1); and

(b) “the 2003 Order” means the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Local Housing Allowance) Amendment Order 2003(2).

Amendment of the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) Order 1997: pathfinder authorities

2.—(1) Paragraph (9) of article 2 of the 2003 Order is revoked.

(2) For the list of local authorities and dates specified in the table in Part II of Schedule 3A to the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) Order 1997(3), substitute the following list—

Blackpool	17th November 2003
Brighton and Hove	2nd February 2004
Conwy	9th February 2004
Coventry	12th January 2004
East Riding of Yorkshire	18th April 2005
Guildford	4th July 2005
Leeds	9th February 2004
Lewisham	1st December 2003
North East Lincolnshire	9th February 2004
Norwich	13th June 2005
Pembrokeshire	20th June 2005
St Helens	23rd May 2005
Salford	25th July 2005
South Norfolk	6th June 2005
Teignbridge	12th January 2004
Wandsworth	11th April 2005.

Amendment of the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) Order 1997

3.  In sub-paragraph (3) of paragraph 5 of Schedule 1 to the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) Order 1997 (determinations - single room rents)—

(a) for the words “(3) to (5)” substitute “(3) and (5)”; and

(b) for the words “this sub-paragraph” substitute “this paragraph”.

The Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) Order 1997: additional pathfinder authorities

4.  The Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) Order 1997 shall apply in relation to the area of a local authority in England and Wales specified in the Schedule to this Order as it applies in relation to the area of a local authority in England and Wales specified in Schedule 1 to the 2003 Order.

Amendment of the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Scotland) Order 1997: pathfinder authorities

5.—(1) Paragraphs (4) and (9) of article 3 of the 2003 Order are revoked.

(2) The Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Scotland) Order 1997(4) shall have effect subject to the following amendments—

(a) in sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph (2) of article 3 (determinations) after the words “in the registration area” insert “except in relation to the area of a local authority which is a pathfinder authority”.

(b) for the list of local authorities and dates specified in the table in Part II of Schedule 3A, substitute the following list—

Argyll and Bute	30th May 2005
Edinburgh	9th February 2004.

Amendment of the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Scotland) Order 1997

6.  In sub-paragraph (3) of paragraph 5 of Schedule 1 to the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Scotland) Order 1997 (determinations - single room rents)—

(a) for the words “(3) to (5)” substitute “(3) and (5)”; and

(b) for the words “this sub-paragraph” substitute “this paragraph”.

The Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Scotland) Order 1997: additional pathfinder authorities

7.  The Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Scotland) Order 1997 shall apply in relation to the area of a local authority in Scotland specified in the Schedule to this Order as it applies in relation to the area of a local authority in Scotland specified in Schedule 1 to the 2003 Order.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Chris Pond

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State,

Department for Work and Pensions

7 February 2005