Source: http://seneddtest.assemblywales.org/documents/s81906/CLA5-32-18%20-%20Paper%209.html?CT=2
Timestamp: 2019-08-22 20:58:30
Document Index: 699320021

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 1', 'art 4', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 3', 'art 6', 'art 4', 'art 3', 'art 7']

Draft Regulations laid before the National Assembly for Wales under section 13A(8) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for approval by resolution of the National Assembly for Wales.
These Regulations amend both the Prescribed Requirements and the Default Scheme Regulations.
The amendments to the Prescribed Requirements Regulations made by regulations 4, 6(a)(i) to (v) and 7 increase certain figures that are used in calculating whether a person is entitled to a reduction and the amount of that reduction. The uprated figures relate to non-dependent deductions (adjustments made to the maximum amount of reduction a person can receive to take account of adults living in the dwelling who are not dependents of the applicant); and the applicable amount in relation to an application for a reduction (the amount against which an applicant’s income is compared in order to determine the amount of reduction to which the applicant is entitled). The same amendments are made in relation to the Default Scheme Regulations by regulations 12, 14 and 15.
The amendments to the Prescribed Requirements Regulations made by regulations 5, 9(b) and 10(a) and (c) are made in consequence of a new social security benefit called Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) for surviving spouses and civil partners who are widowed on or after 6 April 2017. The amendments ensure that the various payments of BSP are disregarded in the calculation of income so that firstly, the initial larger payment and any arrears which are included in the first monthly payment are treated as capital, and a 12 month disregard is applied from the date of payment and secondly, subsequent smaller monthly payments (except for arrears) are treated as income and disregarded for a month. The same amendments are made to the Default Scheme Regulations by regulations 17(b), 18 and 19(a) and (c).
The amendments to the Prescribed Requirements Regulations made by regulations 9(a) and 10(b) are made in consequence of the change of name and transfer of functions from the Secretary of State for Health to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care made by the Secretaries of State for Health and Social Care and for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Transfer of Functions (Commonhold Land) Order 2018. The same amendments are made to the Default Scheme Regulations by regulations 17(a) and 19(b).
The amendment to the Prescribed Requirements Regulations made by regulation 8 is intended to clarify the qualifying conditions for a disregard when an applicant is a member of a couple. It is intended to clarify that the person working must also be the person who meets the qualifying conditions by being the person who is –
· is receiving the support component as part of their award of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), or
The same amendment is made to the Default Scheme Regulations by regulation 16.
The amendments made to the Prescribed Requirements Regulations by regulations 3(b) and 6(b) are made in consequence of the imminent commencement of Part 1 of the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016 (“the 2016 Act”) in relation to a fostering service within the meaning of that Act. The scheme by which foster parents are currently approved is set out in the Fostering Services (Wales) Regulations 2003. However, those Regulations may be replaced by further Regulations made pursuant to section 93 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 during the next financial year. The amendment is made so as to ensure that foster parents approved under the 2003 Regulations or under any Regulations made pursuant to sections 87 and 93 of the 2014 Act will be subject to provision made in the Prescribed Requirements Regulations in respect of the treatment of child care charges. Regulation 13 makes the same amendment in the Default Scheme Regulations.
The amendment to the Prescribed Requirements Regulations made by regulation 6(a)(vi) clarifies the position in respect of non dependent deductions so that no deduction will occur where a non dependent is not in the work related activity group and is in receipt of certain benefits, namely income support, state pension credit, an income-based jobseeker’s allowance or an income related employment and support allowance.
The Welsh Ministers make the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred upon them by section 13A(4) and (5) of, and paragraphs 2 to 7 of Schedule 1B to, the Local Government Finance Act 1992([1]).
(4) In these Regulations “council tax reduction scheme” (“cynllun gostyngiadau’r dreth gyngor”) means a scheme made by a billing authority in accordance with the Council Tax Reduction Schemes and Prescribed Requirements (Wales) Regulations 2013([2]), or the scheme that applies in default by virtue of paragraph 6(1)(e) of Schedule 1B to the Local Government Finance Act 1992.
