
1 

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Housing Benefit (General) (Amendment No. 6) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 and shall come into operation on 5th October 1997.
(2) In these Regulations—“the principal Regulations” means the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987.
(3) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to a Measure of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
2 

(1) The Housing Benefit (General) (Amendment No. 4) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 shall be amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (4).
(2) In regulation 2 (which amends regulation 11 of the principal Regulations)—
(a) in paragraph (a) for “Subject to paragraph (3D),” there shall be substituted “Subject to paragraph (3B),”;
(b) in paragraph (b) for new paragraphs (3B) to (3D) the following paragraph shall be substituted—“
 (3B) Paragraph (3A) shall not apply in the case of a claimant—
(a) to whom regulation 16 of the Housing Benefit (General) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 (saving provision) applies;
(b) to whom paragraph 13 of Schedule 2 (severe disability premium) applies, or
(c) who has a non-dependant residing with him.”;
(c) for paragraphs (c) and (d) respectively the following paragraphs shall be substituted—“
(c) in paragraph (4)(a) the words from “plus 50 per cent.” to the end of the paragraph shall be omitted;
(d) in paragraph (5) the words from “plus 50 per cent.” to the end of the paragraph shall be omitted;”.
(3) Regulation (4)(a) (amendment of Schedule 1B to the principal Regulations) shall be omitted.
(4) In regulation 5 (savings)—
(a) in paragraph (1) after “paragraph (2)” there shall be inserted “or (2A)”;
(b) for paragraph (2) there shall be substituted the following paragraphs—“
(2) This paragraph applies to a claimant who was entitled to and in receipt of housing benefit on 5th October 1997, until—
(a) the date on which the benefit period, which was current for that claimant on 5th October 1997, ends, or
(b) the date on which the claimant occupies a new dwelling as his home on moving from the dwelling he so occupied on 5th October 1997,
whichever is the earlier.
(2A) This paragraph applies to a claimant who makes a further claim for housing benefit under regulation 72(11) to (13) of the principal Regulations, where he has been continuously entitled to and in receipt of housing benefit, in respect of the same dwelling for a period which includes 5th October 1997, which included an addition by virtue of regulation 11(4) or (5) of the principal Regulations as they had effect on 5th October 1997.
(2B) “Benefit period” for the purposes of paragraph (2) has the same meaning as in regulation 66 of the principal Regulations.”.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health and Social Services for Northern Ireland on
D. A. Baker
Assistant Secretary
14th August 1997.