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Statutory Instruments

1998 No. 562

SOCIAL SECURITY

The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998

Made

4th March 1998

Laid before Parliament

10th March 1998

Coming into force

31st March 1998

The Secretary of State for Social Security, with the consent of the TreasuryM1, in exercise of the powers conferred upon her by sections 140B, 140C(1), (2) and (4), 140E and 189(1) and (4) to (7) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992M2, section 122(4) of and paragraph 5 of Schedule 12 to the Housing Act 1996M3 and of all other powers enabling her in that behalf, after consultation, in accordance with section 176(1)(b) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992M4, with organisations appearing to her to be representative of the authorities concerned, hereby makes the following Order:

Marginal Citations

M1 See section 189(8) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (c.5); amended by paragraph 3(5) of Schedule 13 to the Housing Act 1996 (c.52).

M2 1992 c.5 ; sections 140B, 140C and 140E were inserted by section 121 of and paragraph 4 of Schedule 12 to the Housing Act 1996; section 140B was amended by section 10 of, paragraph 7 of Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 to the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997 (c.47) ; Section 140C(4) gives it retrospective effect.

M3 1996 c.52 ; section 189(3) to (7) of the Social Security Administration Act is applied to paragraph 5 of Schedule 12 to the Housing Act by paragraph 5(3) of that Schedule.

M4Section 176(1)(b) was amended by paragraph 3(4) of Schedule 13 to the Housing Act 1996.

PART IE+W+S GENERAL

Citation, commencement and interpretationE+W+S

1.—(1) This Order, which may be cited as the Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998, shall come into force on 31st March 1998 and shall have effect in relation to any relevant year.

(2) In this Order, unless the context otherwise requires —

  • “the Act" means the Social Security Administration Act 1992;

  • “authority" means a billing, housing or, as the case may be, local authority;

  • “a 1997 authority" means a successor authority, whose reorganisation date was 1st April 1997;

  • “a 1998 authority" means a successor authority, whose reorganisation date was 1st April 1998;

  • “new authority" means

    (i)

    in England, a successor authority, whose reorganisation date was 1st April 1996;

    (ii)

    in Wales, an authority constituted under sections 20 and 21 of the Local Government Act 1972 M5, and

    (iii)

    in Scotland, an authority constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 M6;

  • “the English Regulations" means the Local Government Changes for England (Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit) Regulations 1995 M7;

  • F1...

  • “the previous Orders" means the 1989 Order, the 1990 Order, the 1991 Order, the 1992 Order, the 1993 Order, the 1994 Order, the 1995 Order, the 1996 Order and the 1997 Order;

  • F2...

  • “following year" means the year following the relevant year;

  • “relevant year" means the year, commencing on 1st April 1997 or on the 1st April in any year thereafter, in respect of which a claim for subsidy is made;

  • “the 1989 Order" means the Housing Benefit (Subsidy) Order 1989 M8;

  • “the 1990 Order" means the Housing Benefit (Subsidy) Order 1990 M9;

  • “the 1991 Order" means the Housing Benefit and Community Charge Benefit (Subsidy) Order 1991 M10;

  • “the 1992 Order" means the Housing Benefit and Community Charge Benefit (Subsidy) Order 1992 M11;

  • “the 1993 Order" means the Housing Benefit and Community Charge Benefit (Subsidy) (No.2) Order 1993 M12;

  • “the 1994 Order" means the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Subsidy) Order 1994 M13;

  • “the 1995 Order" means the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Subsidy) Order 1995 M14;

  • “the 1996 Order" means the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Subsidy) Order 1996 M15, and

  • “the 1997 Order" means the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Subsidy) Order 1997 M16.

(3) In paragraph (2), “successor authority" and “reorganisation date" have the same meanings as in regulation 2(1) of the English Regulations.

(4) In this Order, unless the context otherwise requires, a reference—

(a)to a numbered Part in this Order or a Schedule to this Order, is to the Part in this Order, or that Schedule, as the case may be, bearing that number;

(b)to a numbered article in or Schedule to this Order, is to the article in or Schedule to this Order, as the case may be, bearing that number;

(c)in an article or a Schedule to a lettered or numbered paragraph is to the paragraph bearing that letter or number in that article or that Schedule; and

(d)in a paragraph to a lettered or numbered sub-paragraph is to the sub-paragraph in that paragraph bearing that letter or number.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in art. 1(2) omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/369) , arts. 1(1) , 2

Marginal Citations

M5 1972 c.70 ; sections 1 and 2 of the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 (c.19) substituted sections 20 and 21 of the Local Government Act 1972 and made other consequential amendments to that Act.

PART IIE+W+S CLAIMS FOR AND PAYMENT OF SUBSIDY

Interpretation of Parts II and IVE+W+S

2.  In this Part and also in Part IV, unless the context otherwise requires—

  • F3...

  • F4...

  • “claim" means an initial claim, mid-year claim [F5or a final claim], as the case may be;

  • “claim form" means the form supplied by the Secretary of State pursuant to article 4(2)(a), (b) or (c) F6..., as the case may be;

  • [F7“electronic communication” has the same meaning as in section 15(1) of the Electronic Communications Act 2000]

  • F8...

  • “final claim" means a claim for subsidy pursuant to article 4(2)(c);

  • “final subsidy" means any subsidy which is not interim subsidy [F9or an amount paid, withheld or deducted pursuant to article 8A];

  • [F10“HBAP” means the Housing Benefit Assurance Process published by the Department for Work and Pensions on 29th March 2017 and last updated on [F1128th April 2025];]

  • “initial claim" means a claim for subsidy pursuant to article 4(2)(a);

  • “interim subsidy" means subsidy pursuant to articles F12... 8(1) or 9(4), as the case may be;

  • “mid-year claim" means a claim for subsidy pursuant to article 4(2)(b);

  • “the form" means a printed document or any other format upon which a claim may be set out, or any combination of such formats or alternative formats, as the Secretary of State determines; and

  • “the relevant office" means such office as may be designated by the Secretary of State.

  • [F10“report of factual findings” means the report completed by the reporting accountant in accordance with HBAP setting out the details of, and the relevant matters arising from, the test;]

  • [F10“test” means a test of the claim for final subsidy by the authority and the reporting accountant in accordance with HBAP and “tested” shall be construed accordingly.]

Textual Amendments

F4 Words in art. 2 omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/369) , arts. 1(1) , 3(2)

F8 Words in art. 2 omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/369) , arts. 1(1) , 3(2)

F9 Words in art. 2 inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 2(2)

F10Words in art. 2 inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/985), arts. 1(1), 5(1)

F11Words in art. 2 substituted (with application in accordance with art. 2(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1077), arts. 1(1), 3

Conditions for payment of subsidyE+W+S

3.  Subject to articles 9(3) and 10, no final subsidy shall be paid unless the conditions specified in the following provisions of this Part have been complied with.

[F13Electronic communicationsE+W+S

3A.—(1) The Secretary of State, an authority [F14a reporting accountant or an auditor] may use an electronic communication in connection with any claim, [F15test,] audit or payment of subsidy provided it is made in accordance with the provisions set out in Part 2 of Schedule 6.

(2) Any reference to an electronic communication in this Order means an electronic communication made in accordance with those provisions.

(3) Schedule 6 makes further provisions relating to electronic communications.]

Textual Amendments

F14Words in art. 3A(1) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/985), arts. 1(1), 5(2)(a)

F15Word in art. 3A(1) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/985), arts. 1(1), 5(2)(b)

Requirement of claimE+W+S

4.—(1) The first condition is that subsidy shall be claimed in accordance with the provisions of and in the manner specified by this article.

(2) There shall be submitted by an authority to the Secretary of State, at the relevant office, on the form supplied by him to that authority [F16or by means of an electronic communication], the following claims for subsidy, by reference to the amount of [F17housing benefit] that that authority—

(a)estimates it will pay during the relevant year, by 1st March in the year preceding the relevant year;

(b)estimates it has up to that time and will by the end of that relevant year have paid, by 31st August in the relevant year;

(c)has paid in the relevant year, by [F1830th April] in the following year.

(3) [F19Except where an authority submits a claim by means of an electronic communication,] the final claim shall be copied to the authority’s auditor,

[F20(a)in the case of an authority in England, the authority’s reporting accountant;

(b)in the case of an authority in Wales or Scotland, the authority’s auditor,

by 30th April in the following year]

F21(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F21(4ZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F22 [F23( 4A ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4B) An authority in Wales shall—

(a)if required to do so by the Secretary of State, submit to him, at the relevant office, in any of the above claims or returns, or

(b)if required to do so by the Secretary of State or the National Assembly for Wales, submit to him or, as the case may be, to them, at the relevant office, by way of an additional return on such form as is supplied by him or them [F24or by means of an electronic communication] to that authority and not later than such date as he or they may require,

details in relation to subsidy in respect of rebates granted to tenants of dwellings within the authority’s Housing Revenue Account.]

(5) All claims and returns submitted by an authority consequent upon this article shall be signed [F25or submitted by means of an electronic communication]—

(a)in the case of an authority in England or Wales, by [F26the authority’s chief finance officer, as defined in section 5(8) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, or an officer to whom that officer has made a formal delegation];

(b)in the case of an authority in Scotland, by the proper officer pursuant to section 95 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 M17.

Textual Amendments

F18Words in art. 4(2)(c) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/266), arts. 1(1), 3

F20Words in art. 4(3) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/985), arts. 1(1), 5(3)

F21Art. 4(4)(4ZA) omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2957), arts. 1(1), 2(1)(a)

Marginal Citations

[F27 Requirement to keep records and provide informationE+W+S

5.—(1) The second condition is that the authority submitting a claim shall–

(a)provide to the Secretary of State the information referred to in paragraph (2) [F28in written or electronic form]; and

(b)keep and, where the Secretary of State requires it or it is otherwise appropriate to do so, produce records [F29in written or electronic form] with a bearing on that claim.

(2) The information referred to in this paragraph is such information as the Secretary of State requires, or as may otherwise be necessary, to satisfy him that–

[F30(za)in relation to an authority in England, the claim is in accordance with the report of factual findings and with the relevant articles of this Order;]

(a)[F31in relation to an authority in Wales or Scotland,] the claim is [F32fairly stated and in accordance with the relevant articles of this Order]; and

(b)any subsidy claimed or paid for the relevant year or for an earlier year has been properly claimed or paid in accordance with the provision of this Order or, as the case may be, the previous Orders.]

Textual Amendments

F31Words in art. 5(2)(a) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/985), arts. 1(1), 5(4)(b)

[F33Test and reporting requirement: authorities in EnglandE+W+S

5A.—(1) In relation to an authority in England and subject to article 9(4), the third condition is that the authority shall—

(a)inform the Secretary of State in writing of the identity of the authority’s reporting accountant by 1st March in the year before the relevant year;

(b)procure the test of the final claim by the reporting accountant;

(c)send the report of factual findings to the Secretary of State by 30th November in the year after the relevant year; and

(d)comply with the following provisions of this article.

(2) The authority shall—

(a)provide such information in written or electronic form;

(b)keep, and where asked to do so, produce records in written or electronic form with a bearing on its claim,

as may be required by the reporting accountant to enable the reporting accountant to test the claim and to complete the report of factual findings.

(3) Where the authority does not inform the Secretary of State in writing of the identity of its reporting accountant by 1st March in the year before the relevant year, the Secretary of State may withhold payment of subsidy until the authority—

(a)informs the Secretary of State in writing of the identity of its reporting accountant; or

(b)provides reasons for the delay which the Secretary of State regards as satisfactory.

(4) No final subsidy shall be paid until—

(a)the authority’s reporting accountant has confirmed in writing that the claim has been tested; and

(b)the Secretary of State has received the report of factual findings.]

Textual Amendments

F33Art. 5A inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/985), arts. 1(1), 5(5)

Requirement of audit[F34: authorities in Wales and Scotland] E+W+S

6.—(1) [F35In relation to an authority in Wales or Scotland,] subject to article 9(4), the third condition is that the authority

F36(iza). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F36(ia). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(a)shall procure that their final claim is audited by the authority’s auditor by [F3730th November] in the following year; and

(b)shall comply with the following provisions of this article.

(2) The authority shall—

(a)provide such information [F38in written or electronic form]; and

[F39(b)keep, and where asked to do so, produce records in written or electronic form with a bearing on its claim,

as may be required by the auditor or as may be otherwise required to enable that authority to show and its auditor to check, that that claim is fairly stated and in accordance with the relevant articles of this Order.]

[F40(3) No final subsidy shall be paid until the authority’s auditor has certified on the claim for or by means of an electronic communication that the final claim is fairly stated and in accordance with the relevant articles of this Order.]

Textual Amendments

F34Words in art. 6 heading inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/985), arts. 1(1), 5(6)(a)

F35Words in art. 6(1) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/985), arts. 1(1), 5(6)(b)(i)

F36Art. 6(1)(ia)(iza) omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/985), arts. 1(1), 5(6)(b)(ii)

F37Words in art. 6(1)(a) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/30), arts. 1(1), 2

Final condition for the payment of subsidyE+W+S

7.  Subject to article 9(4), the fourth condition is that an authority shall satisfy the Secretary of State that its claim—

(a)is true and complete;

(b)is supported and, if appropriate, supplemented by all the information the Secretary of State requires; and

(c)fairly represents the expenditure in relation to [F41housing benefit] incurred or likely to be incurred, as the case may be, by the authority in the relevant year.

Textual Amendments

In year instalments of subsidyE+W+S

8.—(1) Where an authority has submitted, by the due date—

(a)the initial claim [F42and mid-year claim], as the case may be, in accordance with the requirements of this Part; and

(b)the conditions of this Part in relation to such claims have been complied with,

the Secretary of State shall pay each month, to each such authority that has submitted such claims as are by that date due, instalments of subsidy, in accordance with paragraph (2).

