Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Housing Renovation etc. Grants (Reduction of Grant) Regulations 1990 (“the principal Regulations”) in the following respects–

they add to the categories of persons who are not non-dependants (regulation 2(3));

they increase the universal element of the applicable amount from £20 to £22 (regulation 2(4));

they change the multipliers used in calculating the reduction in the amount of grant from 51.54 to 53.35 (for applications accompanied by an owner-occupation certificate) and from 34.62 to 35.37 (for applications accompanied by a tenant’s certificate) (regulation 2(5));

they add to the sums to be disregarded in determining a person’s earnings and net profit (regulation 2(7) and (9));

they include in the definition of earnings of self-employed earners allowances paid under section 2 of the Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Act 1990, and make amendments in consequence of that Act in respect of premiums in determining applicable amounts and in respect of sums to be disregarded in determining a person’s income or capital (regulation 2(8), (13)(d)(v), (15)(a) and (16)(f));

they amend the provisions about notional income and notional capital to include payments to a third party in respect of a relevant person or a member of the family, where used for paying water charges for which that relevant person or member is liable (regulation 2(10) and (11));

they provide for loans made to a student, or for which he is eligible, under the Education (Student Loans) Act 1990 or the Education (Student Loans) (Northern Ireland) Order 1990 to be treated as income; exclude from the definition of “grant” certain payments derived from funds made available by the Secretary of State to assist students in financial difficulties; increase the amount of disregard for books and equipment from £234 to £246; and amend the provisions for income and capital to be disregarded, in consequence of the new provision for student loans (regulation 2(12), (15)(c) and (16)(e));

they increase all the personal allowances and premiums in Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations (applicable amounts), add a new premium (the carer premium) and make consequential amendments to that Schedule (regulation 2(13)(a) to (c), (d)(i), (ii) and (vii), (e) and (f));

they increase the amount of income to be disregarded from a lone parent’s earnings from £15 to £25 and extend the application of that disregard (regulation 2(14));

they make provision in respect of the income from charitable or voluntary payments to be disregarded in determining a person’s income and provide for the disregard from a person’s income and capital of travelling expenses, National Health Service payments and payments in place of milk tokens or the supply of vitamins (regulation 2(15)(b) and (d) and (16)(g));

they provide for the disregard, in determining a person’s capital, of certain trust funds and arrears of special war widows payment; and extend the provisions under which assets of a business are disregarded (regulation 2(16)(b), (c) and (g));

they extend the circumstances in which the conditions for application of the disability and higher pensioner premiums in Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations are satisfied and those in which a dwelling is disregarded under Schedule 4 of those Regulations (capital to be disregarded); amend the circumstances in which the value of a right to receive income is disregarded from a person’s capital and clarify what income is included in regulation 16 of the principal Regulations (determination of income on a weekly basis) (regulation 2(13)(d)(iii), (iv) and (vi), (16)(d) and (6)).

Regulation 3 (transitional) provides that the amendments do not apply in respect of any application for a grant made before the date on which the Regulations come into force.