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Protected groups scrapped?
I can’t find any equivalent of the HB protected groups in UC which would exempt people from rent restrictions (e.g. if bereaved). Have I missed these rules or have they not been carried over?
Bereavement is covered at Reg 37 of http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/376/regulation/37/made :
Run-on after a death
37. In calculating the maximum amount of an award where any of the following persons has died—
(a)in the case of a joint award, one member of the couple;
(b)a child or qualifying young person for whom a claimant was responsible; or
(c)in the case of a claimant who had regular and substantial caring responsibilities for a severely disabled person, that person,
the award is to continue to be calculated as if the person had not died for the assessment period in which the death occurs and the following two assessment periods.
Only applies to child, partner or cared for person, not other people in household (siblings, non-dependents, etc.) as far as I know.
Thanks Billy.
It seems that this is quite a significant change from the Housing Benefit rules which enabled a rent restriction to be delayed for up to 12 months if any member of the the family had died.
I also understand that there is no 13-week protection for people who could afford the rent when they moved in , and very little provision for people who are unavoidably liable for rent on two properties?