Regulation 6 Amendment of the Housing Benefit RegulationsI1I2I3I4

after the definition of “polygamous marriage” insert—

• ““public authority has the meaning given in section 75(3) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998;”, and

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

after paragraph (2)(f)^f2 insert—

“(g)

any sum to which paragraph (12A) applies;”; and

after paragraph (12) insert—

“(12A)

Paragraphs (1), (2), (6) and (9) shall not apply in respect of any amount of income other than earnings, or earnings of an employed earner, arising out of the claimant’s participation in a service user group.”.

for paragraph 1(b)(i)^f3 substitute—

“(i)

any payment of the nature described in—

(aa)

regulation 32(1)(e), or

(bb)

Article 60, 96 or 100 of the Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996^f4 (guarantee payments, suspension from work on medical or maternity grounds); and”;

in paragraphs 1(c) and 2(b)(ii) for “regulation 32(1)(e), (i) or (j) in so far as it relates to regulation 32(1)(i))” substitute “paragraph 1(b)(i) or (ii)(bb) or regulation 32(1)(i) or (j) in so far as it relates to regulation 32(1)(i))”; and

in paragraph 2(b)(i) for “regulation 32(1)(e)” substitute “paragraph 1(b)(i) or (ii)(bb)”.

after paragraph 2 insert—

“2A.

Any payment in respect of expenses arising out of the claimant’s participation in a service user group.”;

in paragraph 15(d)^f5—

before paragraph 26(1)(e)^f6 insert—

“(da)

“which is a payment made by a local authority in pursuance of section 15(1) of, and paragraph 15 of Schedule 1 to, the Children Act 1989^f7 (local authority contribution to a child’s maintenance where the child is living with a person as a result of a residence order) or in Scotland section 50 of the Children Act 1975^f8 (payments towards maintenance of children);”; and

for paragraph 49A^f9 substitute—

“49A.

(1)

Any payment of child maintenance made or derived from a liable relative where the child or young person in respect of whom the payment is made is a member of the claimant’s family, except where the person making the payment is the claimant or the claimant’s partner.

(2)

In paragraph (1)—

• “child maintenance” means any payment towards the maintenance of a child or young person, including any payment made voluntarily and payments made under—

  1. (a)

     the Child Support (Northern Ireland) Order 1991^f10;

  2. (b)

     the Child Support Act 1991^f11

  3. (c)

     a court order;

  4. (d)

     a consent order;

  5. (e)

     a maintenance agreement registered for execution in the Books of Council and Session or the sheriff court books;

• “liable relative” means a person listed in regulation 54 (interpretation) of the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987^f12, other than a person falling within sub-paragraph (d) of that definition.”.