Explanatory note

These Regulations amend:

• the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987;

• the Child Support (Maintenance Assessments and Special Cases) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992;

• the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996;

• the Child Support (Voluntary Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001;

• the State Pension Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003;

• the Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006;

• the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006; and

• the Housing Benefit (Consequential Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006,

in consequence of the Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.

Regulations 2 to 8 insert a definition of “water charges”.

Regulations 2, 4 and 6 to 8 make amendments in relation to the calculation of income and capital.

Regulation 3 makes amendments to the Child Support (Maintenance Assessments and Special Cases) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992 to clarify the amounts to be disregarded in the calculation of maintenance assessments.

Regulation 5 makes a consequential amendment to the Child Support (Voluntary Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 to add water charges to the list of voluntary payments made by the non-resident parent, which can be offset against child maintenance arrears, or in the adjustment of a maintenance calculation.

Regulations 7 to 9 make amendments in relation to the calculation of rent in housing benefit.

In so far as these Regulations are required, for the purposes of regulations 7, 8 and 9, to be referred to the Social Security Advisory Committee under section 149(2) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992, after agreement by the Social Security Advisory Committee, they have not been so referred by virtue of section 150(1)(b) of that Act. Otherwise they make in relation to Northern Ireland only provision corresponding to provision contained in Regulations made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in relation to Great Britain and accordingly, by virtue of section 149(3) of, and paragraph 10 of Schedule 5 to, that Act, are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.