Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Housing Benefit (General) (Amendment No. 4) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 and shall come into operation –

(a)in relation to any case where rent is payable at intervals of a whole number of weeks, on 7th April 2003, and

(b)in relation to any other case, on 1st April 2003.

(2) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(3) shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Assembly.

Amendment of the Housing Benefit Regulations

2.—(1) Schedule 1A of the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987(4) (decisions of rent payable) shall be amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (4).

(2) In paragraph 4(3)(5) (local reference rents), head (c) and the word “and” which immediately precedes it shall be omitted.

(3) In paragraph 6(6) (ineligible charges and support charges) –

(a)in sub-paragraph (1) –

(i)in head (a), sub-paragraph (i) and the word “and” which immediately follows it shall be omitted, and

(ii)head (b) and the word “and” which immediately precedes it shall be omitted.

(b)in sub-paragraph (2)(7), head (b) and the word “and” which immediately precedes it shall be omitted.

(4) In paragraph 8(4)(8) (indicative rent levels), head (c) and the word “and” which immediately precedes it shall be omitted.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations further amend the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 in consequence of changes which will take effect on 1st and 7th April 2003 as a result of the Housing Benefit (General) (Amendment No. 3) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 (S.R. 1999 No. 416) ceasing to have effect and incidental amendments made by the Housing Benefit (General) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 (S.R. 2003 No. 108). The changes are concerned with the ineligibility of charges for the provision of certain services to be included as housing costs when determining entitlement to housing benefit.

These Regulations make in relation to Northern Ireland only provision corresponding to provision contained in Regulations made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in relation to Great Britain and accordingly, by virtue of section 149(3) of, and paragraph 10 of Schedule 5 to, the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 8), are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.

These Regulations do not impose any charge on business.