Statutory Instrument 2003 No. 325

      The Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations 2003


      © Crown Copyright 2003

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STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS


2003 No. 325

SOCIAL SECURITY

The Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations 2003

  Made 17th February 2003 
  Laid before Parliament 20th February 2003 
  Coming into force in accordance with regulation 1(1)


ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS


PART 1

General
1. Citation, commencement and interpretation

PART 2

Housing Benefit
2. Housing Benefit Regulations
3. Interpretation
4. Modification of regulation 5
5. Persons from abroad
6. Applicable amounts
7. Amendment of regulation 19
8. Income and capital
9. Provisions which do not apply
10. Continuing payments where state pension credit claimed
11. Amendment of regulation 63

PART 3

Council Tax Benefit
12. Council Tax Benefit Regulations
13. Interpretation
14. Persons from abroad
15. Applicable amounts
16. Amendment of regulation 11
17. Income and capital
18. Provisions which do not apply
19. Amendment of regulation 52
20. Continuing payments

PART 4

Schedules Common to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit
21. Application of Schedule 2

PART 5

Consequential and Transitional Provisions
22. Date on which change of circumstances takes effect
23. Time claims are made or treated as made
24. Notification of change of circumstances
25. Decisions
26. Amendments relating to recovery of overpaid housing benefit or excess council tax benefit
27. Minor amendments
28. Amendment of the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations 2001
29. Transitional provision
30. Claims made before 6th October 2003
31. Existing claimants

  SCHEDULE 1 Provisions Conferring Powers Exercised in making these Regulations

  SCHEDULE 2 Disregards

The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by the provisions specified in Schedule 1 to this Instrument and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, after consultation with organisations appearing to him to be representative of the authorities concerned[
1], by this Instrument, which contains only regulations made by virtue of or consequential upon paragraph 3 of Schedule 2 to, and in so far as it relates to that paragraph section 14 of, the State Pension Credit Act 2002[2] and which is made before the end of the period of 6 months beginning with the coming into force of those provisions[3], hereby makes the following Regulations:



PART 1

General

Citation, commencement and interpretation
     1.  - (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations 2003 and shall come into force - 

    (a) for the purposes of this regulation and regulation 30, on 6th April 2003;

    (b) for all other purposes, on 6th October 2003.

    (2) In these Regulations - 

    "the Council Tax Benefit Regulations" means the Council Tax Benefit (General) Regulations 1992[5];

    "the qualifying age for state pension credit" is (in accordance with section 1(2)(b) and (6) of the State Pension Credit Act) - 

    (a) in the case of a woman, pensionable age; or

    (b) in the case of a man, the age which is pensionable age in the case of a woman born on the same day as the man;

    "the State Pension Credit Act" means the State Pension Credit Act 2002.

    (3) In Part 5 of these Regulations, references in any provision inserted - 

    (a) in the Housing Benefit Regulations to a regulation of or Schedule to those Regulations is to those provisions as modified or amended by these Regulations;

    (b) in the Council Tax Benefit Regulations to a regulation of or Schedule to those Regulations is to those provisions as modified or amended by these Regulations.



PART 2

Housing Benefit

Housing Benefit Regulations
     2.  - (1) The Housing Benefit Regulations shall have effect, except where paragraph (2) applies, in relation to any person who has attained the qualifying age for state pension credit subject to the modifications set out in this Part, Part 4 and Schedule 2.

    (2) This paragraph applies if the claimant or, if the claimant has a partner, his partner, is a person on income support or on an income-based jobseeker's allowance within the meaning of the Housing Benefit Regulations[
6].

    (3) In this Part, references to regulations and Schedules are, unless the context otherwise requires, references to regulations of and Schedules to the Housing Benefit Regulations.

Interpretation
     3.  - (1) In regulation 2 (interpretation), in paragraph (1) - 

    (a) for the definition of "assessment period", substitute - 

      " "assessment period" means the period determined - 

      (a) in relation to the earnings of a self-employed earner, in accordance with regulation 32 for the purpose of calculating the weekly earnings of the claimant; or

      (b) in relation to any other income, in accordance with regulation 28 for the purpose of calculating the weekly income of the claimant;";

    (b) for the definition of "the benefit Acts", substitute - 

    (c) after the definition of "benefit week", insert - 

      " "board and lodging accommodation" means accommodation provided to a person or, if he is a member of a family, to him or any other member of his family, for a charge which is inclusive of the provision of that accommodation and at least some cooked or prepared meals which both are cooked or prepared (by a person other than the person to whom the accommodation is provided or a member of his family) and are consumed in that accommodation or associated premises;

