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The Housing Benefit (Earned Income Disregards) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026

S.R. 2026/157 · Made 14 September 2026 · Extends to Northern Ireland

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 5 October 2026.

Housing

Made 14th September 2026

Coming into operation 5th October 2026

The Department for Communitiesf1 makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 122(1)(d), 132(3) and (4)(b), 133(1) and 171(1) and (3) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992f2, and now vested in itf3.

Regulation 2 is made with the consent of the Department of Financef4.

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

The Department for Social Development was renamed the Department for Communities in accordance with section 1(7) of the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (c. 5 (N.I.))

f2

1992 c. 7; section 133(1) is cited for the meaning it gives to “prescribed”, section 171(1) was amended by paragraph 5 of Schedule 4 to the Tax Credits Act 2002 (c. 21)

f3

See Article 8(b) of S.R. 1999 No. 481

f4

See section 171(6A) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 as inserted by Article 3(3) of the Social Security (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/1579 (N.I. 8)); see also Article 6(b) of S.R. 1999 No. 481 and section 1(4) of the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (c. 5 (N.I.))

Contents

  1. 1Citation, commencement and interpretation
  2. 2Amendments to the Housing Benefit Regulations
  3. Signature
  4. Explanatory note

1Citation, commencement and interpretationI1

(1)

These Regulations may be cited as the Housing Benefit (Earned Income Disregards) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 and come into operation on 5th October 2026.

(2)

The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954f1 applies to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Assembly.

2Amendments to the Housing Benefit RegulationsI1

(1)

The Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006f1 are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (4).

(2)

In regulation 33 (calculation of net earnings of employed earners), in paragraph (2), after “paragraphs 1 to 14”, insert “and 18”.

(3)

In regulation 35 (calculation of net profit of self-employed earners), in paragraph (2), after “paragraphs 1 to 14”, insert “and 18”.

(4)

In Schedule 5 (sums to be disregarded in the calculation of earnings)—

(a)

in paragraph 17 in sub-paragraph (3)(a), after “paragraphs 3 to 10A” insert “and 18”

(b)

after paragraph 17, insert—

“18.
(1)

Where—

(a)

the claimant is resident in accommodation specified in paragraph 4 or paragraph 4A of Schedule 1 to the Universal Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 (meaning of payments in respect of accommodation)f2; and

(b)

the claimant or, if the claimant has a partner, the claimant or their partner, is an employed earner or a self-employed earner,

the amount specified in sub-paragraph (2); but, notwithstanding regulation 22 (calculation of income and capital of members of claimant’s family and of a polygamous marriage), if this paragraph applies to a claimant, where the claimant has a partner, it shall not apply to their partner except where, and to the extent that, the earnings of the claimant which are to be disregarded under this paragraph are less than the amount specified in sub-paragraph (2).

(2)

Where the claimant—

(a)

is a single claimant who—

(i)

has not attained the age of 25 years, £61.41;

(ii)

has attained the age of 25 years, £77.73;

(b)

is a lone parent who—

(i)

has not attained the age of 25 years, £61.41;

(ii)

has attained the age of 25 years, £77.73;

(c)

has a partner, where—

(i)

the claimant and their partner have not attained the age of 18 years, £97.33;

(ii)

the claimant or their partner has attained the age of 18 years but the claimant and their partner have not attained the age of 25 years, £61.53;

(iii)

the claimant or their partner has attained the age of 25 years, £119.70.”

Signature

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Communities on 14th September 2026

(L.S.)

David Tarr

A senior officer of the Department for Communities

The Department of Finance consents to Regulation 2.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance on 14th September 2026

(L.S.)

Aidan McMahon

A senior officer of the Department of Finance

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. 2006 No. 405) to extend the sums to be disregarded when calculating the earnings of a person claiming housing benefit (“the claimant”).

Regulation 2 amends Schedule 5 (sums to be disregarded in the calculation of earnings) to insert additional sums that are to be disregarded in the calculation of earnings where the claimant is resident in specified accommodation or temporary accommodation (the definition of both types of accommodation are contained in Schedule 1 of the Universal Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 (S.R. 2016 No. 216)). The sums to be disregarded differ depending on whether the claimant has not attained the age of 18 years, or not attained the age of 25 years and those who have, and is a single claimant or a lone parent or part of a couple.

These amendments apply to working-age housing benefit only and no changes are made to the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. 2006 No. 406).

A full impact assessment has not been produced for these Regulations as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.