(2) The instalments payable by way of interim subsidy to an authority under paragraph (1) shall be such amounts as the Secretary of State considers appropriate in the circumstances of the case, but the total amount of such instalments paid in the relevant year shall not exceed the amount which, in his estimation, is likely to be payable by way of final subsidy, taking account of any withholding, reducing or deducting of subsidy by him, following the submission and audit of that authority’s final claim.

Textual Amendments

[F43Payment of subsidy before [F44test or] audit completeE+W+S

8A—(1) Where an authority has submitted the final claim by the due date in accordance with article 4(2)(c) but the claim has not yet been [F45tested in accordance with article 5A or] audited in accordance with article 6 and—

(a)the Secretary of State estimates that the final subsidy will exceed the amount of interim subsidy that was paid to the authority in the relevant year, taking account of any withholding, reducing or deducting of subsidy by him, following the [F44test or] audit of that authority’s final claim, he may pay subsidy in accordance with paragraph (2); or

(b)the Secretary of State estimates that the interim subsidy that was paid to the authority in the relevant year will exceed the amount of final subsidy, taking account of any withholding, reducing or deducting of subsidy by him, following the [F44test or] audit of that authority’s final claim, he may withhold or deduct subsidy in accordance with paragraph (2).

(2) The amounts that may be paid to, withheld or deducted from an authority under paragraph (1) shall be equal to the amount which the Secretary of State estimates is likely to be payable by way of final subsidy, taking account of any withholding, reducing or deducting of subsidy by him, following the [F44test or] audit of that authority’s final claim.]

Textual Amendments

F43 Art. 8A inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 2(4)

F44Words in art. 8A inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/985), arts. 1(1), 5(7)(a)

F45Words in art. 8A(1) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/985), arts. 1(1), 5(7)(b)

Payment of subsidy for the relevant yearE+W+S

9.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and to any subsidy withheld, reduced or deducted in accordance with sections 140B(4) or 140C(3), as the case may be, where he is satisfied that—

(a)the authority has submitted its final claim;

[F46(aa)in the case of an authority in England, the report of factual findings has been properly completed;]

(b)[F47in the case of an authority in Wales or Scotland,] the auditor has audited and certified that claim; and

(c)the conditions of this Part have been complied with,

the Secretary of State shall pay to that authority final subsidy calculated in accordance with Part III.

[F48(2) Any payment pursuant to paragraph (1) shall only be in respect of the balance of subsidy due after the Secretary of State—

(a)has deducted any interim subsidy paid during or in respect of the relevant year; [F49and]

(b)has added or deducted, as the case may be, any amount paid, recovered or withheld pursuant to article 8A in respect of the relevant year;

F50( c ). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F50( d ). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]

(3) The Secretary of State may pay subsidy under paragraph (1) once that submission, audit or certification, as the case may be, has occurred [F51or, as the case may be, once the report of factual findings has been sent to the Secretary of State], despite it occurring after the time required in this Part.

(4) In a case where the third or fourth condition, as the case may be, are not met in relation to any authority, the Secretary of State may pay such amount of subsidy as he is satisfied will be due when that condition is met.

[F52(5) In paragraph (1), a reference to paying final subsidy calculated in accordance with Part III may also be a reference to deducting or withholding subsidy, as the case may be.]

Textual Amendments

F47Words in art. 9(1)(b) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/985), arts. 1(1), 5(8)(a)(ii)

F48 Art. 9(2) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 2(5)(a)

F49Word in art. 9(2) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2957), arts. 1(1), 2(1)(b)(i)

F50Art. 9(2)(c)(d) omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2957), arts. 1(1), 2(1)(b)(ii)

F51Words in art. 9(3) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/985), arts. 1(1), 5(8)(b)

F52 Art. 9(5) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 2(5)(b)

Transitional Protection AdjustmentsE+W+S

F539A  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F53Art. 9A omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2957), arts. 1(1), 2(1)(c)

Estimating subsidyE+W+S

10.  If an authority has not, at the time specified in articles 4 or 6(1), as the case may be, complied with any condition specified in this Part, the Secretary of State may estimate the amount of any subsidy, including any interim subsidy, payable to that authority and he may employ for that purpose such criteria as he considers relevant.

PART IIIE+W+S CALCULATION OF SUBSIDY

Interpretation of Part IIIE+W+S

11.—(1) In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires—

  • “allowance" means a rent allowance;

  • [F54“appeal tribunal” has the meaning it bears in section 39(1) of the Social Security Act 1998;]

  • “board and lodging accommodation" means—

    (a)

    accommodation provided for a charge which is inclusive of the provision of that accommodation and at least some cooked or prepared meals which are both cooked or prepared and consumed in that accommodation or associated premises; or

    (b)

    accommodation provided in a hotel, guest house, lodging house or some similar establishment,

    but it does not include accommodation in a residential care home or nursing home within the meaning of regulation 19(3) of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 M18 nor in a hostel within the meaning of [F55regulation 14 of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, regulation 14 of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations];

  • [F56“Commissioner” has the meaning it bears in section 39(1) of the Social Security Act 1998;]

  • F57...

  • [F58“the Consequential Provisions Regulations” means the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Consequential Provisions) Regulations 2006;]

  • F59...

  • F59...

  • [F60“the Housing Benefit Regulations” means the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006;]

  • [F61“the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations” means the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations 2006;]

  • “overpayment" includes F62... F63... overpayments under the Housing Benefit Regulations and any reference in this Order to “overpayment" in relation to any of the previous Orders shall bear the meaning it has in this Order;

  • F59...

  • “rebate" means a rent rebate F64... M19;

  • “the Rent Officers Order" means the Rent Officers (Housing Benefits Functions) Order 1997 M20 or the Rent Officers (Housing Benefits Functions) (Scotland) Order 1997 M21, as the case may be;

  • “the Rent Officers Order 1995" means the Rent Officers (Additional Functions) Order 1995 M22 or the Rent Officers (Additional Functions) (Scotland) Order 1995 M23, as the case may be;

  • “scheme" means the housing benefit scheme F65... as prescribed under section 123(1) of the Social Security [F66Contributions and Benefits Act 1992];

and other expressions used in this Part and in [F68the Housing Benefit Regulations [F69or the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations], as the case may be, shall have the same meanings in this Part as they have in those Regulations.

(2) In this Part

“qualifying expenditure" means, in relation to an authority, the total of [F70housing benefit], including any payments under [F71regulation 93] of the Housing Benefit Regulations [F72and regulation 74 of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations] (payments on account of a rent allowance) M24 and any extended payments, lawfully paid [F73or treated as lawfully paid under paragraph (3)] by the authority during the relevant year, less—

(a)

the deduction, if any, calculated for that authority in article 15 [F74or 15A];

(b)

any deductions specified in article 19 relevant to that authority, and

(c)

where, under [F75section 134(8) (arrangements for housing benefit) of the Act], the authority has modified any part of a scheme it administers, any amount by which the total of [F70housing benefit] paid under that scheme during the relevant year by it exceeds the total it would have paid if the scheme had not been so modified.

[F76(3) An amount of [F77housing benefit] which—

(a)would fall to be paid in the relevant year for a period in a preceding year; and

(b)is not paid by virtue of [F78regulation 98 or 102 of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, regulation 79 or 83 of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations] (offsetting and method of recovery) on the ground that an overpayment of benefit was made in that preceding year for that period,

shall be treated as lawfully paid in the relevant year for that period.]]

Textual Amendments

F54Words in art. 11(1) inserted (25.9.2000) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/2340, art. 1, 2(a)(i)

F56Words in art. 11(1) inserted (25.9.2000)by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/2340, art. 1, 2(a)(i)

F58Words in art. 11(1) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2957), arts. 1(1), 4(2)

F66 Words in art. 11(1) substituted (10.5.2000 with effect in accordance with art. 1(3)) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/1091) , arts. 1 , 4(1)

F67 Words in art. 11(1) omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 3(2)(a)

F73Words in art. 11(2) inserted (25.9.2000) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/2340, art. 1, 2(a)(ii)

F74 Words in art. 11(2) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 3(2)(b)

F76Art. 11(3) inserted (25.9.2000) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/2340, art. 1, 2(a)(iii)

Marginal Citations

M18 S.I. 1987/1967 ; relevant amending instruments are S.I. 1988/663 , 1445, 2022, 1989/1678, 1992/3147 and 1993/2119.

M19 See the meaning of “relevant benefit" in section 140B(2) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992, inserted by paragraph 4 of Schedule 12 to the Housing Act 1996 (c.52).

M22 S.I. 1995/1642 , amended by S.I. 1995/2365 , 3148, 1996/959, 1997/1000 and 1984.

M23 S.I. 1995/1643 , amended by S.I.1995/2361 , 3185, 1996/975, 1997/1003 and 1995.

M24 Regulation 91 was amended by S.I. 1995/2868 .

Amount of subsidyE+W+S

12.—[F79(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the amount of an authority’s subsidy for the relevant year is the sum of the following—

(a)the amount of subsidy calculated in accordance with article 13;

(b)for an authority identified in column (1) of Schedule 1 (sums to be used in the calculation of subsidy), the amount in respect of the costs of administering the [F80housing benefit] specified in column (2) of that Schedule for that authority;

[F81(bza)the additional amount specified by Schedule 1ZB (additional amount of subsidy: verify earnings and pension alerts service); and]

[F82(bzb)any additional amount specified by Schedule1ZC (additional amount of subsidy: Housing Benefit Award Accuracy Initiative);]

F83(ba). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F84(c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(d)for an authority which has modified any part of a scheme it administers in recognition of the operation of a local scheme under section 134(8) of the Act (arrangements for housing benefit), the additional amount calculated in accordance with paragraph (4).]

[F85(2) Subject to paragraph (3), any sum paid after 1st April 1997 by way of subsidy in respect of an overpayment of [F86housing benefit] shall be deducted from any amount of subsidy which would otherwise fall to be paid in respect of any payment of benefit which is treated, in accordance with paragraph 11(3), as made for the same period as that overpayment.

(3) A deduction shall not be made under paragraph (2) where the sum already paid by way of subsidy is greater than the amount which would fall to be paid.]

[F87(4) For the purposes of sub-paragraph [F88(1)(d)], the additional amount will be 0.2 per cent of the amount or total of amounts calculated in accordance with article 13 but will not exceed 75 per cent of the cost of the total of [F89housing benefit] paid under the scheme.]

Textual Amendments

F79Art. 12(1) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/1784), arts. 1(1), 2(2)(a)

F83Art. 12(1)(ba) omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/985), arts. 1(1), 3(1)(b)

F85Art. 12(2)(3) inserted (25.9.2000) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/2340), arts 1, 2(b)(ii)

F87 Art. 12(4) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 3(3)(b)

F88Word in art. 12(4) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/1784), arts. 1(1), 2(2)(b)

[F90Housing benefit]E+W+S

13.—[F91(1) [F92The amount of subsidy payable under article 12(1)(a)] shall F93 ... be—

(a)in the case of any authority to which none of articles 14, 16[F94, 17[F95, 17A, 17B and 17C]] applies, an amount equal to [F96100 per cent. of its qualifying expenditure attributable to expenditure in respect of housing benefit].

(b)in the case of any authority to which at least one of those articles applies an amount equal to the aggregate of—

(i)[F97100 per cent]. of so much of its qualifying expenditure attributable to expenditure in respect of housing benefit as remains after deducting from that expenditure the amount of expenditure attributable to housing benefit to which each of those articles which is relevant applies; [F98and]

F99(ii). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(iii)the appropriate amount calculated F100... under each such article,

plus, in each case, the additions, where applicable, under [F101[F102article 18] but subject, in each case, to the deductions, where applicable, under articles 20 and 20A].]

F103(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F104(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F91 Art. 13(1) substituted (10.5.2000 with effect in accordance with art. 1(3)) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/1091) , arts. 1 , 4(2)

F92Words in art. 13(1) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/1784), arts. 1(1), 2(3)

F93Words in art. 13(1) omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/3179), arts. 1(1), 4(a)

F94Words in art. 13(1)(a) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2481), arts. 1(1), 5(2)

F97 Words in art. 13(1)(b)(i) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 3(4)(a)

F101 Words in art. 13(1) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/369) , arts. 1(1) , 4(3)

F102Words in art. 13 substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/196), arts. 1(1), 2(2)

F103 Art. 13(2) omitted (2.1.2004 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/3179) , arts. 1(1) , 4(b)

F104 Art. 13(3) omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 3(4)(c)

Backdated benefitE+W+S

14.—(1) Subject to [F105paragraphs (2) and (3)], where—

(a)during the relevant year an authority has, under [F106regulation 83(12) of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, regulation 64(13) of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) RegulationsF107...] (time and manner of claiming) M25, treated any claim as made on a day earlier than that on which it is made; and

(b)any part of that authority’s qualifying expenditure is attributable to such earlier period,

for the purposes of [F108article 13(1)(b)(iii)], the appropriate amount for the relevant year in respect of such part shall be [F109100 per cent]. of the qualifying expenditure so attributable.

(2) This article shall not apply in [F110in relation to expenditure to which [F111article 17(2), 17A(2)[F112, 17B(2), 17C(2)]] or 18(1)(b)(iii)] or paragraph 6 of Schedule 4 applies.

F113(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F105Words in art. 14(1) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/2989), art. 1, art. 3(1)(a)

F109 Words in art. 14(1)(b) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 3(5)(a)

F110 Words in art. 14(2) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/369) , arts. 1(1) , 4(4)

Marginal Citations

M25 Regulations 72(15) and 62(16) were amended by S.I. 1996/462 .

Disproportionate rent increaseE+W+S

15.—(1) Except where paragraph (5), (6) or (7) applies, in the case of an authority in Scotland, whose average rent increase differential, as calculated in accordance with paragraph (2) (“the proportion"), has a value greater than zero, the deduction from qualifying expenditure specified in article 11(2)(a) shall be the proportion multiplied by the sum calculated for that authority in accordance with paragraph (4).