      "care home" has the meaning it has for the purposes of the Care Standards Act 2000[8] by virtue of section 3 of that Act and in Scotland means a care home service;

      "care home service" has the meaning assigned to it by section 2(3) of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001[9];";

    (d) after the definition of "gateway office"[10], insert - 

      " "guarantee credit" is to be construed in accordance with sections 1 and 2 of the State Pension Credit Act;";

    (e) after the definition of "person on income support", insert - 

      " "person on state pension credit" means a person in receipt of state pension credit;";

    (f) after the definition of "retirement annuity contract" insert - 

      " "savings credit" shall be construed in accordance with sections 1 and 3 of the State Pension Credit Act;";

    (g) after the definition of "self-employment route" insert - 

      " "the State Pension Credit Act" means the State Pension Credit Act 2002;".

    (2) In that regulation, after paragraph (4A)[11], insert - 

        " (4B) In these Regulations references to any person in receipt of a guarantee credit, a savings credit or state pension credit includes a reference to a person who would be in receipt thereof but for regulation 13 of the State Pension Credit Regulations 2002[12] (small amounts of state pension credit).".

Modification of regulation 5
     4. In regulation 5 (circumstances in which a person is or is not to be treated as occupying a dwelling as his home) in paragraph (6)(c)(ii), for the words "or the claimant's applicable amount includes a provision under paragraph 9, 9A,10,11, 13 or 14 of Schedule 2", substitute "or the claimant is a person who has attained or whose partner has attained the qualifying age for state pension credit".

Persons from abroad
    
5. In regulation 7A (persons from abroad), in paragraph (5), for sub-paragraph (d), substitute - 

Applicable amounts
    
6.  - (1) For regulations 16 (applicable amounts), 17 (polygamous marriages) and 18 (patients), substitute - 

    (2) After Schedule 2 insert - 



    " SCHEDULE 2A
    Regulation 16


    APPLICABLE AMOUNTS FOR PERSONS WHO HAVE ATTAINED OR WHOSE PARTNER HAS ATTAINED THE QUALIFYING AGE FOR STATE PENSION CREDIT




    PART I

    Personal Allowances

         1. The amount specified in column (2) below in respect of each person or couple specified in column (1) shall be the amount specified for the purposes of regulation 16 - 

    (1) (2)
    Person, couple or polygamous marriage Amount
        (1) Single claimant - 

        (1) - 

    (a) aged under 65;

    (a) £102.10;

    (b) aged 65 or over.

    (b) £116.90.

        (2) Couple - 

        (2) - 

    (a) both members aged under 65;

    (a) £155.80;

    (b) one member or both members aged 65 or over.

    (b) £175.00.

        (3) If the claimant is a member of a polygamous marriage and none of the members of the marriage have attained the age of 65 - 

        (3) - 

    (a) for the claimant and the other party to the marriage;

    (a) £155.80;

    (b) for each additional spouse who is a member of the same household as the claimant.

    (b) £53.70.

        (4) If the claimant is a member of a polygamous marriage and one or more members of the marriage are aged 65 or over - 

        (4) - 

    (a) for the claimant and the other party to the marriage;

    (a) £175.00;

    (b) for each additional spouse who is a member of the same household as the claimant.

    (b) £58.10.


         2.  - (1) The amounts specified in column (2) below in respect of each person specified in column (1) shall, for the relevant period specified in column (1), be the amounts specified for the purposes of regulation 16(1)(b) - 

    (1) (2)
    Child or young person Amount
    Person in respect of the period - 

      (a) beginning on that person's date of birth and ending on the day preceding the first Monday in September following that person's sixteenth birthday;

    £38.50;
    (b) beginning on the first Monday in September following that person's sixteenth birthday and ending on the day preceding that person's nineteenth birthday.

    £38.50.

        (2) In column (1) of the Table above, "the first Monday in September" means the Monday which first occurs in the month of September in any year.



    PART II

    Family Premium

         3.  - (1) The amount for the purposes of regulation 16(1)(c) and (d) in respect of a family of which at least one member is a child or young person shall be £15.75.

        (2) The amount specified in sub-paragraph (1) shall be increased by £10.45 where at least one child is under the age of one year and for the purposes of this sub-paragraph where that child's first birthday does not fall on a Monday he shall be treated as under the age of one year until the first Monday after his first birthday.



    PART III

    Premiums

         4. The premiums specified in Part IV shall, for the purposes of regulation 16(1)(e), be applicable to a claimant who satisfies the condition specified in this Part in respect of that premium.

