The Universal Credit (Consequential Provisions) (Childcare, Housing and Transport) (Wales) Regulations 2013

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations make provision in relation to the provisions of Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c.5) (“the Act”) that relate to the introduction of universal credit and the abolition of income-related employment and support allowance and income-based jobseeker’s allowance.

The Regulations amend both primary and secondary legislation in the fields of childcare, housing and transport. The amendments are consequential on the coming into force of Part 1 of the 2012 Act.

In particular, regulation 2 amends section 3 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 which allows for regulations to exclude descriptions of applicants from entitlement to grants under Chapter 1 of Part 1 of that Act (grants for renewal, repairs etc). The effect of the amendments is that the reference to universal credit inserted by the Universal Credit (Consequential, Supplementary, Incidental and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/630) applies to the Welsh Ministers’ power to make regulations under section 3.

Regulation 3 makes amendments to the Housing Act 2004 in relation to Wales which are identical to those made by regulation 18 of the Universal Credit (Consequential, Supplementary, Incidental and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2013 in relation to England. These amendments insert references to the housing element of an award of universal credit into provisions relating to rent repayment orders that a residential property tribunal can make.

Regulation 4 amends section 22 of the Childcare Act 2006 so as to include a reference to the childcare element of universal credit in connection with the duty of a local authority in Wales to secure sufficient childcare in its area.