The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 3) Regulations 2001

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Council Tax Benefit (General) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/1814), the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987 (S.I. 1987/1971), the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 (S.I. 1987/1967), the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/207) and the Social Fund Maternity and Funeral Expenses (General) Regulations 1987 (S.I. 1987/481).

In particular, they—

— create a new disregard in housing benefit and council tax benefit in respect of training grants payable under the New Deal 50 Plus Employment Credit Scheme (regulation 2(3));

— update the legislative references in the definition of “attendance allowance” applying in council tax benefit and housing benefit (regulation 2(1)), amend references in the rules relating to the treatment of child care charges in housing benefit and council tax benefit (regulation 2(2)), the diminishing notional capital rule (regulation 6(1) and (2)) and in the notional income rule in income support (regulation 3(2)) and correct an error relating to the period in respect of which certain groups may have access to urgent case payments in income support (regulation 3(3));

— clarify the links between the sub-paragraphs prescribing when a carer is entitled to income support (regulation 3(4)), allow employment credits to be disregarded if paid to a lone parent whilst she is entitled to income support during a “run-on” period (regulation 3(5)) and amend duplicate paragraph numbering in Schedule 10 to the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 (regulation 3(6));

— allow a bereavement payment to be disregarded for the purpose of ascertaining entitlement to Sure Start Maternity Grants and funeral payments (regulation 4);

— change the commencement date of the Social Security Amendment (Enhanced Disability Premium) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/2629) in relation to income support and jobseeker’s allowance so as to take into account benefit weeks (regulation 5);

— allow the disregard in all the benefits in respect of payments made in respect of persons in the temporary care of another person to apply to payments made by primary care trusts (regulation 6(3)).

These Regulations do not impose a charge on business.