The State Pension Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003

Diminishing notional capital rule

22.—(1) Where a claimant is treated as possessing capital under regulation 21(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 the amount determined under paragraph (2);

(b) in the case of a week in respect of which sub-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 where the claimant satisfies the conditions that –

(a) he is in receipt of state pension credit, and

(b) but for regulation 21(1), he would have received an additional amount of state pension credit in that benefit 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 state pension credit in the relevant week, but for regulation 21(1), and in such a case the amount of the reduction shall be equal to the aggregate of –

(a) the amount of state pension credit to which the claimant would have been entitled in the relevant week but for regulation 21(1);

(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 ascribed to it in regulation 2(1) of the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987(1) (interpretation), which includes the last day of the relevant week.

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

(a) sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph (3) shall apply as if for “relevant week” there were substituted “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 state pension credit in respect of which he was first treated as possessing the capital in question under regulation 21(1);

(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 state pension credit which resulted in the weekly amount being re-determined, or

(iii) the date on which he last ceased to be in receipt of state pension credit,

whichever last occurred, and

(b) the claimant would have been entitled to state pension credit but for regulation 21(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) “relevant week” means the benefit week in which the capital in question of which the claimant has deprived himself within the meaning of regulation 21(1) –

(i) was first taken into account for the purpose of determining his entitlement to state pension credit, or

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

and where more than one benefit week is identified by reference to heads (i) and (ii) the later or latest such benefit week;

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

(1)

S.R. 1987 No. 461