The Housing Benefit (General) Amendment No. 3 Regulations 1988

Amendment of Schedule 1 to the General Regulations

7.  In Schedule 1 to the General Regulations (ineligible service charges)—

(a)in paragraph 1(a), at the beginning of head (i) there shall be inserted the words “subject to paragraph 1A”;

(b)after paragraph 1 there shall be added the following paragraph—

Amount ineligible for meals

1A.(1) Where a charge for meals is ineligible to be met by housing benefit under paragraph 1, the amount ineligible in respect of each week shall be the amount specified in the following provisions of this paragraph.

(2) Where the charge includes provision for at least three meals a day, the amount shall be—

(a)for a single claimant, £12.50;

(b)if the claimant is a member of a family—

(i)for the claimant and for each member of his familyaged 16 or over, £12.50;

(ii)for each member of his family under age 16, £6.25.

(3) Except where sub-paragraph (4) applies, where the charge includes provision for less than three meals a day, the amount shall be—

(a)for a single claimant, £8.30;

(b)if the claimant is a member of a family—

(i)for the claimant and for each member of his family aged 16 or over, £8.30;

(ii)for each member of his family under age 16 £4.15.

(4) Where the charge for meals includes the provision of breakfast only, the amount for the claimant and, if he is a member of a family, for the claimant and for each member of his family, shall be £1.50.;

(c)in paragraphs 2(1) and 3, at the beginning of each of those paragraphs there shall be inserted the words “Subject to paragraph 1A,”;

(d)in paragraph 5—

(i)in sub-paragraph (2) for the words “sub-paragraph (3)” there shall be substituted the words “sub-paragraphs (2A) and (3)”;

(ii)after sub-paragraph (2) there shall be inserted the following sub-paragraph —

(2A) Where the accommodation occupied by the claimant or, if he is a member of a family, by the claimant and the members of his family, consists of one room only, the amount ineligible to be met by housing benefit in respect of each week where heating only is, or heating and either hot water or lighting (or both) are, provided, shall be one-half of the aggregate of the amounts specified in sub-paragraph (2)(a), (b) and (c)..

(iii)in sub-paragraph (3) after the words “sub-paragraph (2)” there shall be inserted the words “or (2A)”.