These Regulations further amend the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987, the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 and the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 in so far as those Regulations apply to students.

In particular, they – increase the amounts of grants and loan income to be disregarded (to £270 and £340 respectively) in respect of books and equipment and for travel costs (regulation 2); provide for the full disregard of grants payable under the National Assembly for Wales, Learning Grant (regulation 3(1)(a)); provide for the full disregard of the Department for Employment and Learning Parents' Learning Allowance payments (regulation 3(1)(b)). In so far as these Regulations are required, for the purposes of regulations 2(1), (2) and (3)(a) and 3(1) and (2)(a), to be referred to the Social Security Advisory Committee under section 149(2) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992, (“the 1992 Act”), after agreement by the Social Security Advisory Committee, they have not been so referred by virtue of section 150(1)(b) of that Act. Otherwise they make in relation to Northern Ireland only provision corresponding to provision contained in Regulations made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in relation to Great Britain and accordingly, by virtue of section 149(3) of, and paragraph 10 of Schedule 5 to, the 1992 Act, are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee. These Regulations do not impose a charge on business.