(2) The average rent increase differential for each authority shall be calculated by applying the formula—

where A, B, C, D and E each has the value determined in accordance with paragraph (3).

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2)—

(a)the value of A shall be the proportion calculated for that authority pursuant to paragraphs (3) and (4) of—

(i)in relation to the relevant year commencing on 1st April 1997, article 6 of the 1997 Order, or

(ii)in relation to a relevant year commencing on or after 1st April 1998, this article of this Order for the year immediately preceding the relevant year;

(b)the value of B shall be the average rent charged by the authority in respect of Category 1 dwellings on the final date;

(c)the value of C shall be the average rent charged by the authority in respect of Category 1 dwellings on the initial date;

(d)the value of D shall be the average rent charged by the authority in respect of Category 2 dwellings on the initial date; and

(e)the value of E shall be the average rent charged by the authority in respect of Category 2 dwellings on the final date.

(4) The sum referred to in paragraph (1) shall be that part of qualifying expenditure attributable to rebates granted during the relevant year before any deduction by reason of this article, but less any part of such expenditure to which [F114article 13(1)(b)(iii)] applies.

(5) Subject to paragraph (6), this article shall not apply in the case of an authority—

(a)which has—

(i)set the rent for the relevant year according to the type, condition, class or description of the dwellings and the services, facilities or rights provided to the tenants, where that rent is reasonable having regard to those matters;

(ii)not taken account of whether a tenant was a beneficiary when setting rents for the relevant year, and

(iii)not let dwellings, either in the relevant year or in either of the two previous years, to beneficiaries irrespective of their housing needs;

or

(b)where—

(i)any increases in rent between the initial date and 1st April in the following year were of the same percentage and applied on the same day to all tenants irrespective of whether they were beneficiaries, and

(ii)the average rent increase differential calculated in accordance with—

(aa)in relation to the relevant year commencing on 1st April 1997, article 6 of the 1997 Order; or

(bb)in relation to a relevant year commencing on or after 1st April 1998, this article of this Order for the year immediately preceding the relevant year,

for that authority had a value which was zero or less than zero.

(6) In the case of a new authority, sub-paragraph (a)(iii) of paragraph (5) shall be modified so that, in relation to the relevant year commencing on 1st April 1997, for the words “or in either of the two previous years" there shall be substituted the words “ or in the previous year ”.

[F115(7) This article shall not apply in a case to which article 17 or 17A (subsidy in respect of temporary or short term accommodation) applies.]

(8) In this article (and, in the case of the meaning ascribed to the word “beneficiary", also in article 19(2))—

  • “average" means the arithmetic mean;

  • “beneficiary" means a person who is entitled or likely to become entitled to a rebate;

  • “Category 1 dwellings" means dwellings rented out by the authority, on both the initial date and the final date, in respect of which, on the final date, the persons liable to pay such rent were in receipt of rebates;

  • “Category 2 dwellings" means dwellings rented out by the authority, on both the initial date and the final date, in respect of which, on the final date, the persons liable to pay such rent were not in receipt of rebates;

  • “final date" means the last day of the relevant year;

  • “initial date" means the day before the relevant year; and

  • “rent" means either—

    (a)

    the payments specified in [F116sub-paragraphs (a) to (j) in paragraph (1) of regulation 12 of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, sub-paragraphs (a) to (j) in paragraph (1) of regulation 12 of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations]; or

    (b)

    the eligible rent,

    as the authority may determine, provided that wherever the expression “rent" occurs in paragraph (3) it has the same meaning throughout in relation to that authority.

Textual Amendments

[F117Disproportionate rent increase – WalesE+W+S

15A.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (5) to (7), in the case of an authority in Wales whose average rent increase differential, as calculated in accordance with paragraph (2) (“the proportion”), has a value greater than zero, the deduction from qualifying expenditure specified in article 11(2)(a) shall be the proportion multiplied by the sum calculated for that authority in accordance with paragraph (4).

(2) The average rent increase differential for each authority shall be calculated by applying the formula—

where A, B, C, D and E each has the value determined in accordance with paragraph (3).

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2)—

(a)the value of A shall be the proportion calculated for that authority pursuant to that paragraph for the year immediately preceding the relevant year;

(b)the value of B shall be the average rent charged by the authority in respect of Category 1 dwellings on the final date;

(c)the value of C shall be the average rent charged by the authority in respect of Category 1 dwellings on the initial date;

(d)the value of D shall be the average rent charged by the authority in respect of Category 2 dwellings on the initial date; and

(e)the value of E shall be the average rent charged by the authority in respect of Category 2 dwellings on the final date.

(4) The sum referred to in paragraph (1) shall be that part of qualifying expenditure attributable to rebates granted during the relevant year before any deduction by reason of this article, but less any part of such expenditure to which article 13(1)(b)(iii) applies.

(5) This article shall not apply in the case of an authority—

(a)which has—

(i)set the rent for the relevant year according to the type, condition, class or description of the dwellings and the services, facilities or rights provided to the tenants, where that rent is reasonable having regard to those matters,

(ii)not taken account of whether a tenant was a beneficiary when setting rents for the relevant year, and

(iii)not let dwellings, either in the relevant year or in either of the two previous years, to beneficiaries irrespective of their housing needs; or

(b)where—

(i)any increases in rent between the initial date and 1st April in the following year were of the same percentage and applied on the same day to all tenants irrespective of whether they were beneficiaries, and

(ii)the average rent increase differential calculated in accordance with paragraph (2) for the year immediately preceding the relevant year, for that authority had a value which was zero or less than zero.

(6) Where the relevant year is the year beginning on 1st April 2004—

(a)paragraph (3)(a) shall have effect as if, for the words from “the proportion” to “the relevant year” there were substituted “equal to the value of G calculated for that authority for the purposes of paragraph 6.5.1 of the 2003-04 Determination;”; and

(b)paragraph (5)(b)(ii) shall have effect as if, for the words from “average” to “relevant year” there were substituted “value of G calculated for the purposes of paragraph 6.5.1 of the 2003-04 Determination”.

[F118(7) This article shall not apply in a case to which article 17 or 17A (subsidy in respect of temporary or short term accommodation) applies.]

(8) In this article—

“average” means the arithmetic mean;

“beneficiary” means a person who is entitled or likely to become entitled to a rebate;

“Category 1 dwellings” means dwellings rented out by the authority, on both the initial date and the final date, in respect of which, on the final date, the persons liable to pay such rent were in receipt of rebates;

“Category 2 dwellings” means dwellings rented out by the authority, on both the initial date and the final date, in respect of which, on the final date, the persons liable to pay such rent were not in receipt of rebates;

“2003-04 Determination” means the Housing Revenue Account Subsidy (Wales) Determination 2003-04;

“final date” means the last day of the relevant year;

“initial date” means the day before the first day of the relevant year; and

“rent” means either—

(a)

the payments specified in sub-paragraphs (a) to (i) in paragraph (1) of [F119regulation 12 of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, regulation 12 of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations] (rent); or

(b)

the eligible rent,

as the authority may determine, provided that wherever the expression “rent” occurs in paragraph (3) it has the same meaning throughout in relation to that authority.]

Textual Amendments

F117 Art. 15A inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/369) , arts. 1(1) , 4(5)

Treatment of high rents in rent allowance casesE+W+S

16.—(1) Except in a case to which article 14 (backdated benefit)[F120, 17B or 17C (subsidy in respect of accommodation provided by a registered housing association as temporary or short term accommodation)] applies, and subject to paragraphs (2), F121... and (4) and to article 23 (transitional provisions in relation to rent officer determinations), this article applies in a rent allowance case and, where this article applies, the appropriate amount, for the purposes of [F122article 13(1)(b)(iii)], shall be calculated in accordance with Part II of Schedule 4.

(2) This article shall not apply where a dwelling is an excluded tenancy by virtue of -

[F123(a)paragraph 1 and any of paragraphs 3 to 11 of Schedule 2 to the Housing Benefit Regulations (excluded tenancies); or

(b)paragraph 1 and any of paragraphs 3 to 11 of Schedule 2 to the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations (excluded tenancies)]

F124(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4) This article shall not apply in a case where a maximum rent has been determined, except where—

F125(a). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F126(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c)[F127regulation 13(14) of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, regulation 13(14) of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations] (no maximum rent for first 13 weeks) applies, when the appropriate amount shall be calculated in respect of the first 13 weeks in accordance with paragraph 15 of Schedule 4.

(5) Expressions used in this article and in Schedule 4 have the same meanings in this article as they have in that Schedule.

Textual Amendments

F121 Word in art. 16(1) omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 3(6)(a)

F124 Art. 16(3) omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 3(6)(c)

F126Art. 16(4)(b) omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2957), arts. 1(1), 4(3)

[F128[F129Subsidy in respect of non self-contained licensed accommodation, and board and lodging accommodation, provided by an authority as temporary or short term accommodation]E+W+S

17.—[F130(1) This article applies where—

(a)a rent rebate is payable by an authority;

(b)a person (“P”) is required to pay the authority for—

(i)board and lodging accommodation; or

(ii)accommodation which is not self-contained and which the authority has a right to use under an agreement, other than a lease, with a third party; and

(c)the authority makes the accommodation available to P—

(i)to discharge any of its functions under Part 3 of the Housing Act 1985, Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 [F131, Part 2 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014] or Part 2 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, as the case may be; or

(ii)to prevent P being or becoming homeless within the meaning of Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 [F132, Part 2 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 or] Part 2 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 [F133, as the case may be].]

(2) Where this article applies the appropriate amount is [F134the lowest] of—

(a)the amount of housing benefit entitlement in a week or part week, as the case may be; or

(b)the maximum amount determined in accordance with paragraph (3); [F135or

(c)F136 ... £500 where the dwelling is located in a broad rental market area listed in Schedule 8 (broad rental market areas in London) or £375 where the dwelling is located in any other broad rental market area.]

(3) The maximum amount referred to in paragraph (2) is the local housing allowance for January [F1372011] for the category specified in paragraph 1(1)(b) of Schedule 3B to the Rent Officers Order which is applicable to the broad rental market area in which the accommodation is situated.

F138( 3A ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F139(4) For the purposes of this article and articles 17A, 17B and 17C, accommodation is self-contained if P’s household has the exclusive use of a kitchen, a bathroom and a toilet.]

(5) In this article and [F140articles 17A, 17B and 17C]—

“broad rental market area” has the meaning specified in paragraph 4 of Schedule 3B to the Rent Officers Order; and

“local housing allowance” means an allowance determined in accordance with paragraph 2 of Schedule 3B to the Rent Officers Order.

Textual Amendments

F131Words in art. 17(1)(c)(i) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/986), arts. 1(1), 4(2)(a)

F132Words in art. 17(1)(c)(ii) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/986), arts. 1(1), 4(2)(b)(i)

F133Words in art. 17(1)(c)(ii) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/986), arts. 1(1), 4(2)(b)(ii)

F134Words in art. 17(2) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2481), arts. 1(1), 5(4)(a)(i)

F135Art. 17(2)(c) and word added (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2481), arts. 1(1), 5(4)(a)(ii)

F139Art. 17(4) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 2(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/1092), arts. 1(1), 4

[F141Subsidy in respect of self-contained licensed accommodation, and leased accommodation, provided by an authority as temporary or short term accommodation]E+W+S

17A.—[F142(1) This article applies where—

(a)a rent rebate is payable by an authority;

(b)a person (“P”) is required to pay the authority—

(i)for self-contained accommodation which the authority has a right to use under an agreement, other than a lease, with a third party;

(ii)in England, for accommodation outside that authority’s Housing Revenue Account which the authority holds on a lease granted for a term not exceeding 10 years; or

(iii)in Wales and Scotland, for accommodation which the authority holds on a lease; and

(c)the authority makes the accommodation available to P—

(i)to discharge any of its functions under Part 3 of the Housing Act 1985, Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996[F143, Part 2 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014] or Part 2 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, as the case may be; or

(ii)to prevent P being or becoming homeless within the meaning of Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996[F144, Part 2 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 or] Part 2 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987[F145, as the case may be] .]

(2) Where this article applies, the appropriate amount is [F146the lowest] of—

(a)the amount of housing benefit entitlement in a week or part week, as the case may be; or

(b)the maximum amount determined in accordance with paragraph (3); [F147or

(c)F148 ..., £500 where the dwelling is located in a broad rental market area listed in Schedule 8 (broad rental market areas in London) or £375 where the dwelling is located in any other broad rental market area.]

(3) [F149The maximum amount referred to in paragraph (2) is 90% of the local housing allowance for January 2011 for the category specified in paragraphs 1(1)(b) to (f) of Schedule 3B to the Rent Officers Order (as in force on 1st January 2011) which applies to the accommodation and is applicable to the broad rental market area in which the accommodation is situated.]

F150( 3A ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4) [F151For the purposes of determining the applicable local housing allowance in paragraph (3)—

(a)for accommodation which is not self-contained, the applicable local housing allowance is the local housing allowance specified in paragraph 1(1)(b) of Schedule 3B to the Rent Officers Order; and

(b)for accommodation which is self-contained—

(i)where the total number of rooms suitable for living in and bedrooms in the accommodation is between two and five, at least one of those rooms is to be treated as a room suitable for living in; and

(ii)where the total number of rooms suitable for living in and bedrooms in the accommodation is six or more, at least two of those rooms are to be treated as rooms suitable for living in.]]

