Social Security Citation and commencement 1 These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security (Housing Costs Amendments) Regulations 2015 and come into force on 1st April 2016. Amendment of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 2 1 The Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 are amended as follows, subject to regulation 8 (saving provision). 2 In Schedule 3 (housing costs) — a in paragraph 1(2) (housing costs), omit the definition of “existing housing costs” and “new housing costs”; b omit paragraph 6 (existing housing costs); c omit paragraph 7 (transitional protection); d in paragraph 8 (new housing costs)— i in sub-paragraphs (1) and (1A), omit “new”; ii omit sub-paragraphs (2) to (5); and iii for the heading, substitute “Housing costs”; e in paragraph 9 (general exclusions from paragraphs 6 and 8)— i in sub-paragraph (1), for “Paragraphs 6 and 8” substitute “Paragraph 8”; and ii in the heading, for “paragraphs 6 and 8” substitute “paragraph 8”; f in paragraph 10 (the calculation for loans), for “existing housing costs or, as the case may be, new housing costs” substitute “housing costs”; g in paragraph 11 (general provisions applying to new and existing housing costs)— i omit sub-paragraphs (2) and (3); and ii in the heading, omit “new and existing”; h in paragraph 13(9) (excessive housing costs), for “paragraphs 6 and 8” substitute “paragraph 8”; and i in paragraph 14 (linking rule)— i in sub-paragraph (3AA)(a), omit “6(1) or”; ii in sub-paragraph (9), omit paragraph (a); and iii in sub-paragraph (13), omit “6(1)(a), 6(1)(b) or”. Amendment of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996 3 1 The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996 are amended as follows, subject to regulation 8 (saving provision). 2 In Schedule 2 (housing costs) — a in paragraph 1(2) (housing costs), omit the definition of “existing housing costs” and “new housing costs”; b omit paragraph 6 (existing housing costs); c in paragraph 7 (new housing costs)— i in sub-paragraphs (1) and (2), omit “new”; ii omit sub-paragraphs (3) to (7); and iii for the heading, substitute “Housing costs”; d in paragraph 8 (general exclusions from paragraphs 6 and 7)— i in sub-paragraph (1), for “Paragraphs 6 and 7” substitute “Paragraph 7”; and ii in the heading, for “Paragraphs 6 and 7” substitute “Paragraph 7”; e in paragraph 9 (the calculation for loans), for “existing housing costs or, as the case may be, new housing costs” substitute “housing costs”; f in paragraph 10 (general provisions applying to new and existing housing costs)— i omit sub-paragraphs (1) and (2); and ii in the heading, omit “new and existing”; g in paragraph 12(9) (excessive housing costs), for “paragraphs 6 and 7” substitute “paragraph 7”; h in paragraph 13 (linking rule)— i in sub-paragraph (4A)(a), omit “6(1) or”; ii in sub-paragraph (11), omit paragraph (a); and iii in sub-paragraph (15), omit “6(1)(a), 6(1)(b) or”; and i in paragraph 18 (continuity with income support or income-related employment and support allowance), omit sub-paragraph (1)(a). Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2008 4 1 The Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2008 are amended as follows, subject to regulation 8 (saving provision). 2 In Schedule 6 (housing costs) — a in paragraph 1(2) (housing costs), omit the definition of “existing housing costs” and “new housing costs”; b omit paragraph 8 (existing housing costs); c in paragraph 9 (new housing costs)— i in sub-paragraphs (1) and (2), omit “new”; ii omit sub-paragraphs (4) to (7); and iii for the heading, substitute “Housing costs”; d in paragraph 10 (general exclusions from paragraphs 8 and 9)— i in sub-paragraph (1), for “Paragraphs 8 and 9” substitute “Paragraph 9”; and ii in the heading, for “paragraphs 8 and 9” substitute “paragraph 9”; e in paragraph 11 (the calculation for loans), for “existing housing costs or, as the case may be, new housing costs” substitute “housing costs”; f in paragraph 12 (general provisions applying to new and existing housing costs)— i omit sub-paragraphs (1) and (2); and ii in the heading, omit “new and existing”; g in paragraph 14(9) (excessive housing costs), for “paragraphs 8 and 9” substitute “paragraph 9”; h in paragraph 15 (linking rule)— i in sub-paragraph (6)(a), omit “8(1) or”; ii in sub-paragraph (14), omit paragraph (a); and iii in sub-paragraph (18), omit “8(1)(a), 8(1)(b) or”; and i in paragraph 20 (continuity with income support, an income-based jobseeker’s allowance or state pension credit), omit sub-paragraph (1)(a). Amendment of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 5 1 The Universal Credit Regulations 2013 are amended as follows, subject to regulation 8 (saving provision). 2 In Schedule 5 (housing costs element for owner-occupiers), in paragraph 5(2)(a) and (b) (no housing costs element under this Schedule for qualifying period), for “3” substitute “9”. Amendment of the Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2014 6 1 The Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2014 are amended as follows, subject to regulation 8 (saving provision). 2 In regulation 29 (support for housing costs), in paragraph (5)(b), for “91” substitute “273”. Revocation 7 1 The Social Security (Housing Costs Special Arrangements) (Amendment and Modification) Regulations 2008 are revoked, subject to sub-paragraph (2) and regulation 8 (saving provision). 2 The following provisions (which are relevant to the capital limit for eligible loans and the limitation applicable to eligible loans in the case of a jobseeker’s allowance) are not revoked— a regulation 1 (citation, commencement and interpretation); b regulation 3 (application); c regulation 4(c) (modification of the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations); d regulation 5(c) (modification of the Income Support Regulations); e regulation 6(a) and (d) (modification of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations); f regulation 8 (application and interpretation); g regulation 9(f)(iii) (modification of the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations); h regulation 10(f)(iii) (modification of the Income Support Regulations); i regulation 11(b) and (g)(iii) (modification of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations); and j regulation 12 (modifications relating to certain persons who claim State Pension Credit). Saving provision 8 1 This regulation applies to a person (“P”) where, for the purpose of determining whether P’s entitlement to a relevant benefit includes an amount for housing costs, the Secretary of State determines that P is entitled or required to be treated as entitled to one or more relevant benefits for a continuous period which includes 31st March 2016. 2 Where this regulation applies to P, the provisions of— a Schedule 6 to the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2008; b Schedule 3 to the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987; and c Schedule 2 to the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996, as modified by the Social Security (Housing Costs Special Arrangements) (Amendment and Modification) Regulations 2008 are to have effect in relation to P as if the amendments made by regulations 2 to 4 of these Regulations and the revocation made by regulation 7(1) had not been made. 3 Where this regulation applies to P, the provisions of Schedule 5 to the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 are to have effect in relation to P as if the amendments made by regulations 5 and 6 of these Regulations had not been made. 4 In this regulation, “relevant benefit” means— a an employment and support allowance under Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2007; b income support under the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987; c a jobseeker’s allowance under the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996; and d universal credit under Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012. Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. Freud Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions 7th September 2015