The Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003

Continuing payments where state pension credit claimed

10.—(1) After regulation 62A(1) (extended payments), there shall be inserted the following regulation –

“Continuing payments where state pension credit claimed

62B.—(1) This regulation applies where –

(a)the claimant is entitled to housing benefit;

(b)paragraph (2) is satisfied, and

(c)either –

(i)the claimant has attained the qualifying age for state pension credit or, if his entitlement to income-based jobseeker’s allowance continued beyond that age, has attained the age of 65, or

(ii)the claimant’s partner has actually claimed state pension credit.

(2) This regulation is only satisfied if the Department has certified to the relevant authority that the claimant’s partner has actually claimed state pension credit or that –

(a)the claimant’s award of –

(i)income support has terminated because the claimant has attained the qualifying age for state pension credit, or

(ii)income-based jobseeker’s allowance has terminated because the claimant has attained the qualifying age for state pension credit or the age of 65, and

(b)the claimant has claimed or is treated as having claimed or is required to make a claim for state pension credit.

(3) In a case to which this regulation applies, housing benefit shall continue to be paid for the period of 4 weeks beginning on the day following the day the claimant’s entitlement to income support or, as the case may be, income-based jobseeker’s allowance, ceased, if and for so long as the claimant otherwise satisfies the conditions for entitlement to housing benefit.

(4) Throughout the period of 4 weeks specified in paragraph (3) –

(a)the whole of the income and capital of the claimant shall be disregarded;

(b)subject to paragraph (5), the appropriate maximum housing benefit of the claimant shall be that which was applicable in his case immediately before that period commenced.

(5) The appropriate maximum housing benefit shall be calculated in accordance with regulation 61(2) (maximum housing benefit) if, since the date it was last calculated –

(a)the claimant’s rent has increased, or

(b)a change in the deduction under regulation 63(3) (non-dependant deductions) falls to be made.”.