Textual Amendments

F143Words in art. 17A(1)(c)(i) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/986), arts. 1(1), 4(3)(a)

F144Words in art. 17A(1)(c)(ii) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/986), arts. 1(1), 4(3)(b)(i)

F145Words in art. 17A(1)(c)(ii) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/986), arts. 1(1), 4(3)(b)(ii)

F146 Words in art. 17A(2) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2481) , arts. 1(1) , 5(4)(a)(i)

F147 Art. 17A(2)(c) and word added (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2481) , arts. 1(1) , 5(4)(a)(ii)

[F152Subsidy in respect of non self-contained licensed accommodation, and board and lodging accommodation, made available by a registered housing association as temporary or short term accommodationE+W+S

17B.—(1) This article applies where—

(a)a rent allowance is payable by an authority;

(b)a person (“P”) is required to pay a registered housing association for—

(i)board and lodging accommodation; or

(ii)accommodation which is not self-contained and which the registered housing association has a right to use under an agreement, other than a lease, with a third party; and

(c)the registered housing association makes the accommodation available to P in pursuance of arrangements made with it by the authority—

(i)to discharge any of the authority’s functions under Part 3 of the Housing Act 1985, Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996[F153, Part 2 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014] or Part 2 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, as the case may be; or

(ii)to prevent P being or becoming homeless within the meaning of Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996[F154, Part 2 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 or] Part 2 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987[F155, as the case may be]; [F156and

(d)the accommodation is not exempt accommodation within the meaning given by paragraph 4(10) of Schedule 3 (transitional and savings provisions) to the Consequential Provisions Regulations.]

(2) Where this article applies the appropriate amount is the lowest of—

(a)the amount of housing benefit entitlement in a week or part week, as the case may be;

(b)the maximum amount determined in accordance with paragraph (3); or

(c)£500 where the dwelling is located in a broad rental market area listed in Schedule 8 (broad rental market areas in London) or £375 where the dwelling is located in any other broad rental market area.

(3) The maximum amount referred to in paragraph (2) is the local housing allowance for January 2011 for the category specified in paragraph 1(1)(b) of Schedule 3B to the Rent Officers Order which is applicable to the broad rental market area in which the accommodation is situated.

Textual Amendments

F153Words in art. 17B(1)(c)(i) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/986), arts. 1(1), 4(4)(a)

F154Words in art. 17B(1)(c)(ii) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/986), arts. 1(1), 4(4)(b)(i)

F155Words in art. 17B(1)(c)(ii) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/986), arts. 1(1), 4(4)(b)(ii)

F156Art. 17B(1)(d) and word added (1.4.2011) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2957) arts. , 4(5)

Subsidy in respect of self-contained accommodation, or owned or leased accommodation, made available by a registered housing association as temporary or short term accommodationE+W+S

17C.—(1) This article applies where—

(a)a rent allowance is payable by an authority; and

(b)a person (“P”) is required to pay a registered housing association for—

(i)accommodation which is not self-contained and which the registered housing association owns or holds on a lease; or

(ii)accommodation which is self-contained; and

(c)the registered housing association makes the accommodation available to P in pursuance of arrangements made with it by the authority—

(i)to discharge any of the authority’s functions under Part 3 of the Housing Act 1985, Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996[F157, Part 2 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014] or Part 2 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, as the case may be; or

(ii)to prevent P being or becoming homeless within the meaning of Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996[F158, Part 2 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 or] Part 2 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987[F159, as the case may be]; [F160and

(d)the accommodation is not exempt accommodation within the meaning given by paragraph 4(10) of Schedule 3 (transitional and savings provisions) to the Consequential Provisions Regulations.]

(2) Where this article applies the appropriate amount is the lowest of—

(a)the amount of housing benefit entitlement in a week or part week, as the case may be;

(b)the maximum amount determined in accordance with paragraph (3); or

(c)£500 where the dwelling is located in a broad rental market area listed in Schedule 8 (broad rental market areas in London) or £375 where the dwelling is located in any other broad rental market area.

[F161(3) The maximum amount referred to in paragraph (2) is 90% of the local housing allowance for January 2011 for the category specified in paragraphs 1(1)(b) to (f) of Schedule 3B to the Rent Officers Order (as in force on 1st January 2011) which applies to the accommodation and is applicable to the broad rental market area in which the accommodation is situated.]

(4) For the purposes of determining the applicable local housing allowance in paragraph (3)—

(a)for accommodation which is not self-contained, the applicable local housing allowance is the local housing allowance specified in paragraph 1(1)(b) of Schedule 3B to the Rent Officers Order; and

(b)for accommodation which is self-contained—

(i)where the total number of rooms suitable for living in and bedrooms in the accommodation is between two and five, at least one of those rooms is to be treated as a room suitable for living in; and

(ii)where the total number of rooms suitable for living in and bedrooms in the accommodation is six or more, at least two of those rooms are to be treated as rooms suitable for living in.]

Textual Amendments

F157Words in art. 17C(1)(c)(i) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/986), arts. 1(1), 4(5)(a)

F158Words in art. 17C(1)(c)(ii) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/986), arts. 1(1), 4(5)(b)(i)

F159Words in art. 17C(1)(c)(ii) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/986), arts. 1(1), 4(5)(b)(ii)

F160Art. 17C(1)(d) and word inserted (1.4.2011) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2957) arts. 1, 4(6)(a)

Additions to subsidyE+W+S

18.—(1) Subject to [F162paragraph (8)], the additions referred to in article 13(1) are—

(a)where following the loss, destruction or non-receipt, or alleged loss, destruction or non-receipt of original instruments of payment of [F163housing benefit], an authority makes duplicate payments and the original instruments have been or are subsequently encashed, an amount equal to 25 per cent. of the amount of the duplicate payments;

[F164(b)subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), where, during the relevant year, it is discovered that an overpayment of F165... [F166housing benefit] has been made and an amount is to be deducted under article 19 in relation to that overpayment, an amount equal to—

(i)in the case of a departmental error overpayment F167..., [F168100 per cent.] of so much of the overpayment as has not been recovered by the authority;

F169(ii). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F170( iia ). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(iii)[F171except where [F172head (i) above applies], 40 per cent. of the overpayment;]

F173( iv ). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]

(c)where, during the relevant year, it is discovered that an overpayment in respect of which a deduction was made under article 11 or 19 of the 1994 Order, the 1995 Order, the 1996 Order or the 1997 Order (other than a deduction under article 11(1)(g) or 19(1)(c) of the 1994 Order or 11(1)(f) or 19(1)(c) of the 1995, 1996 or 1997 Orders) or, in respect of a year earlier than the relevant year, under article 19 (other than a deduction under article 19(1)(f)), as the case may be, was a fraudulent overpayment, the amount, if any, by which F174... [F17540 per cent.] of any such overpayment exceeds the amount of any subsidy that has been paid in respect of that overpayment;

[F176(d)where, during the relevant year, it is discovered that an overpayment in respect of which a deduction was made—

(i)under article 19 (other than a deduction under article 19(1)(ea)); and

(ii)in respect of a year which begins after 31st March 2001 and which is earlier than the relevant year,

was a claimant error overpayment, the amount, if any, by which 40 per cent. of any such overpayment exceeds the amount of any subsidy that has been paid in respect of that overpayment.]

[F177(e)where, during the relevant year, it is discovered that any overpayments of [F178housing benefit] have been made which were authority error overpayments or administrative delay overpayments, the following amounts—

(i)i)where the total of the authority error overpayments and administrative delay overpayments is less than or equal to 0.48% of the total specified subsidy, 100% of the total of those overpayments;

(ii)where the total of the authority error overpayments and administrative delay overpayments is greater than 0.48% but less than or equal to 0.54% of the total specified subsidy, 40% of the total of those overpayments; and

(iii)where the total of the authority error overpayments and administrative delay overpayments is greater than 0.54% of the total specified subsidy, nil.]

[F179(f)where, during the relevant year, it is discovered that an overpayment in respect of which a deduction was made under article 19 (deductions made in calculating subsidy) was a payment on account overpayment, 100 per cent. of so much of the overpayment as has not been recovered by the authority.]

(2) The amount under paragraph (1)(b) shall not include an amount in relation to—

(a)an authority error overpayment;

(b)any technical overpayment; or

F180(c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F181(d)an administrative delay overpayment;] [F182or

(e)a payment on account overpayment.]

(3) In the case of a departmental error overpayment, where some or all of that overpayment is recovered by the authority, no addition shall be applicable to the authority in respect of the amount so recovered.

[F183(4) In paragraphs (1)(b)(i) and (3) and in article 19(1)(e), “departmental error overpayment” means [F184an overpayment of a kind to which paragraph (4ZA) [F185or (4ZB)] applies or] an overpayment caused by a mistake made, whether in the form of an act or omission—

[F186(a)by an officer of the Department for Work and Pensions [F187or of the Inland Revenue], acting as such, or a person providing services to that Department [F188or to the Inland Revenue];]

(b)in a decision of an appeal tribunal or a Commissioner,

where the claimant, a person acting on his behalf or any other person to whom the payment is made did not cause or materially contribute to that mistake but excludes any mistake of law which is shown to have been an error only by virtue of a subsequent decision of a Commissioner or a court.]

[F189(4ZA) This paragraph applies to an overpayment where—

(a)the overpayment was made during the period beginning with 5th April 2003 and ending with 13th June 2003 (“the specified period”);

(b)the overpayment would, but for paragraph (4), fall to be regarded as an authority error overpayment on the ground that it was made as a result of a failure by the authority to take account of information about the amount of any tax credit payable to the claimant; and

(c)the Secretary of State is satisfied that the authority took reasonable steps to avoid making overpayments of the kind described in sub-paragraph (b) during the specified period.]

[F190(4ZB) This paragraph applies to an overpayment where—

(a)during the period beginning on 9th April 2012 and ending on 19th April 2012 (the “specified period”) an authority received a notification through the Automated Transfers to Local Authority System used by the Department for Work and Pensions to provide award data to relevant authorities in respect of a claimant (“the notification”);

(b)the notification received during the specified period was sufficient to require an authority to make a revision or supersession decision on a claimant’s award;

(c)the authority failed to make a revision or supersession decision on the basis of the notification received during the specified period before the next day on which the claimant’s benefit was paid;

(d)the authority’s failure to make a revision or supersession decision before the next day on which the claimant’s benefit was paid resulted in the overpayment; and

(e)the authority made a revision or supersession decision on the claimant’s award, based on the notification received during the specified period, on or before 10th July 2012.]

[F191(4A) In paragraph [F192(1)(d) and in article 19(1)(ea)], “claimant error overpayment” means an overpayment [F193which]—

[F194(a)is caused by the claimant, or a person acting on the claimant’s behalf under regulation 82 of the Housing Benefit Regulations (who may claim housing benefit), failing to provide information in accordance with regulation 83, 86 or 88 of, or paragraph 5 of Schedule A1 to, those Regulations (duties on claimant to provide information); and]

(b)is not a fraudulent overpayment.]

[F195(5) In paragraphs (1)(c) and (4A), and in article 19(1)(f), “fraudulent overpayment” means an overpayment in respect of a period falling wholly or partly after 31st March 1993 where the claimant has in respect of the overpayment—

(a)been found guilty of an offence whether under a statute or otherwise;

(b)made an admission after caution of deception or fraud for the purpose of obtaining [F196housing benefit]; or

(c)agreed to pay a penalty under section 115A of the Act (penalty as an alternative to prosecution) and has not withdrawn that agreement.

(5A) In paragraph (5)(b) “admission after caution” means—

(a)in England and Wales, an admission after a caution has been administered in accordance with a Code issued under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984;

(b)in Scotland, an admission after a caution has been administered, such admission being duly witnessed by two persons.]

[F197(6) [F198In paragraphs (1)(e) and (2)(a)], “authority error overpayment” means an overpayment caused by a mistake made, whether in the form of an act or omission, by an authority where the claimant, a person acting on his behalf or any other person to whom the payment is made did not cause or materially contribute to that mistake but excludes any mistake of law which is shown to have been an error only by virtue of a subsequent decision of a court.]

[F199(6ZA) In paragraphs (1)(e) and (2)(d), “administrative delay overpayment” means an overpayment arising where—

(a)an authority is notified of a change of circumstances and has sufficient information and evidence to make a revision or supersession decision on an award;

(b) the authority does not make the decision before the next day on which the claimant’s benefit is paid F200...; F201 ...

(c)the delay was not—

(i)caused by a mistake, whether in the form of an act or omission, by an authority; or

(ii)caused or materially contributed to by the claimant, a person acting on the claimant’s behalf, or any other person to whom payment is made][F202; and]

[F203(d)paragraph (4ZB) is not applicable.]

[F204(6ZB) For the purposes of paragraphs (1)(e) and (2), an “authority error overpayment” or an “administrative delay overpayment” does not include an overpayment of a kind to which paragraphs (6ZC) or (6ZD) apply.

(6ZC) This paragraph applies to an overpayment where—

(a) an authority receives real time information in respect of the overpayment which indicates that the overpayment was caused by the incorrect declaration of PAYE employment income or PAYE pension income by the claimant; and

(b)the authority—

(i)has sufficient real time information to make a revision or supersession decision on the claimant’s award; and

(ii)makes a revision or supersession decision during the period of 4 weeks beginning with the date on which the authority received the real time information.

(6ZD) This paragraph applies to an overpayment where—

(a) an authority receives real time information in respect of the overpayment which indicates that the overpayment was caused by the incorrect declaration of PAYE employment income or PAYE pension income by the claimant;

(b)the authority has insufficient real time information to make a revision or supersession decision;

(c)the authority requests further information from the claimant; and

(d)the authority makes a revision or supersession decision either—

(i)if the additional information is provided during the period of 4 weeks beginning with the date on which the authority received the real time information (“the 4 week period”), by the end of that 4 week period; or

(ii)if the additional information is provided after the 4 week period has ended, by the Monday following the date on which the additional information is received.

(6ZE) For the purposes of paragraphs (6ZC) and (6ZD)—

“ PAYE employment income” has the meaning in section 683(2) of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003;

“ PAYE pension income” has the meaning in section 683(3) of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003;

“real time information” means information which is reported by a Real Time Information employer or Real Time Information pension payer in respect of the PAYE employment income or PAYE pension income of its employees;

“Real Time Information employer” has the meaning in regulation 2A(1) of the Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) Regulations 2003;

“Real Time Information pension payer” has the meaning in regulation 2B(1) of the Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) Regulations 2003.]

