Regulation 1 Citation, commencement and interpretation

These Regulations, which may be cited as the Housing Benefit (Supply of Information) Regulations 1988, shall come into force on 1st April 1988.

In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—

• “the Act” means the Social Security Act 1986;

• “appropriate DHSS office” means an office of the Department of Health and Social Security which is normally open to the public for the receipt of claims for income support and includes an office for the Department of Employment which is normally open to the public for the receipt of claims for unemployment benefit;

• “authority” means any of the authorities to which section 28(3) of the Act refers;

• “benefit” means any benefit under the benefit Acts^f1 and any social fund payments such as are mentioned in section 32(2) of the Act;

• “claimant” means a person claiming housing benefit;

• “the Housing Benefit Regulations” means the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987^f2;

• “the Income Support Regulations” means the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987^f3;

• “partner” means—

  1. (a)

     where a claimant is a member of a married or unmarried couple, the other member of that couple; or

  2. (b)

     where a claimant is polygamously married to two or more members of his household, any such member.