Explanatory note

These Regulations provide that payments from the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme are to be disregarded for certain social security purposes. The Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme is an ex gratia payment scheme administered by the Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service for the benefit of people suffering from hepatitis C and/or human immunodeficiency virus and other people eligible for payment in accordance with the scheme’s provisions.

Regulations 2 and 9 amend the Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Regulations 1997 (S.I. 1997/2205) and the Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) (Lump Sum Payments) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/1596) to exempt payments made by the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme from the compensation recovery schemes established under the Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997 (c. 27).

Regulations 3 to 8 amend the following Regulations to provide that payments made by the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme are not taken into account in the calculation of income or capital:

• the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 (S.I. 1987/1967),

• the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/207),

• the State Pension Credit Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/1792),

• the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/213),

• the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/214), and

• the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/794).