[F205(6A) In paragraph (1)(e), “total specified subsidy” means the total amount of housing benefit F206... that attracts 100 per cent subsidy for the relevant year, including any subsidy paid pursuant to article 14.]

[F207(7) Subject to paragraph (7A), in paragraph (2)(b) “technical overpayment” means an overpayment which occurs as a result of [F208a rebate being awarded and entitlement to that rebate being reduced or eliminated because, subsequent to that award, the liability in respect of which the rebate was awarded was reduced or eliminated].

[F209(7A) A technical overpayment does not include any part of the overpayment occurring before the day on which the liability was reduced or eliminated.]

(7B) In paragraphs (1)(f) and (2)(e), “payment on account overpayment” means an amount paid on account under regulation 93 of the Housing Benefit Regulations or regulation 74 of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations (payment on account of a rent allowance) which is in excess of the entitlement to housing benefit as subsequently decided.]

(8) Except for [F210paragraphs (1)(b)(iii)], (1)(c) and (5), this article shall not apply to that part of any F211... [F212housing benefit] in respect of a case to which [F213paragraph (12) of regulation 83 of the Housing Benefit Regulations] [F214applies].

F215(9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F216(10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F216[F217( 11 ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(12) Where, during the relevant year, an overpayment that has been classified as an overpayment under one of paragraphs (4), (4ZA) [F218, (4ZB)] (4A), (5), (6)[F219, (6ZA)] or (7) is reclassified, the addition referred to in article 13(1) shall be the amount payable under paragraph (1) for the final classification of the overpayment.]

Textual Amendments

F162Words in art. 18(1) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2481), arts. 1(1), 3(2)

F164 Art. 18(1)(b) substituted (10.5.2000 with effect in accordance with art. 1(3)) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/1091) , arts. 1 , 4(3)

F168 Words in art. 18(1)(b)(i) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 3(8)(a)

F170 Art. 18(1)(b)(iia) omitted (2.1.2004 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/3179) , arts. 1(1) , 7(2)

F171 Art. 18(1)(b)(iii) substituted (2.1.2004 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/3179) , arts. 1(1) , 7(3)

F173 Art. 18(1)(b)(iv) omitted (2.1.2004 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/3179) , arts. 1(1) , 7(2)

F174 Words in art. 18(1)(c) omitted (2.1.2004 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/3179) , arts. 1(1) , 7(4)

F175 Words in art. 18(1)(c) inserted (13.1.2003 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendments (No.2) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/3116) , arts. 1(1) , 4(2)(d)

F176 Art. 18(1)(d) substituted (2.1.2004 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/3179) , arts. 1(1) , 7(5)

F177Art. 18(1)(e) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2481), arts. 1(1), 3(3)

F179Art. 18(1)(f) added (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2957), arts. 1(1), 4(7)(a)

F180Art. 18(2)(c) omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2957), arts. 1(1), 4(7)(b)(i)

F181Art. 18(2)(d) and word added (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2481), arts. 1(1), 3(4)

F182Art. 18(2)(e) and word added (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2957), arts. 1(1), 4(7)(b)(ii)

F183Art. 18(4) substituted (25.9.2000) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/2340), arts 1, 2(d)

F184 Words in art. 18(4) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/369) , arts. 1(1) , 4(7)(a)

F185Words in art. 18(4) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/2989), arts 1, art. 2(1)(a)

F187 Words in art. 18(4)(a) inserted (2.1.2004 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/3179) , arts. 1(1) , 7(6)(a)

F188 Words in art. 18(4)(a) inserted (2.1.2004 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/3179) , arts. 1(1) , 7(6)(b)

F189 Art. 18(4ZA) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/369) , arts. 1(1) , 4(7)(b)

F190Art. 18(4ZB) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/2989), art. 1, art. 2(1)(b)

F191 Art. 18(4A) inserted (13.1.2003 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendments (No.2) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/3116) , arts. 1(1) , 4(3)

F192 Words in art. 18(4A) substituted (2.1.2004 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/3179) , arts. 1(1) , 7(7)

F193 Word in art. 18(4A) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/369) , arts. 1(1) , 4(7)(c)

F195Art. 18(5)-(5A) substituted for art. 18(5) (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2481), arts. 1(1), 3(5)

F197Art. 18(6) substituted (25.9.2000) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2000 (2000/2340) arts. 1, 2(d)(ii)

F198 Words in art. 18(6) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 3(8)(e)

F199Art. 18(6ZA) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2481), arts. 1(1), 3(6)

F201Word in art. 18(6ZA)(b) omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/2989), art. 1, art. 2(1)(c)(i)

F202Word in art. 18(6ZA)(c)(ii) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/2989), art. 1, art. 2(1)(c)(ii)

F203Art. 18(6ZA)(d) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/2989), art. 1, art. 2(1)(c)(iii)

F204Art. 18(6ZB)-(6ZE) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/1784), arts. 1(1), 3(2)

F205 Art. 18(6A) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 3(8)(f)

F207Art. 18(7)-(7B) substituted for art. 18(7) (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2957), arts. 1(1), 4(7)(c)

F209Art. 18(7A) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 2(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/1092), arts. 1(1), 5

F210 Words in art. 18(8) substituted (10.5.2000 with effect in accordance with art. 1(3)) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/1091) , arts. 1 , 4(6)

F215 Art. 18(9) omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 3(8)(g)

F216Art. 18(10)(11) omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/196), arts. 1(1), 2(3)(b)

F217 Art. 18(11)(12) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 3(8)(h)

F218Word in art. 18(12) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/2989), art. 1, art. 2(1)(d)

F219Word in art. 18(12) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2481), arts. 1(1), 3(7)

Deductions to be made in calculating subsidyE+W+S

19.—(1) The deductions referred to in article 11(2)(b) are, subject to [F220paragraphs (3A), (3B) and (4)], to be of the following amounts where—

(a)subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), a tenant of an authority, who is in receipt of a rebate while continuing to occupy, or when entering into occupation of a dwelling as his home, either under his existing tenancy agreement or by entering into a new tenancy agreement—

(i)is during, or was at any time prior to, the relevant year able to choose whether or not to be provided with any services, facilities or rights (“improvements") and chooses or chose to be so provided;

(ii)is during, or was at any time prior to, the relevant year, able to choose either to be provided with any improvements or, whether or not in return for an award or grant from the authority, to provide such improvements for himself; or

(iii)would be able during, or would have been able at any time prior to, the relevant year to exercise the choice set out in head (i) or (ii) of this sub-paragraph if he were not or had not at that time been in receipt of a rebate,

the amounts attributed during the relevant year to such improvements whether they are or would be expressed as part of the sum fixed as rent, otherwise reserved as rent or expressed as an award or grant from the authority;

(b)during the relevant year a person becomes entitled to a rent-free period which has not been, or does not fall to be, taken into account in calculating the amount of rebate to which he is entitled under the Housing Benefit Regulations, the amount of rebate which is or was payable to him in respect of such rent-free period;

(c)during the relevant year an award in the form of a payment of money or monies worth, a credit to the person’s rent account or in some other form is made by an authority to one of its tenants in receipt of a rebate, whether or not the person is immediately entitled to the award, the amount or value of the award, but no such deduction shall be made in respect of an award—

(i)made to a tenant for a reason unrelated to the fact that he is a tenant;

(ii)made under a statutory obligation;

(iii)made under section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 M26 or section 83 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 M27 (power of local authorities to incur expenditure for certain purposes not otherwise authorised);

(iv)except where sub-paragraph (a)(ii) applies, made as reasonable compensation for reasonable repairs or redecoration the tenant has, or has caused to be, carried out whether for payment or not and which the authority would otherwise have carried out or have been required to carry out; or

(v)of a reasonable amount made as compensation for loss, damage or inconvenience of a kind which occurs only exceptionally and which was suffered by the tenant by virtue of his occupation of his home;

F221(d). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(e)during the relevant year an amount is recovered in relation to a departmental error overpayment, within the meaning of article 18(4), the amount so recovered, in a case where the overpayment had occurred and been discovered in a year earlier than the relevant year;

[F222(ea)during the relevant year a claimant error overpayment, within the meaning of article 18(4A), is identified, the amount of the overpayment, but only to the extent that the amount of the overpayment or any part of it has not been deducted from qualifying expenditure under article 11(2);]

(f)during the relevant year a fraudulent overpayment, within the meaning of article 18(5), is identified, the amount of the overpayment, but only to the extent that the amount of overpayment or any part of it has not been deducted from qualifying expenditure under article 4 or 19 of the 1994 Order, the 1995 Order, the 1996 Order or the 1997 Order or article 11(2), as the case may be;

(g)subject to sub-paragraphs (e)[F223, (ea)] and (f), during the relevant year it is discovered that an overpayment of [F224housing benefit] has been made, the amount of such overpayment, but only to the extent that—

(i)the amount of such overpayment or any part of it has not been deducted from qualifying expenditure under article 3 of the 1989 Order or the 1990 Order or under article 4 or 15 of the 1991 Order or articles 4 or 16 of the 1992 Order or the 1993 Order or articles 4 or 19 of respectively the 1994 Order, the 1995 Order, the 1996 Order or the 1997 Order, or article 11(2), as the case may be; and

(ii)the amount of the overpayment or any part of it does not include an amount to which [F225paragraph (18) of regulation 59 of the Housing Benefit (Community Charge Rebates) (Scotland) Regulations 1988 or paragraph (12) of regulation 83 of the Housing Benefit Regulations] (time and manner in which claims are to be made), as the case may be, applied;

(h)during the relevant year any instrument of payment of [F226housing benefit] issued by an authority during that year is returned to that authority without being presented for payment or is found by that authority to have passed its date of validity without being presented for payment, the amount of any such instrument;

(i)during the relevant year an amount is recovered in respect of which subsidy was paid pursuant to paragraph 6(2) of Schedule 6 to the 1996 Order or the 1997 Order or paragraph 11(2) of Schedule 4 (subsidy on payments on account), the amount so recovered, where the payment on account was made in a year earlier than the relevant year.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), no deduction shall be made under sub-paragraph (1)(a) where the eligible rent for a tenant has been increased in a case to which that sub-paragraph would apply, but—

(a)any such services, facilities or rights (“improvements")—

(i)relate solely to the physical needs of the property in question or the needs of that tenant; and

(ii)the increased rent in relation to such improvements is reasonable;

(b)the tenant was eligible whether or not he was a beneficiary; and

(c)the authority has not let properties, to which they intend to make improvements, either in the relevant year or in the two years preceding that year, solely or largely to beneficiaries.

(3) In paragraph (2)—

(a)“beneficiary" has the meaning it is given by article 15(8); and

(b)in a case to which article 24 applies, sub-paragraph (c) shall have effect as modified by article 24(2).

[F227(3A) Paragraph (3B) applies for the purpose of determining the amount of subsidy payable for a relevant year beginning on or after 1st April 2024.]

[F227(3B) Where an overpayment of a type specified in any of sub-paragraphs (e) to (g) of paragraph (1) was made in any earlier relevant year, the amount deducted for that overpayment under article 11(2)(b) may, where the authority considers it appropriate, be limited to the amount of subsidy calculated in accordance with article 13(b) which is attributable to that overpayment.]

[F227(3C) In paragraph (3B), “earlier relevant year” means a relevant year earlier than that in which the deduction takes place.]

(4) Where in relation to any amount of a rebate or allowance a deduction falls to be made under two or more of the sub-paragraphs of paragraph (1), as the case may be, only the higher or highest, or, where the amounts are equal, only one amount, shall be deducted.

Textual Amendments

F221 Art. 19(1)(d) omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 3(9)

F222 Art. 19(1)(ea) inserted (2.1.2004 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/3179) , arts. 1(1) , 8(a)

F223 Word in art. 19(1)(g) inserted (2.1.2004 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/3179) , arts. 1(1) , 8(b)

Marginal Citations

Deduction from subsidyE+W+S

20.  Where, during the relevant year, it is found by an authority that any instrument of payment issued by it as payment of [F228housing benefit] F229... on or after 1st April 1988, but before the relevant year, has been returned to that authority without having been presented for payment or has passed its date of validity without having been presented for payment, the deduction referred to in article 13(1) shall be the amount of any subsidy that has been paid in respect of that instrument.

Textual Amendments

[F230Deductions from subsidy for rebate for dwellings within the Housing Revenue Account: authorities in WalesE+W+S

20A.—(1) Paragraph (2) applies in relation to an authority in Wales.

(2) Where paragraph 2 of Schedule 4A applies, the deduction from subsidy referred to in article 13(1) shall be calculated in accordance with paragraph 3 of that Schedule.]

Textual Amendments

Additions to and deductions from subsidy in respect of benefit savingsE+W+S

F23121.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F231Art. 21 omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/196), arts. 1(1), 2(4)

PART IVE+W+S TRANSITIONAL AND SAVINGS

Provisions for claims for 1997/98E+W+S

F23222.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F232Art. 22 omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2957), arts. 1(1), 2(2)

Transitional provisions in relation to rent officer determinationsE+W+S

23.—(1) In the relevant year commencing on 1st April 1997, the expression “property-specific rent less ineligible amounts" in both paragraph 17(1) of Schedule 4 and paragraph 13(1) of Schedule 6 to the 1997 Order has effect as if after the words “(“ineligible payments")", there were inserted the words “ or, in the case of a determination prior to 2nd October 1995, the authority is of the opinion that the exceptionally high rent did not include ineligible payments, ”.

F233(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F233Art. 23(2) omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Electronic Communications) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/26), arts. 1(1), 3(2)

Modifications of exemption from improvements ruleE+W+S

24.—(1) This article applies in the case of a new authority, a 1997 authority or a 1998 authority, as the case may be, and, in these cases, the modifications set out in paragraph (2) shall apply.

