The Water Industry (Charges) (Vulnerable Groups) (Amendment) Regulations 2003

Statutory Instruments

2003 No. 552

WATER INDUSTRY, ENGLAND AND WALES

The Water Industry (Charges) (Vulnerable Groups) (Amendment) Regulations 2003

Made

6th March 2003

Laid before Parliament

7th March 2003

Coming into force

31st March 2003

The Secretary of State, in exercise of her powers under sections 143A and 213 of the Water Industry Act 1991(1), hereby makes the following Regulations:

Citation, commencement and application

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Water Industry (Charges) (Vulnerable Groups) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 and shall come into force on 31st March 2003.

(2) These Regulations do not apply to any water or sewerage undertaker whose area is wholly or mainly in Wales(2).

Changes to the Water Industry (Charges) (Vulnerable Groups) Regulations 1999

2.  Regulation 2 of the Water Industry (Charges) (Vulnerable Groups) Regulations 1999(3) is amended as follows—

(a) at the end of paragraph (4)(a)(v), omit “and”; and

(b) after paragraph (4)(b), insert—

“(c) state pension credit under the State Pension Credit Act 2002(4);

(d) under Part 1 of the Tax Credits Act 2002(5)—

(i) child tax credit, if it includes an amount in respect of the individual element of child tax credit(6); and

(ii) working tax credit(7).”

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State

Elliot Morley

Parliamentary Under Secretary,

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

6th March 2003

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Water Industry (Charges) (Vulnerable Groups) Regulations 1999 (the “1999 Regulations”). The 1999 Regulations provide that a qualifying person in receipt of any of certain listed benefits or tax credits who fulfils certain criteria and conditions has an entitlement to assistance from water and sewerage undertakers in relation to the charges for their services. The 1999 Regulations, and these regulations, do not apply to any water or sewerage undertaker whose area is wholly or mainly in Wales.

Regulation 2 amends the 1999 Regulations to add to the list of the benefits that entitle qualifying persons to assistance, state pension credit under the State Pension Credit Act 2002, and child tax credit (if it includes an amount in respect of the individual element) and working tax credit, both under the Tax Credits Act 2002.

A partial regulatory impact assessment has been prepared in connection with the changes made by these Regulations. It is contained within the consultation paper “Reductions for vulnerable groups” produced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. A copy of the consultation paper has been placed in the library of each House of Parliament, and copies are available from Defra Publications, Admail 6000, London SW1A 2XX (telephone [phone]) reference number PB7399, and on the Defra Website. Copies may also be obtained from WSR4 Division, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6DE (telephone [phone]).

(1)

1991 c. 56; section 143A was inserted by section 5 of the Water Industry Act 1999 (c. 9).

(2)

The functions under section 143A of the Water Industry Act 1991 are transferred to the National Assembly for Wales in relation to water and sewerage undertakers whose areas are wholly or mainly in Wales; see the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/672) as amended by National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/253).

(3)

S.I. 1999/3441 as amended by S.I. 2000/519.

(4)

2002 c. 16; see section 1(1) of this Act.

(5)

2002 c. 21.

(6)

See sections 1(1)(a), 8, 9(2)(b) and (3) of the Tax Credits Act 2002.

(7)

See sections 1(1)(b) and 10 of that Act.