Explanatory note

These Regulations further amend the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987 (S.I. 1987/1971). Regulations 3 and 4 create a new maximum rent in the case of certain single claimants who are under 25 (“young individuals”), in respect of whom a rent officer has determined and notified a single room rent. Regulations 5 and 9 make provision for local authorities to refer applications for a rent allowance by young individuals to rent officers and to inform them that the application is from a young individual. Regulation 10(1) provides that these changes shall not apply to those young individuals to whom the savings provision in the Housing Benefit (General) Amendment Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1995/1644) (providing exemption from the changes introduced by those Regulations) apply and regulation 10(2) provides that, when young individuals do not enjoy that savings protection, the changes introduced by regulations 3, 4, 5 and 9 shall not apply to those in receipt of benefit on 6th October 1996 until they move home or their current benefit period comes to an end.

Regulations 6 and 7 create a new rule for the period within which payment of housing benefit by way of rent allowance is made. It will now be paid at the end of the period to which it relates. However, in cases where direct payments are being made to a landlord payment is to be made at intervals of 4 weeks and at the end of that period, subject to certain exceptions. Regulation 8 enables local authorities to make first payments of benefit to the claimant by way of an instrument of payment in favour of the landlord. Regulation 11 provides that regulations 6 and 7 will not affect anyone on housing benefit on 6th October 1996 (or the partner of a deceased recipient) as long as he continues to be entitled to it and to occupy the same dwelling as his home.

These Regulations do not impose a charge on business.

The Report of the Social Security Advisory Committee dated 29th February 1996 on the proposals referred to them, together with a statement showing the extent to which these Regulations give effect to the Report and, in so far as they do not give effect to it, the reasons why not, are contained in Command Paper Cm. 3225, published by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.