The Income Support (General) Regulations 1987

[F1 Diminishing notional capital rule E+W+S

51A.— (1) Where a claimant is treated as possessing capital under regulation 51(1) (notional capital), the amount which he is treated as possessing–

(a) in the case of a week that is subsequent to–

(i) the relevant week in respect of which the conditions set out in paragraph (2) are satisfied, or

(ii) a week which follows that relevant week and which satisfies those conditions,

shall be reduced by an amount determined under paragraph (2);

(b) in the case of a week in respect of which paragraph (1)(a) does not apply but where–

(i) that week is a week subsequent to the relevant week, and

(ii) that relevant week is a week in which the condition in paragraph (3) is satisfied,

shall be reduced by the amount determined under paragraph (3).

(2) This paragraph applies to a benefit week or part week where the claimant satisfies the conditions that–

(a) he is in receipt of income support; and

(b) but for regulation 51(1), he would have received an additional amount of income support in that benefit week or, as the case may be, that part week;

and in such a case, the amount of the reduction for the purposes of paragraph (1)(a) shall be equal to that additional amount.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), for the purposes of paragraph (1)(b) the condition is that the claimant would have been entitled to income support in the relevant week, but for regulation 51(1), and in such a case the amount of the reduction shall be equal to the aggregate of–

(a) the amount of income support to which the claimant would have been entitled in the relevant week but for regulation 51(1); and for the purposes of this sub-paragraph if the relevant week is a part-week that amount shall be determined by dividing the amount of income support to which he would have been so entitled by the number equal to the number of days in the part-week and multiplying the quotient by 7;

(b) the amount of housing benefit (if any) equal to the difference between his maximum housing benefit and the amount (if any) of housing benefit which he is awarded in respect of the benefit week, within the meaning of regulation 2(1) of [F2 the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006] (interpretation), which includes the last day of the relevant week;

F3 (c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F4 (d) the amount of council tax benefit (if any) equal to the difference between his maximum council tax benefit and the amount (if any) of council tax benefit which he is awarded in respect of the benefit week which includes the last day of the relevant week, and for this purpose “benefit week” [F5 means a period of 7 consecutive days beginning on a Monday and ending on a Sunday].]

(4) The amount determined under paragraph (3) shall be re-determined under that paragraph if the claimant makes a further claim for income support and the conditions in paragraph (5) are satisfied, and in such a case–

(a) sub-paragraphs [F6 (a) to (d)] of paragraph (3) shall apply as if for the words “relevant week” there were substituted the words “relevant subsequent week”; and

(b) subject to paragraph (6), the amount as re-determined shall have effect from the first week following the relevant subsequent week in question.

(5) The conditions are that–

(a) a further claim is made 26 or more weeks after–

(i) the date on which the claimant made a claim for income support in respect of which he was first treated as possessing the capital in question under regulation 51(1); or

(ii) in a case where there has been at least one re-determination in accordance with paragraph (4), the date on which he last made a claim for income support which resulted in the weekly amount being re-determined; or

(iii) the date on which he last ceased to be in receipt of income support; whichever last occurred; and

(b) the claimant would have been entitled to income support but for regulation 51(1).

(6) The amount as re-determined pursuant to paragraph (4) shall not have effect if it is less than the amount which applied in that case immediately before the re-determination and in such a case the higher amount shall continue to have effect.

(7) For the purpose of this regulation–

(a) “part-week” means a period to which sub-section (1A) of section 21 of the Act (amount etc. of income support) applies;

(b) “relevant week” means the benefit week or part-week in which the capital in question of which the claimant has deprived himself within the meaning of regulation 51(1)–

(i) was first taken into account for the purpose of determining his entitlement to income support; or

(ii) was taken into account on a subsequent occasion for the purpose of determining or re-determining his entitlement to income support on that subsequent occasion and that determination or re-determination resulted in his beginning to receive, or ceasing to receive, income support;

and where more than one benefit week or part-week is identified by reference to heads (i) and (ii) of this sub-paragraph the later or latest such benefit week or, as the case may be, the later or latest such part-week;

(c) “relevant subsequent week” means the benefit week or part-week which includes the day on which the further claim or, if more than one further claim has been made, the last such claim was made.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Reg. 51A inserted (1.10.1990) by The Income Support (General) Amendment No. 3 Regulations 1990 (S.I. 1990/1776), regs. 1(1)(a), 6 (with reg. 1(2))

F2 Words in reg. 51A(3)(b) substituted (6.3.2006) by The Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Consequential Provisions) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/217), reg. 1(1), Sch. 2 para. 1(3) (with regs. 2, 3, Sch. 3, Sch. 4)

F3 Reg. 51A(3)(c) omitted (17.11.2008) by virtue of The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No.6) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/2767), regs. 1(2), 2(8)

F4 Reg. 51A(3)(d) added (1.4.1993) by The Income-related Benefits Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/315), reg. 1(1)(b), Sch. para. 4

F5 Words in reg. 51A(3)(d) substituted (1.4.2013) by The Council Tax Benefit Abolition (Consequential Provision) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/458), reg. 1, Sch. 2 para. 1

F6 Words in reg. 51A(4)(a) substituted (9.4.2001 in so far as not already in force) by The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 3) Regulations 2001 (S.I. 2001/859), regs. 1(1)(c), 6(2)