         5.  - (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), for the purposes of this Part of this Schedule, once a premium is applicable to a claimant under this Part, a person shall be treated as being in receipt of any benefit for - 

      (a) in the case of a benefit to which the Social Security (Overlapping Benefits) Regulations 1979[14] applies, any period during which, apart from the provisions of those Regulations, he would be in receipt of that benefit; and

      (b) any period spent by a person in undertaking a course of training or instruction provided or approved by the Secretary of State under section 2 of the Employment and Training Act 1973[15], or by Scottish Enterprise or Highlands and Islands Enterprise under section 2 of the Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Act 1990[16] or for any period during which he is in receipt of a training allowance.

        (2) For the purposes of the carer premium under paragraph 9, a person shall be treated as being in receipt of a carer's allowance under section 70 of the Contributions and Benefits Act by virtue of sub-paragraph (1)(a) only if and for so long as the person in respect of whose care the allowance has been claimed remains in receipt of attendance allowance, or the care component of disability living allowance at the highest or middle rate prescribed in accordance with section 72(3) of the Contributions and Benefits Act.

    Severe disability premium
         6.  - (1) The condition is that the claimant is a severely disabled person.

        (2) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1), a claimant shall be treated as being a severely disabled person if, and only if - 

      (a) in the case of a single claimant or a claimant who is treated as having no partner in consequence of sub-paragraph (3) - 

        (i) he is in receipt of attendance allowance, or the care component of disability living allowance at the highest or middle rate prescribed in accordance with section 72(3) of the Contributions and Benefits Act; and

        (ii) subject to sub-paragraph (6), he has no non-dependants aged 18 or over normally residing with him or with whom he is normally residing; and

        (iii) no person is entitled to, and in receipt of, a carer's allowance in respect of caring for him;

      (b) in the case of a claimant who has a partner - 

        (i) the claimant is in receipt of attendance allowance, or the care component of disability living allowance at the highest or middle rate prescribed in accordance with section 72(3) of the Contributions and Benefits Act; and

        (ii) his partner is also in receipt of such an allowance or, if the claimant is a member of a polygamous marriage one or more of the other members of the marriage are in receipt of such an allowance; and

        (iii) subject to sub-paragraph (6), the claimant has no non-dependants aged 18 or over normally residing with him or with whom he is normally residing,

      and either a person is entitled to and in receipt of a carer's allowance in respect of caring for only one of the couple or, if he is a member of a polygamous marriage, for one or more but not all the members of the marriage, or as the case may be, no person is entitled to and in receipt of such an allowance in respect of caring for either member of a couple or any of the members of the marriage.

        (3) Where a claimant has a partner who does not satisfy the condition in sub-paragraph (2)(b)(ii), and that partner is blind or is treated as blind within the meaning of sub-paragraph (4), that partner shall be treated for the purposes of sub-paragraph (2) as if he were not a partner of the claimant.

        (4) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (3), a person is blind if he is registered in a register compiled by a local authority under section 29 of the National Assistance Act 1948[17] (welfare services) or, in Scotland, has been certified as blind and in consequence he is registered in a register maintained by or on behalf of a regional or islands council.

        (5) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (4), a person who has ceased to be registered as blind on regaining his eyesight shall nevertheless be treated as blind and as satisfying the additional condition set out in that sub-paragraph for a period of 28 weeks following the date on which he ceased to be so registered.

        (6) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2)(a)(ii) and (2)(b)(iii), no account shall be taken of - 

      (a) a person receiving attendance allowance, or the care component of disability living allowance at the highest or middle rate prescribed in accordance with section 72(3) of the Contributions and Benefits Act; or

      (b) a person who is blind or is treated as blind within the meaning of sub-paragraphs (4) and (5).

        (7) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2)(b), a person shall be treated - 

      (a) as being in receipt of attendance allowance, or the care component of disability living allowance at the highest or middle rate prescribed in accordance with section 72(3) of the Contributions and Benefits Act, if he would, but for his being a patient for a period exceeding 28 days, be so in receipt;

      (b) as being entitled to and in receipt of a carer's allowance if he would, but for the person for whom he was caring being a patient in hospital for a period exceeding 28 days, be so entitled and in receipt.

        (8) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2)(a)(iii) and (2)(b) - 

      (a) no account shall be taken of an award of a carer's allowance to the extent that payment of such an award is backdated for a period before the date on which the award is made; and

      (b) references to a person being in receipt of a carer's allowance shall include references to a person who would have been in receipt of that allowance but for the application of a restriction under section 7 of the Social Security Fraud Act 2001[18] (loss of benefit).

