These Regulations amend the Discretionary Financial Assistance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 which are consequential upon the introduction of universal credit.

The amendments ensure that the Northern Ireland Housing Executive may make discretionary housing payments to a person who is entitled to universal credit which has been calculated to include an amount in respect of housing costs relating to rent (or analogous payments). The amendment in regulation 2(5) sets a monthly limit on the amount of such a payment to the amount of housing costs included in the calculation of universal credit.

They also ensure that a discretionary housing payment may be made where a person is entitled to universal credit that has not been calculated to include an amount in respect of housing costs because the person is in specified accommodation (defined in paragraph 4 of Schedule 1 to the Universal Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016). In these cases the monthly limit will be the aggregate of the payments the claimant is liable to make that would otherwise be eligible to be met by way of universal credit.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sector is foreseen.