The Housing Benefit (Consequential Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006

Amendment of the Discretionary Financial Assistance Regulations

8.—(1) The Discretionary Financial Assistance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001(1) shall be amended in accordance with sub-paragraphs (2) to (6).

(2) In regulation 1(2) (interpretation) for the definition of “the Housing Benefit Regulations” substitute—

““the Housing Benefit Regulations” means the Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006;

“the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations” means the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006.”

(3) In regulation 2(1)(b) (discretionary housing payments) for “regulation 10A of the Housing Benefit Regulations” substitute “regulation 15 of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations”.

(4) In regulation 3 (circumstances in which discretionary housing payments may be made)—

(i)in paragraph (a) for “Schedule 1 to the Housing Benefit Regulations” substitute “Schedule 1 to the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, to the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations”, and

(ii)in paragraph (c) for “regulation 8(2A) of the Housing Benefit Regulations” substitute “regulation 11(3) of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, regulation 11(2) of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations”.

(5) In regulation 4(2) (limit on the amount of the discretionary housing payment that may be made) for “specified in regulation 10(1)” to the end substitute—

“specified in—

(a)regulation 13(1) of the Housing Benefit Regulations less the aggregate of the amounts referred to in paragraph (3)(b) of that regulation and any deductions made in accordance with regulation 69 or 72 of those Regulations, calculated on a weekly basis in accordance with regulations 78 and 79 of those Regulations; or

(b)regulation 13(1) of the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations less the aggregate of the amounts referred to in paragraph (3)(b) of that regulation and any deductions made in accordance with regulation 49 or 53 of those Regulations, calculated on a weekly basis in accordance with regulations 59 and 60 of those Regulations,

as the case may be.”.

(6) In regulation 6 (form, manner and procedure for claims)—

(a)in paragraph (1)(b) for “regulation 10A of the Housing Benefit Regulations” substitute “regulation 15 of the Housing Benefit Regulations or, as the case may be, the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations”; and

(b)in paragraph (3) for “it’s” substitute “its”.