    Enhanced disability premium
         7. The condition is that the care component of disability living allowance is, or would, but for a suspension of benefit in accordance with regulations under section 113(2) of the Contributions and Benefits Act or but for an abatement as a consequence of hospitalisation, be payable at the highest rate prescribed under section 72(3) of the Contributions and Benefits Act in respect of a child or young person who is a member of the claimant's family.

    Disabled child premium
         8. The condition is that a child or young person for whom the claimant or a partner of his is responsible and who is a member of the claimant's household - 

      (a) is in receipt of disability living allowance or is no longer in receipt of such allowance because he is a patient, provided that the child or young person continues to be a member of the family; or

      (b) is blind within the meaning of paragraph 6(4) or is treated as blind in accordance with paragraph 6(5).

    Carer premium
         9.  - (1) The condition is that the claimant or his partner is, or both of them are, entitled to a carer's allowance.

        (2) Where a carer premium has been awarded but - 

      (a) the person in respect of whose care the carer's allowance has been awarded dies; or

      (b) the person in respect of whom the premium was awarded ceases to be entitled, or ceases to be treated as entitled, to a carer's allowance,

    this paragraph shall be treated as satisfied for a period of eight weeks from the relevant date specified in sub-paragraph (3).

        (3) The relevant date for the purposes of sub-paragraph (2) is - 

      (a) the Sunday following the death of the person in respect of whose care the carer's allowance has been awarded (or beginning with the date of death if the date occurred on a Sunday);

      (b) where head (a) above does not apply, the date on which that person who was entitled to a carer's allowance ceases to be entitled to it.

        (4) For the purposes of this paragraph, a person shall be treated as being entitled to and in receipt of a carer's allowance for any period not covered by an award but in respect of which a payment is made in lieu of an award.

    Persons in receipt of concessionary payments
         10. For the purpose of determining whether a premium is applicable to a person under paragraphs 6 to 9, any concessionary payment made to compensate that person for the non-payment of any benefit mentioned in those paragraphs shall be treated as if it were a payment of that benefit.

    Person in receipt of benefit
         11. For the purposes of this Part of this Schedule, a person shall be regarded as being in receipt of any benefit if, and only if, it is paid in respect of him and shall be so regarded only for any period in respect of which that benefit is paid.



    PART IV

    Amounts of premiums specified in Part III

    Premium Amount
         12.  - 

        (1) Severe disability premium - 

        (1)

    (a) where the claimant satisfies the condition in paragraph 6(2)(a);

    (a) £42.95;

    (b) where the claimant satisfies the condition in paragraph 6(2)(b) - 

      (i) in a case where there is someone in receipt of a carer's allowance or if he or any partner satisfies that condition only by virtue of paragraph 6(7);

    (b)

      (i) £42.95;

    (ii) in a case where there is no-one in receipt of such an allowance.

    (ii) £85.90.

        (2) Enhanced disability premium.

        (2) £16.60 in respect of each child or young person in respect of whom the conditions specified in paragraph 7 are satisfied.

        (3) Disabled child premium.

        (3) £41.30 in respect of each child or young person in respect of whom the condition specified in paragraph 8 is satisfied.

        (4) Carer premium.

        (4) £25.10 in respect of each person who satisfies the condition specified in paragraph 9.

    ".


Amendment of regulation 19
     7. In regulation 19 (calculation of income and capital of members of claimant's family) - 

Income and capital
    
8. For regulations 21 to 45, substitute - 

Provisions which do not apply
    
9. The following provisions of the Housing Benefit Regulations shall not apply to a claimant who has attained, or whose partner has attained, the qualifying age for state pension credit - 

Continuing payments where state pension credit claimed
    
10. After regulation 62A[75], insert - 

Amendment of regulation 63
    
11. In regulation 63 (non-dependant deductions) - 



PART 3

Council Tax Benefit

Council Tax Benefit Regulations
    
12.  - (1) The Council Tax Benefit Regulations shall have effect, except where paragraph (2) applies, in relation to any person who has attained the qualifying age for state pension credit subject to the modifications set out in this Part, Part 4 and Schedule 2.

    (2) This paragraph applies if the claimant or, if the claimant has a partner, his partner, is a person on income support or on an income-based jobseeker's allowance within the meaning of the Council Tax Benefit Regulations[
76].