(b) in paragraph 19(8)(k) (treatment of child care charges: pensioners), for “Fostering Services (Wales) Regulations 2003” substitute “Fostering Services (Wales) Regulations 2003([3]) or any Regulations made under section 87 and 93 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014([4]) which make provision for the approval of local authority foster parents”.
(b) in the Table in Part 4 (amounts of premium specified in Part 3), in the second column—
(r) bereavement support payment under section 30 of the Pensions Act 2014,”; and
(b) after paragraph 28B, insert—
28C. Any bereavement support payment in respect of the rate set out in regulation 3(2) or (5) of the Bereavement Support Payment Regulations 2017([5]) (rate of bereavement support payment), but only for a period of 52 weeks from the date of receipt of the payment..
(vi) in sub-paragraph (8), for paragraph (a) substitute—
(a) who is not a member of the work-related activity group, and is on income support, state pension credit, an income-based jobseeker’s allowance or income related employment and support allowance;
(b) in paragraph 21(8)(k) (treatment of child care charges) for “Fostering Services (Wales) Regulations 2003” substitute “Fostering Service (Wales) Regulations 2003 or any Regulations made under sections 87 and 93 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 which make provision for the approval of local authority foster parents.”
(i) in sub-paragraph (1) for “£76.10” in each place in which it occurs substitute “£77.90” and for “£60.25” substitute “£61.70”;
(ii) in sub-paragraph (2) for “£76.10” substitute “£77.90;
(iii) in sub-paragraph (3) for “£119.50” substitute “£122.35”;
(b) in the Table in Part 4 (amounts of premiums specified in Part 3), in the second column—
(i) in sub-paragraph (1) for “£33.55” and “£47.80” substitute “£34.35” and “£48.95” respectively;
(ii) in sub-paragraph (2) for “£64.30” in each place in which it occurs substitute “£65.85” and for “£128.60” substitute “£131.70”;
(iv) in sub-paragraph (4) for “£36.00” substitute “£36.85”;
(v) in sub-paragraph (5) for “£25.48”, “£16.40”, and “£23.55” substitute “£26.04”, “£16.80” and “£24.10” respectively;
(c) in Part 6 (amount of components), in paragraph 24 (amount of support component), for “£37.65” substitute “£38.55”.
(iv) not being a member of a couple, is engaged in remunerative work for on average not less than 16 hours per week and—
(aa) the applicant’s applicable amount includes a disability premium under paragraph 9 of Schedule 7, or the support component under paragraph 22 of Schedule 7; or
(bb) the applicant is a member of the work-related activity group; or
(v) is a member of a couple and at least one member of that couple is engaged in remunerative work for on average not less than 16 hours per week and that member of the couple—
(aa) satisfies the qualifying conditions for the disability premium under paragraph 9 of Schedule 7 or the support component under paragraph 22 of Schedule 7; or
(bb) is a member of the work-related activity group.”
(a) in paragraph 46(2), after “Secretary of State for Health” insert “and Social Care”;
(b) after paragraph 66 insert—
67. Any bereavement support payment under section 30 of the Pensions Act 2014 (bereavement support payment) except any such payment which is disregarded as capital under paragraph 12(1)(h) or 65 of Schedule 10..
(a) in paragraph 12(1)—
(i) in sub-paragraph (g) for “,” substitute “;”;
(ii) after sub-paragraph (g) insert—
(h) bereavement support payment under section 30 of the Pensions Act 2014,;
(b) in paragraph 43(2), after “Secretary of State for Health” insert “and Social Care”;
(c) after paragraph 64, insert—
65. Any bereavement support payment in respect of the rate set out in regulation 3(2) or (5) of the Bereavement Support Payment Regulations 2017 (rate of bereavement support payment), but only for a period of 52 weeks from the date of receipt of the payment..
11. The scheme set out in the Schedule to the Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Default Scheme) (Wales) Regulations 2013([6]) is amended in accordance with regulations 12 to 19.