(2) In relation to the relevant year commencing on—

(a)1st April 1997, in the case of a—

(i)new authority, for the words “or in the two years preceding that year" in article 19(2)(c) there shall be substituted the words “ or in the year preceding that year ”;

(ii)1997 authority, the words “or in the two years preceding that year" shall be omitted from article 19(2)(c);

(b)1st April 1998, in the case of a—

(i)1997 authority, for the words “or in the two years preceding that year" in article 19(2)(c) there shall be substituted the words “ or in the year preceding that year ”;

(ii)1998 authority, the words “or in the two years preceding that year" shall be omitted from article 19(2)(c);

(c)1st April 1999, in the case of a 1998 authority, for the words “or in the two years preceding that year" in article 19(2)(c) there shall be substituted the words “ or in the year preceding that year ”.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Social Security.

Keith Bradley

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State,

Department of Social Security

We consent,

Jim Dowd

Bob Ainsworth

Two of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury

Article 12(1)(b)

[F234Schedule 1 E+W+SSums to be used in the calculation of subsidy

Textual Amendments

F234Sch. 1 substituted (with application in accordance with art. 2(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1077), art. 1(1), Sch.

Relevant Year 2024-2025

Local authorityAdministration subsidy (£)
England
Adur District Council168,550
Amber Valley Borough Council329,797
Arun District Council405,459
Ashfield District Council372,208
Ashford Borough Council338,604
Babergh District Council190,118
London Borough of Barking and Dagenham924,124
London Borough of Barnet1,509,250
Barnsley Borough Council858,497
Basildon District Council600,000
Basingstoke and Deane District Council389,904
Bassetlaw District Council317,124
Bath and North East Somerset Council447,937
Bedford Borough Council520,834
London Borough of Bexley607,226
Birmingham City Council6,268,442
Blaby District Council151,595
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council521,838
Blackpool Borough Council697,235
Bolsover District Council245,893
Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council1,005,095
Boston Borough Council191,453
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council1,262,294
Bracknell Forest Borough Council272,330
Bradford Metropolitan Borough Council1,650,227
Braintree District Council364,025
Breckland District Council329,374
London Borough of Brent1,704,405
Brentwood District Council137,613
Brighton and Hove Council1,188,488
Bristol City Council1,675,554
Broadland District Council218,023
London Borough of Bromley866,470
Bromsgrove District Council178,055
Broxbourne Borough Council271,237
Broxtowe Council248,500
Buckinghamshire Council1,005,797
Burnley Borough Council386,005
Bury Metropolitan Borough Council560,142
Calderdale Borough Council847,713
Cambridge City Council348,172
London Borough of Camden1,512,857
Cannock Chase District Council262,263
Canterbury City Council402,811
Castle Point District Council189,776
Central Bedfordshire Council555,680
Charnwood Borough Council348,005
Chelmsford Borough Council383,259
Cheltenham Borough Council300,956
Cherwell District Council316,902
Cheshire East Council795,516
Cheshire West and Chester Council918,617
Chesterfield Borough Council403,765
Chichester District Council291,437
Chorley Borough Council280,499
City of London63,711
Colchester Borough Council466,042
Cornwall Council1,741,459
Cotswold District Council182,942
Coventry City Council1,133,518
Crawley Borough Council382,034
London Borough of Croydon1,670,074
Cumberland Council790,882
Dacorum Borough Council417,986
Darlington Borough Council383,739
Dartford Borough Council252,084
Derby City Council847,985
Derbyshire Dales District Council141,412
Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council1,039,593
Dorset Council924,249
Dover District Council378,576
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council916,034
Durham County Council2,022,609
London Borough of Ealing1,586,025
East Cambridgeshire District Council178,328
East Devon District Council308,618
East Hampshire District Council202,625
East Hertfordshire District Council278,434
East Lindsey District Council464,725
East Riding of Yorkshire Council708,395
East Staffordshire Borough Council259,301
East Suffolk Council677,920
Eastbourne Borough Council431,971
Eastleigh Borough Council268,364
Elmbridge Borough Council278,068
London Borough of Enfield1,847,508
Epping Forest District Council294,276
Epsom and Ewell Borough Council165,386
Erewash Borough Council330,843
Exeter City Council390,214
Fareham Borough Council171,233
Fenland District Council292,434
Folkestone and Hythe District Council355,028
Forest of Dean District Council220,002
Fylde Borough Council205,171
Gateshead Borough Council870,065
Gedling Borough Council266,689
Gloucester City Council386,093
Gosport Borough Council247,779
Gravesham Borough Council278,169
Great Yarmouth Council422,613
Royal Borough of Greenwich1,504,546
Guildford Borough Council272,761
London Borough of Hackney2,398,650
Halton Borough Council544,854
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham1,122,434
Harborough District Council137,026
London Borough of Haringey1,704,846
Harlow District Council337,603
Harrow Council807,776
Hart District Council120,109
Hartlepool Borough Council481,089
Hastings Borough Council480,262
Havant Borough Council269,884
London Borough of Havering630,461
Herefordshire Council453,778
Hertsmere Borough Council290,159
High Peak Borough Council231,061
London Borough of Hillingdon953,925
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council213,125
Horsham District Council266,478
London Borough of Hounslow1,015,552
Huntingdonshire District Council333,564
Hyndburn Borough Council310,681
Ipswich Borough Council483,036
Isle of Wight Council476,343
Council of the Isles of Scilly1,734
London Borough of Islington1,665,897
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea1,083,719
Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council382,044
Hull City Council1,283,677
Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames467,322
Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council1,251,555
Knowsley Borough Council742,248
London Borough of Lambeth1,933,882
Lancaster City Council427,456
Leeds City Council2,558,738
Leicester City Council1,181,395
Lewes District Council274,856
London Borough of Lewisham1,817,443
Lichfield District Council199,705
City of Lincoln Council368,608
Liverpool City Council2,640,160
Luton Borough Council685,036
Maidstone Borough Council390,736
Maldon District Council131,415
Malvern Hills District Council179,312
Manchester City Council2,733,908
Mansfield District Council366,414
Medway Council738,065
Melton Borough Council106,717
London Borough of Merton549,716
Mid Devon District Council184,463
Mid Suffolk District Council176,135
Mid Sussex District Council259,793
Middlesbrough Council657,029
Milton Keynes Borough Council816,257
Mole Valley District Council185,274
New Forest District Council373,181
Newark and Sherwood District Council305,426
Newcastle-Under-Lyme Borough Council323,447
Newcastle City Council1,312,597
London Borough of Newham1,841,037
North Devon District Council277,024
North East Derbyshire District Council282,630
North East Lincolnshire Council575,860
North Hertfordshire District Council287,657
North Kesteven District Council213,616
North Lincolnshire Council459,772
North Norfolk District Council287,693
North Northamptonshire Council832,091
North Somerset Council579,809
North Tyneside Borough Council731,183
North Warwickshire District Council154,583
North West Leicestershire District Council207,130
North Yorkshire Council1,346,339
Northumberland County Council934,537
Norwich City Council634,059
Nottingham City Council1,419,394
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council388,016
Oadby and Wigston Borough Council101,030
Oldham Borough Council838,458
Oxford City Council456,851
Pendle Borough Council267,404
Peterborough City Council678,063
Plymouth City Council996,596
Portsmouth City Council891,714
Preston Borough Council497,529
Reading Borough Council564,803
London Borough of Redbridge1,000,025
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council543,213
Redditch Borough Council252,162
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council309,035
Ribble Valley Borough Council92,377
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames484,871
Rochdale Borough Council879,897
Rochford District Council145,810
Rossendale Borough Council197,127
Rother District Council259,244
Rotherham Borough Council919,858
Rugby Borough Council238,394
Runnymede Borough Council178,073
Rushcliffe Borough Council184,514
Rushmoor Borough Council285,738
Rutland County Council73,346
Salford City Council1,187,209
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council1,161,275
Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council1,023,200
Sevenoaks District Council250,131
Sheffield City Council2,005,302
Shropshire Council719,302
Slough Borough Council507,453
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council535,120
Somerset Council1,524,673
South Cambridgeshire District Council291,522
South Derbyshire District Council183,769
South Gloucestershire Council500,308
South Hams District Council209,496
South Holland District Council193,697
South Kesteven District Council317,015
South Norfolk District Council261,776
South Oxfordshire District Council245,188
South Ribble Borough Council220,430
South Staffordshire District Council233,612
South Tyneside Council752,717
Southampton City Council981,406
Southend-on-Sea City Council677,833
London Borough of Southwark1,968,200
Spelthorne Borough Council234,185
St Albans District Council278,504
St Helens Borough Council689,428
Stafford Borough Council262,194
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council169,213
Stevenage Borough Council292,537
Stockport Borough Council741,802
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council657,685
Stoke-on-Trent City Council955,837
Stratford-on-Avon District Council270,289
Stroud District Council259,522
Sunderland City Council1,265,287
Surrey Heath Borough Council142,664
London Borough of Sutton645,052
Swale Borough Council450,601
Swindon Borough Council614,102
Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council887,945
Tamworth Borough Council215,578
Tandridge District Council185,839
Teignbridge District Council328,415
Telford and Wrekin Council624,162
Tendring District Council506,017
Test Valley Borough Council258,264
Tewkesbury Borough Council185,076
Thanet District Council568,814
Three Rivers Council201,957
Thurrock Borough Council466,529
Tonbridge and Malling District Council279,338
Torbay Council544,037
Torridge District Council184,048
London Borough of Tower Hamlets2,104,618
Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council610,943
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council265,821
Uttlesford District Council157,728
Vale of White Horse District Council242,887
Wakefield Council1,191,510
Walsall Borough Council978,019
London Borough of Waltham Forest1,029,420
London Borough of Wandsworth1,508,603
Warrington Borough Council563,462
Warwick District Council284,406
Watford Borough Council300,487
Waverley Borough Council237,655
Wealden District Council277,466
Welwyn Hatfield District Council370,287
West Berkshire Council336,017
West Devon Borough Council131,940
West Lancashire District Council294,801
West Lindsey District Council251,109
West Northamptonshire Council912,188
West Oxfordshire District Council210,282
West Suffolk Council404,717
City of Westminster1,576,904
Westmorland and Furness Council501,989
Wigan Council1,018,723
Wiltshire Council1,029,483
Winchester City Council250,881
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead286,152
Wirral Borough Council1,298,734
Woking Borough Council222,898
Wokingham District Council208,338
Wolverhampton City Council1,022,685
Worcester City Council284,220
Worthing Borough Council333,327
Wychavon District Council275,362
Wyre Borough Council305,435
Wyre Forest District Council305,508
City of York Council403,458
Wales
Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council340,407
Bridgend County Borough Council494,803
Caerphilly County Borough Council689,507
Cardiff City Council1,371,368
Carmarthenshire County Council561,895
Ceredigion Council211,832
Conwy County Borough Council420,006
Denbighshire County Council379,369
Flintshire County Council438,759
Gwynedd Council351,929
Isle of Anglesey County Council226,283
Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council237,984
Monmouthshire County Council245,751
Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council629,102
Newport City Council611,268
Pembrokeshire County Council394,186
Powys County Council356,333
Rhondda-Cynon-Taff County Borough Council833,755
Swansea City Council952,972
Torfaen Borough Council413,585
Vale of Glamorgan Council388,561
Wrexham County Borough Council475,173
Scotland
Aberdeen City Council694,211
Aberdeenshire Council487,618
Angus Council378,762
Argyll and Bute Council298,092
Clackmannanshire Council243,760
Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar Council72,781
Dumfries and Galloway Council578,247
Dundee City Council827,365
East Ayrshire Council528,436
East Dunbartonshire Council223,360
East Lothian District Council351,145
East Renfrewshire Council199,796
City of Edinburgh Council1,775,114
Falkirk District Council597,534
Fife Council1,421,133
Glasgow City Council4,055,105
Highland Council707,899
Inverclyde District Council420,008
Midlothian Council311,951
Moray Council256,430
North Ayrshire Council703,196
North Lanarkshire Council1,477,341
Orkney Islands Council64,869
Perth and Kinross Council388,219
Renfrewshire Council735,556
Scottish Borders Council387,069
Shetland Islands Council60,695
South Ayrshire Council463,365
South Lanarkshire Council1,208,944
Stirling Council292,591
West Dunbartonshire Council475,688
West Lothian Council722,186]

Article 12(1)(c)

F235SCHEDULE 1AE+W+SAdditional amount of subsidy: Activities to reduce fraud and error

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

Article 12(1)(ba)

SCHEDULE 1ZAE+W+SAdditional amount of subsidy: Right Benefit Initiative

F236  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F236Sch. 1ZA omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/985), arts. 1(1), 3(4)

Article 12(1)(bza)

[F237SCHEDULE 1ZBE+W+SAdditional amount of subsidy: Verify Earnings and Pension Alerts Service

Textual Amendments

InterpretationE+W+S

1.  In this Schedule—

“relevant activities” means activities carried out by authorities receiving VEP alerts to administer those alerts;

“VEP alerts” means alerts given by the Secretary of State enabling authorities to identify changes in earnings and pensions so as to help prevent fraud and error relating to housing benefit.

Additional amount: relevant year beginning with [F2381st April 2024] E+W+S

2.  The additional amount of subsidy for an authority for the relevant year beginning with [F2391st April 2024] [F240is the sum of the amounts] specified for that authority in the [F241Housing Benefit Circular HB S6/2024 first published by the Department for Work and Pensions on 23rd April 2024] [F242and in the Housing Benefit Circular HB S8/2024 first published by the Department for Work and Pensions on 20th December 2024].

Textual Amendments

F238Words in Sch. 1ZB para. 2 heading substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 2(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/1092), arts. 1(1), 7(a)

F239Words in Sch. 1ZB para. 2 substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 2(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/1092), arts. 1(1), 7(b)

F240Words in Sch. 1ZB para. 2 substituted (with application in accordance with art. 2(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1077), arts. 1(1), 6(a)

F241Words in Sch. 1ZB para. 2 substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 2(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/1092), arts. 1(1), 7(c)

F242Words in Sch. 1ZB para. 2 inserted (with application in accordance with art. 2(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1077), arts. 1(1), 6(b)

Use of amount paid under paragraph 2E+W+S

3.  An authority must use the additional amount received under paragraph 2 in connection with relevant activities.]

Article 12(1)(bzb)

[F243SCHEDULE 1ZCE+W+SAdditional amount of subsidy: Housing Benefit Award Accuracy Initiative

Textual Amendments

InterpretationE+W+S

1.  In this Schedule—

“HBAAI” means the Housing Benefit Award Accuracy Initiative set out in [F244Housing Benefit Circular HB A5/2024 first published by the Department for Work and Pensions on 23rd April 2024];

“relevant activities” means activities carried out by authorities in connection with administering the HBAAI.