    (3) In this Part, references to regulations and Schedules are, unless the context otherwise requires, references to regulations of and Schedules to the Council Tax Benefit Regulations.

    (4) Reference in any provision which has effect in accordance with this Part to a provision of the Housing Benefit Regulations is to the provision in those Regulations as modified by Part 2 of these Regulations.

Interpretation
     13.  - (1) In regulation 2 (interpretation), in paragraph (1) - 

    (a) for the definition of "assessment period", substitute - 

      " "assessment period" means the period determined - 

      (a) in relation to the earnings of a self-employed earner, in accordance with regulation 24 for the purpose of calculating the weekly earnings of the claimant; or

      (b) in relation to any other income, in accordance with regulation 20 for the purpose of calculating the weekly income of the claimant;";

    (b) for the definition of "the benefit Acts", substitute - 

    (c) after the definition of "benefit week", insert - 

      " "board and lodging accommodation" means accommodation provided to a person or, if he is a member of a family, to him or any other member of his family, for a charge which is inclusive of the provision of that accommodation and at least some cooked or prepared meals which both are cooked or prepared (by a person other than the person to whom the accommodation is provided or a member of his family) and are consumed in that accommodation or associated premises;

      "care home" has the meaning it has for the purposes of the Care Standards Act 2000[78] by virtue of section 3 of that Act and in Scotland means a care home service;

      "care home service" has the meaning assigned to it by section 2(3) of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001[79];";

    (d) after the definition of "gateway office"[80], insert - 

      " "guarantee credit" is to be construed in accordance with sections 1 and 2 of the State Pension Credit Act;";

    (e) after the definition of "person on income support", insert - 

      " "person on state pension credit" means a person in receipt of state pension credit;";

    (f) after the definition of "retirement annuity contract" insert - 

      " "savings credit" shall be construed in accordance with sections 1 and 3 of the State Pension Credit Act;";

    (g) after the definition of "self-employment route" insert - 

      " "the State Pension Credit Act" means the State Pension Credit Act 2002;".

    (2) In that regulation, after paragraph (4A)[81], insert - 

        " (4B) In these Regulations, references to any person in receipt of a guarantee credit, a savings credit or state pension credit includes a reference to a person who would be in receipt thereof but for regulation 13 of the State Pension Credit Regulations 2002[82] (small amounts of state pension credit).".

Persons from abroad
     14. In regulation 4A (persons from abroad), in paragraph (5), for sub-paragraph (d), substitute - 

Applicable amounts
    
15.  - (1) For regulations 8 (applicable amounts), 9 (polygamous marriages) and 10 (patients), substitute - 

    (2) After Schedule 1, insert - 



    " SCHEDULE 1A
    Regulation 8


    APPLICABLE AMOUNTS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ATTAINED OR WHOSE PARTNER HAS ATTAINED THE QUALIFYING AGE FOR STATE PENSION CREDIT




    PART I

    Personal Allowances

         1. The amount specified in column (2) below in respect of each person or couple specified in column (1) shall be the amount specified for the purposes of regulation 8 - 

    (1) Person, couple or polygamous marriage (2) Amount


        (1) Single claimant - 

      (a) aged under 65;

      (b) aged 65 or over.



        (1)  - 

      (a) £102.10;

      (b) £116.90.



        (2) Couple - 

      (a) both members aged under 65;

      (b) one member or both members aged 65 or over.



        (2)  - 

      (a) £155.80;

      (b) £175.00.



        (3) If the claimant is a member of a polygamous marriage and none of the members of the marriage have attained the age of 65 - 

      (a) for the claimant and the other party to the marriage;

      (b) for each additional spouse who is a member of the same household as the claimant.



        (3)  - 

      (a) £155.80;

      (b) £53.70.



        (4) If the claimant is a member of a polygamous marriage and one or more members of the marriage are aged 65 or over - 

      (a) for the claimant and the other party to the marriage;

      (b) for each additional spouse who is a member of the same household as the claimant.



        (4)  - 

      (a) £175.00;

      (b) £58.10.


         2.  - (1) The amounts specified in column (2) below in respect of each person specified in column (1) shall, for the relevant period specified in column (1), be the amounts specified for the purposes of regulation 8(1)(b) - 

    (1) Child or young person (2) Amount


        Person in respect of the period - 

      (a) beginning on that person's date of birth and ending on the day preceding the first Monday in September following that person's sixteenth birthday;

    £38.50;


        

      (b) beginning on the first Monday in September following that person's sixteenth birthday and ending on the day preceding that person's nineteenth birthday.

    £38.50.



        (2) In column (1)