(a) in sub-paragraph (1)(a) for “£13.10” substitute “£13.75”;
(b) in sub-paragraph (1)(b) for “£4.35” substitute “£4.55”;
(c) in sub-paragraph (2)(a) for “£205.00” substitute “£210.00”;
(d) in sub-paragraph (2)(b) for “£205.00”, “£355.00” and “£8.70” substitute “£210.00”, “£365.00” and “£9.15” respectively;
(e) in sub-paragraph (2)(c) for “£355.00”, “£440.00” and “£10.95” substitute “£365.00”, “£450.00” and “£11.50”.
(i) in sub-paragraph (1) for “£64.30” in each place in which it occurs substitute “£65.85” and for “£128.60” substitute “£131.70”;
(ii) in sub-paragraph (2) for “£76.10” substitute “£77.90”;
(b) in the Table in Part 4 (amount of premiums specified in Part 3), in the second column—
(v) in sub-paragraph (5) for “£25.48”, “£16.40” and “£23.55” substitute “£26.04”, “£16.80” and “£24.10” respectively;
(aa) the applicant’s applicable amount includes a disability premium under paragraph 9 of Schedule 3 or the support component under paragraph 22 of Schedule 3; or
(aa) satisfies the qualifying conditions for the disability premium under paragraph 9 of Schedule 3 or the support component under paragraph 22 of Schedule 3; or
(bb) is a member of the work-related activity group.
67. Any bereavement support payment under section 30 of the Pensions Act 2014([7]) (bereavement support payment) except any such payment which is disregarded as capital under paragraph 12(1)(h) of Schedule 9 or paragraph 65 of Schedule 9..
(r) bereavement support payment under section 30 of the Pensions Act 2014.;
(b) after paragraph 28B insert—
28C. Any bereavement support payment in respect of the rate set out in regulation 3(2) or (5) of the Bereavement Support Payment Regulations 2017 (rate of bereavement support payment), but only for a period of 52 weeks from the date of receipt of the payment..
(a) for paragraph 12(1) substitute—
(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), any arrears of, or any concessionary payment made to compensate for arrears due to the non-payment of the following, but only for a period of 52 weeks from the date of the receipt of the arrears or of the concessionary payment—
(a) any payment specified in paragraphs 11, 13 or 14 of Schedule 7;
(b) an income-related benefit under Part 7 of the SSCBA([8]);
(c) an income-based jobseeker’s allowance;
(d) any discretionary housing payment paid pursuant to regulation 2(1) of the Discretionary Financial Assistance Regulations 2001([9]);
(e) working tax credit and child tax credit;
(f) an income-related employment and support allowance;
(h) bereavement support payment under section 30 of the Pensions Act 2014([10]).
([1]) 1992 c.14. Section 13A was substituted by section 10(1) of the Local Government Finance Act 2012 (c. 17) and Schedule 1B was inserted by section 10(2) of, and Schedule 4 to, that Act.
([2]) S.I. 2013/3029 (W. 301), as amended by S.I. 2014/66 (W.6), S.I. 2014/825 (W. 83), S.I. 2015/44 (W. 3), S.I. 2015/971, S.I. 2016/50 (W. 21), S.I. 2017/46 (W. 20) and S.I. 2018/14 (W. 7).
([3]) S.I. 2003/237 (W. 35)
([4]) 2014 anaw.4
([5]) S.I. 2017/410.
([6]) S.I. 2013/3035 as amended by S.I. 2014/66 (W.6), S.I. 2014/825 (W.83), S.I 2015/44 (W.3), S.I. 2015/971 , S.I. 2016/50 (W.21), S.I. 2017/46 (W.20) and S.I. 2018/14 (W.7).
([7]) 2014 c.19.
([8]) The “SSCBA” (“DCBNC”) means the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (c4); see definition in regulation 2 of the Council Tax Reduction Schemes and Prescribed Requirements (Wales) Regulations 2013 and in paragraph 2 of the scheme set out in the Schedule to the Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Default Schemes((Wales) Regulations 2013.
([9]) S.I. 2001/1167.
([10]) 2014 c.19