Social Security Citation and commencement 1 These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security (Information-sharing in relation to Welfare Services etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 and come into force on 13th February 2015. Amendments to the Social Security (Information-sharing in relation to Welfare Services etc.) Regulations 2012 2 1 The Social Security (Information-sharing in relation to Welfare Services etc.) Regulations 2012 are amended as follows. 2 In regulation 2 (interpretation)— a for the definition of “social landlord”, substitute— “social landlord” means— in a case to which the Housing Benefit Regulations apply, a landlord falling within regulation 13C(5)(a)(i), (ii) or (iii) of those Regulations; in a case to which the Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) Regulations apply, a landlord falling within regulation 13C(5)(a)(i), (ii) or (iii) of those Regulations; in a case to which the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 apply, a provider of social housing within the definition given in paragraph 2 of Schedule 4 (housing costs element for renters) to those Regulations; ; b after the definition of “universal credit” , insert— “universal credit claimant” means a person who has made a claim for or has an award of universal credit; “universal support initiative” means any initiative under which advice, assistance or support is provided by the Secretary of State or any qualifying persons listed in regulation 10(1)(e) to a universal credit claimant for the purposes of assisting them with— managing their claim for or award of universal credit, including accessing and using online services, or managing their financial affairs. . 3 In regulation 5 (supply of relevant information by the Secretary of State)— a after paragraph (1)(f) , insert— g where the qualifying person is a social landlord and the relevant information is limited to information referred to in paragraph (3A), determining whether a universal credit claimant, whose award includes or is likely to include a housing costs element in respect of accommodation provided by that social landlord, needs advice, assistance or support in relation to managing their financial affairs; h where the qualifying person is listed in regulation 10(1)(e) and the Secretary of State or any qualifying person listed in regulation 10(1)(e) determines that a universal credit claimant needs advice, assistance or support under a universal support initiative— i providing such advice, assistance or support to that person; and ii monitoring and evaluating the provision of such advice, assistance or support. ; b after paragraph (3), insert— 3A The information referred to in paragraph (1)(g) is information confirming— a the identity of the universal credit claimant; b that the universal credit claimant has a tenancy with the social landlord; c the date on which the universal credit claimant made a claim for or was awarded universal credit; or d in a case where universal credit has been awarded to the universal credit claimant— i the date on which the next payment of universal credit is due to be paid; ii whether the next payment is the first payment under the award; or iii the amount of housing costs element in the next payment under the award. ; c after paragraph (4)(d), insert— e “housing costs element” means an amount in respect of housing costs which is included in an award of universal credit under section 11 of the 2012 Act. . 4 After regulation 6(1)(p) (holding purposes), insert— q where the qualifying person is listed in regulation 10(1)(e)— i providing advice, assistance or support to a universal credit claimant under a universal support initiative; and ii monitoring and evaluating the provision of such advice, assistance or support. . 5 After regulation 9B (using purposes connected with local welfare provision), insert— Using purposes connected with a universal support initiative 9C 1 This regulation applies to relevant information held by a qualifying person listed in regulation 10(1)(e) for the purposes listed in regulation 6(1)(q). 2 The purposes set out in paragraph (3) are prescribed— a under section 131(3)(a) of the 2012 Act as purposes for which the information may be used by that qualifying person; and b under section 131(3)(b) of the 2012 Act as purposes for use in relation to which the information may be supplied by that qualifying person to another qualifying person. 3 The purposes are any purposes connected with— a providing advice, assistance or support to a universal credit claimant under a universal support initiative; and b monitoring and evaluating the provision of such advice, assistance or support. 4 This regulation permits relevant information to be supplied to another qualifying person only where that other qualifying person is listed in regulation 10(1)(e). . 6 In regulation 10 (qualifying persons)— a in paragraph (1)(a), after “regulations” insert “5(1)(g),”; b after regulation 10(1)(d), insert— e for the purposes of regulations 5(1)(h), 6(1)(q), 9C, 16(d) and 17(3)(c)— i a person listed in section 131(11)(a), (b) or (c) of the 2012 Act, ii a member of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux or the Scottish Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux , iii a credit union within section 1 of the Credit Unions Act 1979 , iv a social landlord, v a charity entered in the register of charities maintained under Part 4 of the Charities Act 2011 or a body entered on the register of charities maintained under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 . . 7 After regulation 16(c) (holding purposes), insert— d where the qualifying person is listed in regulation 10(1)(e)— i providing advice, assistance or support to a universal credit claimant under a universal support initiative; and ii monitoring and evaluating the provision of such advice, assistance or support. . 8 After regulation 17(3)(b) (prescribed purposes relating to a relevant social security benefit), insert— c in relation to either of the purposes prescribed in regulation 16(d)— i providing advice, assistance or support to a universal credit claimant under a universal support initiative; and ii monitoring and evaluating the provision of such advice, assistance or support. . Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Freud Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department for Work and Pensions 21st January 2015