These Regulations further amend the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987, the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 and the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 in so far as those Regulations apply to students. In particular these Regulations increase the amount of grant and loan income to be disregarded in respect of books and equipment from £327 to £335 (regulation 2).

These Regulations also omit regulation 2(2) of Social Security (Students and Income-Related Benefits Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 which contains an inaccuracy (regulation 3) and are consequently issued free of charge.

In so far as these Regulations are required, for the purposes of regulations 2(1) and (2)(a) and 3, to be referred to the Social Security Advisory Committee under section 149(2) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992, (“the 1992 Act”), after agreement by the Social Security Advisory Committee, they have not been so referred by virtue of section 150(1)(b) of that Act. Otherwise they 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 1992 Act, 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 a charge on business.