Textual Amendments

F244Words in Sch. 1ZC para. 1 substituted (with application in accordance with art. 2(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1077), arts. 1(1), 7(a)

Additional amount: relevant year beginning with [F2451st April 2024] E+W+S

2.  The additional amount of subsidy for an authority for the relevant year beginning with [F2461st April 2024] is the amount (if any) specified for that authority in the [F247Housing Benefit Circular HB S5/2024 first published by the Department for Work and Pensions on 23rd April 2024].

Textual Amendments

F245Words in Sch. 1ZC para. 2 heading substituted (with application in accordance with art. 2(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1077), arts. 1(1), 7(b)(i)

F246Words in Sch. 1ZC para. 2 substituted (with application in accordance with art. 2(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1077), arts. 1(1), 7(b)(ii)

F247Words in Sch. 1ZC para. 2 substituted (with application in accordance with art. 2(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1077), arts. 1(1), 7(b)(iii)

Use of amount paid under paragraph 2E+W+S

3.  An authority must use any additional amount received under paragraph 2 in connection with relevant activities.]

Article 12(b)

F248SCHEDULE 2E+W+S ADJUSTMENT FOR PRIORITISATION OF CLAIMS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F248 Sch. 2 omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 4(2)

Article 13(3)

F249SCHEDULE 3E+W+S CALCULATION OF DEDUCTIONS FROM SUBSIDY IN RESPECT OF PERIOD OVERRUNS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F249 Sch. 3 omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 4(3)

Articles 13(1) and 16

SCHEDULE 4E+W+S HIGH RENTS AND RENT ALLOWANCES

F250PART IE+W+S REGULATED TENANCIES

Textual Amendments

F250 Sch. 4 Pt. I omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 4(4)(a)

F2501.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E+W+S

PART IIE+W+S RENT OFFICERS’ DETERMINATIONS

Calculation of the appropriate amountE+W+S

2.  The appropriate amount, in a case to which this Part applies, in respect of that part of the qualifying expenditure which is attributable to allowances granted for the period beginning on the relevant date and ending on the termination date, shall be calculated in accordance with [F251paragraph 6, 7, 8 or 9] as appropriate.

Textual Amendments

F251 Words in Sch. 4 para. 2 substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2957) , arts. 1(1) , 5(2)

Rent officers’ determinationsE+W+S

3.  Except in a case to which Part III applies, this Part applies where an authority applies to a rent officer for a determination to be made under the Rent Officers Order or the Rent Officers Order 1995 in relation to a dwelling and the officer makes such a determination.

4.  This Part also applies in a case where the dwelling A is in a hostel and, by virtue of [F252regulation 14(4) of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, regulation 14(4) of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations] (exemptions from requirement to refer to rent officers), an application for a determination in respect of that dwelling A is not required, because the dwelling is regarded as similar to dwelling B in that hostel in respect of which a determination has been made, and in such a case the determination made in respect of dwelling B shall, for the purposes of this Part, be treated as if it were a determination in respect of dwelling A.E+W+S

Textual Amendments

5.  This Part also applies in a case where a rent officer has made a determination in respect of a tenancy of a dwelling and by virtue of [F253paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 to the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 to the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations] (cases with existing determinations) a new determination is not required in respect of another tenancy of the dwelling and in such a case the determination made shall, for the purposes of this Part, be treated as if it were a determination made in respect of that tenancy.E+W+S

Textual Amendments

[F2546.  Except where paragraph 5 applies, this Part also applies in a case where an authority is required under [F255regulation 14 of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, regulation 14 of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations] (requirement to refer to rent officer) to apply for a determination in relation to a dwelling, but the appropriate amount shall be nil if the authority fails to apply for that determination—E+W+S

(a) during the relevant year; or

(b) as soon as possible thereafter but before the date of the due date for the submission of the final subsidy claim for the relevant year.]

Textual Amendments

F254 Sch. 4 para. 6 substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 4(4)(b)

[F256 Rent officers' property-specific rent and claim-related rentE+W+S

7.  Where the rent officer either—

(a)determines a property-specific rent but not a size-related rent and the amount of eligible rent does not exceed the property-specific rent less ineligible amounts, or

(b)determines a claim-related rent and the amount of eligible rent does not exceed F257... the claim-related rent F258..., less ineligible amounts,

the appropriate amount in respect of the period beginning with the relevant date and ending with the termination date shall be [F259100 per cent] of that part of the qualifying expenditure attributable to the eligible rent.]

Textual Amendments

F259 Words in Sch. 4 para. 7 substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Electronic Communications) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/26) , arts. 1(1) , 4(2)(a)

8.—[F260(1) Where the rent officer either—E+W+S

(a)determines a property-specific rent but not a size-related rent and the amount of eligible rent exceeds the property-specific rent less ineligible amounts, or

(b)determines a claim-related rent and the amount of eligible rent exceeds F261... the claim-related rent F262..., less ineligible amounts,

then, for the period beginning with the relevant date and ending with the termination date, the appropriate amount shall be determined in accordance with sub-paragraph (2) or (3), as the case may be.]

(2) Where the allowance granted is the same as or is less than the excess—

(a)except in a case to which paragraph 10 applies, the appropriate amount shall be nil;

(b)where paragraph 10 applies, the appropriate amount shall be 60 per cent. of the qualifying expenditure attributable to such allowance.

(3) Where the allowance granted is greater than the excess the appropriate amount shall be

(a)except where paragraph 10 applies, nil per cent. of the qualifying expenditure which is equal to the excess;

(b)where paragraph 10 applies, 60 per cent. of the qualifying expenditure which is equal to the excess,

together with [F263100 per cent]. of the qualifying expenditure which remains after deducting the excess.

Textual Amendments

F263 Words in Sch. 4 para. 8(3) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Electronic Communications) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/26) , arts. 1(1) , 4(2)(a)

Rent officers’ property-specific and size-related rentsE+W+S

9.—(1) Where the rent officer makes a determination that the dwelling exceeds the size criteria for its occupiers and determines both a property-specific rent and a size-related rent for that dwelling, the appropriate amount in respect of the period beginning on the relevant date and ending on the termination date shall be the appropriate amounts determined in accordance with the relevant sub-paragraphs of this paragraph.

(2) Where the eligible rent does not exceed the designated rent, less ineligible amounts, the appropriate amount shall be [F264100 per cent]. of that part of the qualifying expenditure attributable to the eligible rent.

(3) For the period of 13 weeks beginning on the relevant date or, if shorter, for the period beginning on that date and ending on the termination date, if the amount of the eligible rent does not exceed the property-specific rent less ineligible amounts, the appropriate amount shall be [F264100 per cent]. of that part of the qualifying expenditure attributable to the eligible rent.

(4) For the period of 13 weeks beginning on the relevant date or, if shorter, for the period beginning on that date and ending on the termination date, if the amount of the eligible rent exceeds the property-specific rent less ineligible amounts—

(a)where the allowance is the same as or is less than the excess—

(i)except in a case to which paragraph 10 applies, the appropriate amount shall be nil;

(ii)where paragraph 10 applies, the appropriate amount shall be 60 per cent. of the qualifying expenditure attributable to such allowance;

(b)where the allowance granted is greater than the excess the appropriate amount shall be—

(i)except where paragraph 10 applies, nil per cent. of the qualifying expenditure which is equal to the excess;

(ii)where paragraph 10 applies, 60 per cent. of the qualifying expenditure which is equal to the excess,

and in either case [F264100 per cent]. of the qualifying expenditure which remains after deducting the excess.

(5) For the period after the end of that 13 week period, if the amount of the eligible rent exceeds the designated rent less ineligible amounts—

(a)where the allowance is the same as or is less than the excess—

(i)except in a case to which paragraph 10 applies, the appropriate amount shall be nil;

(ii)where paragraph 10 applies, the appropriate amount shall be 60 per cent. of the qualifying expenditure attributable to such allowance;

(b)where the allowance granted is greater than the excess the appropriate amount shall be—

(i)except where paragraph 10 applies, nil per cent. of the qualifying expenditure which is equal to the excess;

(ii)where paragraph 10 applies, 60 per cent. of the qualifying expenditure which is equal to the excess,

and in either case [F264100 per cent]. of the qualifying expenditure which remains after deducting the excess.

[F265(6) This paragraph does not apply where a rent officer determines a claim-related rent.]

Textual Amendments

F264 Words in Sch. 4 para. 9(2)-(5) substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Electronic Communications) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/26) , arts. 1(1) , 4(2)(a)

Restriction on unreasonable rents or on rent increasesE+W+S

10.  This paragraph applies where an authority has been unable to treat a person’s eligible rent as reduced by reason of regulation 11(3), (3A) M28, (4), as in force on 1st January 1996, or 12(2) M29 of the [F266Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987] (restrictions on unreasonable rents or rent increases) M30, as in force on 5th October 1997.

Textual Amendments

Marginal Citations

M28 Paragraph (3A) was added by regulation 2(c) of S.I. 1989/566 .

M29 Paragraph (2) was added by regulation 3(b) of S.I. 1989/566 .

M30 Regulation 11 was revoked and replaced by S.I. 1995/1644 from 2nd January 1996 and regulation 12 was omitted by S.I. 1997/852 , but the earlier regulations continue in force for certain claimants by regulation 10 of S.I. 1995/1644 and regulation 4(3) of S.I. 1997/852 .

Payments on account of rent allowanceE+W+S

F26711.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F267 Sch. 4 para. 11 omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(3) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2957) , arts. 1(1) , 5(3)

Relevant dateE+W+S

12.  For the purposes of this Part—

(a)in a case where a claim for rent allowance is made on or after 1st April in the relevant year, the relevant date is the date on which entitlement to benefit commences;

(b)in a case where, on 1st April in the relevant year, there is current on that date both a claim for an allowance in relation to the dwelling and a rent officer’s determination in relation to that dwelling, the relevant date is that day and for this purpose a rent officer’s determination includes a determination, further determination or re-determination made under the Rent Officers Order or the Rent Officers Order 1995, as the case may be, save that, where a determination had not taken effect by 31st March of the year immediately preceding the relevant year, the relevant date will be 13 weeks after the relevant date determined under the 1997 Order, or, in a relevant year commencing on or after 1st April 1998, the relevant date determined for the year immediately preceding that relevant year;

(c)in a case where, during the relevant year—

(i)there has been a change relating to a rent allowance within the meaning of [F268regulation 14(10) of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, regulation 14(10) of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations]; and

(ii)by virtue of [F269regulation 14 of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, regulation 14 of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations] (requirement to refer to rent officer) an application for a determination in respect of that dwelling is required,

the relevant date is the date on which the relevant change of circumstances takes effect for the purposes of [F270regulation 79 of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, regulation 59 of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations] (date on which change of circumstances is to take effect) or, if the relevant change of circumstances does not affect entitlement to an allowance, the Monday following the date on which the relevant change occurred;

(d)in a case where, prior to any rent officer determination being notified to the authority, the authority determines a rent allowance on a claim in respect of a dwelling, the relevant date is—

(i)if the designated rent less ineligible amounts determined under the determination eventually notified by the rent officer is higher than or equal to the eligible rent determined by the authority in relation to that dwelling, the date determined under the foregoing sub-paragraphs of this paragraph as appropriate;

(ii)if the designated rent less ineligible amounts is lower than the eligible rent determined by the authority but that eligible rent is equal to or more than the appropriate indicative rent level for that dwelling, the Monday following the date on which the determination is made by the rent officer;

(iii)if the designated rent less ineligible amounts is lower than the eligible rent determined by the authority in relation to that dwelling, the Monday following the date on which the determination is made by the rent officer and, in so far as the eligible rent determined by the authority in relation to that dwelling was in excess of the appropriate indicative rent level for that dwelling, paragraph 7 shall apply to that excess;

[F271(e)in a case where the rent officer has made a re-determination, substitute determination or substitute re-determination, the relevant date is—

(i)if the designated rent determination under the re-determination, substitute determination or substitute re-determination is higher than or equal to the amount determined under the original determination, the date determined under the foregoing sub-paragraphs of this paragraph as appropriate;

(ii)if the designated rent determination under the re-determination, substitute determination or substitute re-determination is lower than the amount determined under the original determination, the Monday following the date on which the re-determination, substitute determination or substitute re-determination is made by the rent officer.]

Textual Amendments

Termination dateE+W+S

13.  For the purposes of this Part “termination date" means—

(a)31st March in the relevant year; or

(b)where the rent officer’s determination replaces a determination made in relation to the same dwelling, the day before the relevant date of the new determination by the rent officer in relation to the same dwelling as defined by paragraph 12; or

(c)the date on which the allowance ceases to be paid in respect of the tenancy,

whichever is the earlier date in the relevant year.

PART IIIE+W+S RECKONABLE RENT CASES

F27214.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E+W+S

Textual Amendments

F272 Sch. 4 para. 14 omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/54) , arts. 1(1) , 4(4)(c)

15.  In a case where article 16(4)(c) applies, the appropriate amount shall be, for the period of 13 weeks prescribed in [F273regulation 13(14) of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, regulation 13(14) of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations], [F274100 per cent]. of the eligible rent less ineligible amounts.E+W+S

Textual Amendments

F274 Words in Sch. 4 para. 15 substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Electronic Communications) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/26) , arts. 1(1) , 4(2)(b)

PART IVE+W+S GENERAL AND INTERPRETATION

ApportionmentE+W+S

16.  For the purposes of this Schedule, where more than one person is liable to make payments in respect of a dwelling the designated rent shall be apportioned on the same basis as such payments are apportioned under [F275regulation 12(5) of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, regulation 12(5) of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations] (rent).

