The National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2004

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/2977) (the “principal Regulations”). The principal Regulations concern the assessment of a person’s liability to pay for accommodation provided under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 (c. 49) (the “1968 Act”). By virtue of section 87(3) of the 1968 Act, accommodation provided under the 1968 Act or section 7 of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 (c. 36) shall be regarded as accommodation provided under Part III of the National Assistance Act 1948.

Regulation 2 amends the principal Regulations so that the capital limit set out in regulation 20 is increased from £18,500 to £19,000 Regulation 3 amends the principal Regulations so that the capital limits set out in regulation 28(1) is increased from £11,500 and £18,500 to £11,750 and £19,000.

Regulation 4 provides for an increase to the amount which should be disregarded from the calculation of income other than earnings from the financial assessment where a resident receives savings credit. It amends the principal Regulations so that where a resident has a partner for the purposes of the State Pension Credit Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/1792 (as amended)), £6.95 will not be disregarded from the resident’s financial assessment where their qualifying income is in excess of the standard minimum guarantee and the resident’s partner is in receipt of savings credit.

Regulation 5 revokes regulations 3 and 4 of the National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Amendment (No. 3) (Scotland) Regulations 2001 (S.S.I. 2001/138) which provided the previous capital limits set out in regulations 20 and 28(1) of the principal Regulations.