Explanatory note
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations further amend the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987 in the following respects —
they introduce an increased pension premium for persons aged 75 and over and uprate the amount of the higher pensioner premium with effect from 9th October 1989 (regulation 7); and provide for an earnings disregard of £15 where but for these changes a person would have been entitled to the disability premium (regulation 8);
they provide for boarders not to be treated as non-dependants if they live in the household of another claimant and for a deduction to be made from the maximum housing benefit in respect of boarders aged 18 or over (regulations 2, 4 and 5);
they make provision for property to be disregarded where it is occupied by a lone parent if he is the former partner of the claimant and for the disregard of payments made to the claimant by a boarder (regulations 9 and 10); and delete an obsolete reference (regulation 3);
they provide, in assessing ineligible service charges, for a deduction in respect of meals to be made in respect of a person who is a member of the claimant’s household but not a member of his family and make clear that such deductions are only to be made in respect of persons for whom the charge makes provision (regulation 6); and for the notice of award to specify the details of any fuel deduction made (regulation 11).
These Regulations are made before the expiry of 12 months from the commencement of the enactments under which they are made; they are accordingly exempt by section 61(5) of the Social Security Act 1986 from reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee and have not been so referred.