Textual Amendments

InterpretationE+W+S

17.—(1) In this Schedule, unless the context otherwise requires—

  • “appropriate indicative rent level" means the indicative rent level for the category of dwelling into which the dwelling in question falls, as described in paragraph 11 of Schedule 1 to the Rent Officers Order or paragraph 9 of Schedule 1 to the Rent Officers Order 1995, as the case may be, except that, where a payment on account is made to a young individual, the category of dwelling shall be that within head (b) of paragraph 9(3) of that Schedule, less, in the case of a dwelling falling within that head or head (a) of that paragraph, any amount ineligible to be met under [F276paragraph 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, paragraph 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations] (meal F277... charges);

  • [F278“claim-related rent” means the rent notified by the rent officer under paragraph 9(1) of Schedule 1 to the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) Order 1997 or, as the case may be, the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Scotland) Order 1997;]

  • “designated rent" means—

    (a)

    in a case where a rent officer has determined both a property-specific rent and a size-related rent, whichever is the lower of the two;

    (b)

    in a case where a rent officer has determined only a property-specific rent or a size-related rent, as the case may be, that rent;

    (c)

    [F279in a case where a rent officer has determined a claim-related rent, that rent;]

  • [F280“ineligible amounts” means—

    (a)

    in a case where the rent officer has determined a claim-related rent—

    (i)

    any amount in respect of amounts ineligible to be met by housing benefit under [F281paragraph 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, paragraph 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations] (amounts ineligible for meals);

    (ii)

    [F282where the dwelling is a hostel as defined in regulation 2(1) of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, regulation 2(1) of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations (interpretation), any amount ineligible to be met by housing benefit under (as the case may be)—

    (aa)

    paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Housing Benefit Regulations (ineligible service charges), other than sub-paragraphs (d) to (f) of that paragraph; or

    (bb)

    paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations (ineligible service charges), other than sub-paragraphs (d) to (f) of that paragraph;]

    (b)

    in any other case, except as provided in the definition of “property-specific rent less ineligible amounts” below,—

    (i)

    any amount which the rent officer determines is attributable to the provision of services ineligible to be met by housing benefit, plus the amount in respect of fuel charges ineligible to be met [F283under Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations] (payments in respect of fuel charges);

    (ii)

    any amount in respect of amounts ineligible to be met by housing benefit under [F284paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations] (amounts ineligible for meals);

    (iii)

    where the dwelling is in a hostel as defined in regulation 2 of the Housing Benefit Regulations (interpretation), any amount ineligible to be met by housing benefit under [F285paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to those Regulations or, as the case may be, paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations (ineligible service charges), other than sub-paragraphs (d) to (f) of those paragraphs].]

  • “property-specific rent", except as provided in the definition of “property-specific rent less ineligible amounts" below, means the rent determined by a rent officer under paragraph 1(2) of Schedule 1 to the Rent Officers Order or to the Rent Officers Order 1995, as the case may be, except in a case where a rent officer has made a rent determination under paragraph 3 of that Schedule, when it means that rent;

  • “property-specific rent less ineligible amounts" has the meaning otherwise ascribed to those terms in this paragraph, except, subject to article 23(1), in a case where the property-specific rent is an exceptionally high rent and the rent officer has notified the authority that the exceptionally high rent determined by him does not include a payment ineligible for housing benefit under [F286paragraph 1(a)(i) or paragraph 5 of Schedule 1 to the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, paragraph 1(a)(i) or paragraph 5 of Schedule 1 to the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations] (ineligible service charges for food and fuel), as the case may be (“ineligible payments"), when it means that exceptionally high rent less ineligible amounts other than ineligible payments;

  • “size-related rent" means the rent determined by a rent officer under paragraph 2(2) of Schedule 1 to the Rent Officers Order or the Rent Officers Order 1995, as the case may be,

and other expressions used both in this Schedule and in the Rent Officers Order or the Rent Officers Order 1995, as the case may be, or in both this Schedule [F287and (as the case may be) in regulation 13 of the Housing Benefit Regulations or regulation 13 of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations] shall have the same meanings in this Schedule as they have in that Order or in that regulation, as the case may be.

(2) Except in a case to which sub-paragraph (3) applies, in this Schedule any reference to a rent officer’s determination is, in any case where there has been more than one such determination, a reference to the last such determination.

(3) In a case where the last determination referred to in sub-paragraph (2) was made on the basis of—

(a)the terms of the tenancy of a dwelling; or

(b)the size or composition of the household occupying that dwelling,

which were not appropriate to the claim for a rent allowance in respect of which the allowance was granted, any reference to a rent officer’s determination is to the last such determination which was appropriate to that claim.

Textual Amendments

PART VE+W+S THRESHOLD ABOVE WHICH REDUCED SUBSIDY IS PAYABLE ON RENT ALLOWANCES

F28818.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E+W+S

Textual Amendments

Article 20A

[F289Schedule 4AE+W+SRent Rebate Limitation Deductions (Housing Revenue Account Dwellings): Authorities in Wales

Textual Amendments

InterpretationE+W+S

1.  In this Schedule—

“HRA” means the Housing Revenue Account of the authority the amount of whose subsidy is under consideration;

“rent”, in relation to a dwelling, means the total of the payments in respect of the dwelling specified in regulation 12(1) of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, regulation 12(1) of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations, other than a payment specified in regulation 12(1)(e).

Liability to deductionE+W+S

2.—(1) This paragraph applies in relation to the relevant year if—

(a)the authority is specified in the Table in paragraph 4 for that year, and

(b)O + P is less than Q where—

“O” is the amount specified in column 1 of that Table for the authority;

“P” is the guideline rent increase specified in column 2 of that Table for the authority;

“Q” is the average weekly rent for a dwelling for the authority for the relevant year.

(2) For the purposes of determining Q in sub-paragraph (1)(b), the average weekly rent for a dwelling for the authority for the relevant year is calculated by dividing the total rent charged for all dwellings in the HRA in that year by the total number of weeks for which rent was charged for all dwellings in the HRA, disregarding any unoccupied dwelling.

Amount of deductionE+W+S

3.—(1) The amount of the deduction from subsidy referred to in article 20A(2) is to be calculated as follows—

  • Step 1

    Divide the amount of rebates granted by the authority in the relevant year in respect of dwellings in the HRA by the income of the authority for that year from rent (including rent remitted by way of rebate) in respect of such dwellings.

  • Step 2

    If the result of Step 1—

    (a)

    does not exceed the rebate proportion for the relevant year (see sub-paragraph (2))—

    (i)

    deduct (O + P) from Q (see paragraph 2);

    (ii)

    divide the result of paragraph (a)(i) by Q;

    (iii)

    multiply the amount of the subsidy (apart from any deduction to be calculated under this Schedule) by the result of paragraph (a)(ii));

    (b)

    exceeds the rebate proportion for the relevant year—

    (i)

    deduct (O + P) from Q (see paragraph 2);

    (ii)

    divide the result of paragraph (b)(i) by Q;

    (iii)

    divide the rebate proportion (see sub-paragraph (2)) by the result of Step 1;

    (iv)

    multiply the result of paragraph (b)(ii) by the result of paragraph (b)(iii);

    (v)

    multiply the amount of the subsidy (apart from any deduction to be calculated under this Schedule) by the result of paragraph (b)(iv).

(2) The rebate proportion for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) for the relevant year beginning with [F2901st April 2025 is 0.369].

Textual Amendments

F290Words in Sch. 4A para. 3(2) substituted (with application in accordance with art. 2(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1077), arts. 1(1), 8(a)

Amounts for the purposes of paragraph 2E+W+S

[F2914.  The amounts for the relevant year beginning on 1st April 2025 for the purposes of paragraph 2 are as follows—

Local authority(1) Specified amount “O” (£)(2) Guideline rent increase “P” (£)
Caerphilly County Borough Council121.353.58
Cardiff City Council136.943.78
Carmarthenshire County Council120.503.41
Denbighshire County Council121.633.18
Flintshire County Council127.125.04
Isle of Anglesey County Council122.294.96
Pembrokeshire County Council123.354.51
Powys County Council124.513.83
Swansea City Council122.243.01
Vale of Glamorgan Council135.425.18
Wrexham County Borough Council125.173.64]]

Textual Amendments

F291Sch. 4A para. 4 substituted (with application in accordance with art. 2(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1077), arts. 1(1), 8(b)

Articles 13 and 21

[F292SCHEDULE 5E+W+S BENEFIT SAVINGS

Textual Amendments

F292Sch. 4A Pt. 5 substituted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/1784), art. 1(1), Sch. 4

F293  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F293 Sch. 5 omitted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(2) of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/369) , arts. 1(1) , 5(2)

Articles 3A

[F294SCHEDULE 6E+W+SELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

Textual Amendments

PART 1E+W+SINTERPRETATION

InterpretationE+W+S

1  In this Schedule “official computer system” means a computer system maintained by or on behalf of the Secretary of State for the sending, receipt, processing or storage of any claim or return.

PART 2E+W+SELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS - GENERAL PROVISIONS

Conditions for the use of electronic communicationsE+W+S

2.—(1) An authority[F295, reporting accountant] or auditor must use an approved method of—

(a)electronic communication;

(b)authenticating the identity of the sender of the communication;

(c)authenticating any claim or return delivered by means of an electronic communication; and

(d)submitting to the Secretary of State any claim or return.

(2) An authority[F295, reporting accountant] or auditor must submit any claim or return by means of an electronic communication in an approved form.

(3) Where a claim or return is submitted electronically but not in accordance with the conditions specified in this paragraph, that claim or return shall be treated as not having been submitted.

(4) In this paragraph “approved” means approved by means of a direction given by the Secretary of State.

Textual Amendments

F295Words in Sch. 6 para. 2 inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/985), arts. 1(1), 5(9)(a)

Use of intermediariesE+W+S

3  The Secretary of State may—

(a)use intermediaries in connection with the receipt, authentication or security of any claim or return delivered by means of an electronic communication; and

(b)require authorities[F296, reporting accountants] or auditors to use intermediaries in connection with those matters.

Textual Amendments

F296Words in Sch. 6 para. 3(b) inserted (with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/985), arts. 1(1), 5(9)(b)

PART 3E+W+SELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION - EVIDENTIAL PROVISIONS

Effect of delivering information by means of electronic communicationE+W+S

4—(1) Any claim or return which is delivered by means of an electronic communication shall be treated as having been delivered in the approved manner or form on the day the conditions imposed—

(a)by or under this Schedule; and

(b)by or under Part II of this Order

are satisfied.

(2) The Secretary of State may, by a direction, determine that any claim or return is to be treated as delivered on a different day (whether earlier or later) from the day provided for in sub-paragraph (1).

(3) A claim or return shall not be treated as delivered to an official computer system by means of an electronic communication unless it is accepted by the system to which it is delivered.

Proof of identify of sender or recipient of informationE+W+S

5  For the purpose of any legal proceedings, it shall be presumed that the identity of the sender or recipient, as the case may be, of any claim or return delivered by means of an electronic communication to an official computer system is the same as is recorded on that official computer system.

Proof of delivery of informationE+W+S

6—(1) For the purpose of any legal proceedings, it shall be presumed that—

(a)if the delivery of any claim or return has been recorded on an official computer system, the use of an electronic communication has resulted in the delivery of that claim or return to the Secretary of State;

(b)if the delivery of any claim or return submitted by means of an electronic communication to the Secretary of State has not been recorded on an official computer system, no delivery has been made;

(c)any claim or return submitted by means of an electronic communication has been received on the time and date recorded on an official computer system.

Proof of content of informationE+W+S

7  For the purpose of any legal proceedings, the content of any claim or return submitted by means of an electronic communication shall be presumed to be that recorded on an official computer system.]

Article 17A

[F297SCHEDULE 7E+W+SAuthorities in London

Textual Amendments

Barking and Dagenham

Barnet

Bexley

Brent

Bromley

Camden

City of London

Croydon

Ealing

Enfield

Greenwich

Hackney

Hammersmith and Fulham

Haringey

Harrow

Havering

Hillingdon

Hounslow

Islington

Kensington and Chelsea

Kingston upon Thames

Lambeth

Lewisham

Merton

Newham

Redbridge

Richmond upon Thames

Southwark

Sutton

Tower Hamlets

Waltham Forest

Wandsworth

Westminster]

Articles 17 and 17A

[F298SCHEDULE 8E+W+SBroad rental market areas in London

Textual Amendments

F298 Sch. 8 added (26.11.2010, with effect in accordance with art. 1(4) of the commencing S.I.) by The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2481) , arts. 1(1) , 5 , Schs. 3

Central London
Inner East London
Inner North London
Inner South East London
Inner South West London
Inner West London
Outer South West London]]

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order makes provision for claims for, the calculation of and payment of subsidy payable under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 to authorities administering housing benefit or council tax benefit on and after 1st April 1997; section 140C(4) of that Act gives it retrospective effect.

Part II provides for the time and manner in which claims for subsidy are to be made and, subject to certain conditions in relation to such claims, for when subsidy on those claims is to be paid.

It sets out in Part III the manner in which the total figure for an authority’s subsidy for a financial year beginning on or after 1st April 1997 is calculated (articles 12(a) and 13 to 17 and Schedules 1, 3, 4 and 5) and the manner of calculating the additional sum payable to an authority in respect of the costs of administering those benefits (article 12(b) and Schedules 1 and 2).

The Order also makes provision for additions to and deductions from subsidy (articles 11(2), 13, 18, 19, 20 and 21 and Schedules 1, 3 and 5).

Part IV makes certain transitional and consequential provisions.

This Order does not impose a charge on businesses.

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