Legalize / United Kingdom / Scotland / Scottish-Statutory-Instrument

The Council Tax Reduction (Scotland) Regulations 2021

Type Scottish-Statutory-Instrument

Publication 2021-06-23

Last updated 2026-03-15

State In force

Jurisdiction Scotland

Department King's Printer for Scotland

Source legislation.gov.uk

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(a) a national of a state which has ratified the European Convention on Social and Medical Assistance (done in Paris on 11 December 1953) or a state which has ratified the Council of Europe Social Charter (signed in Turin on 18 October 1961), and

(b) lawfully present in the United Kingdom.

Persons not entitled to council tax reduction: students

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(1) Except to the extent that a student may be entitled to second adult rebate by virtue of regulation 13 (conditions of entitlement to council tax reduction), a student to whom paragraph (2) applies is not entitled to council tax reduction in respect of a day and a dwelling of which that student is resident.

(2) This paragraph applies—

(a) subject to paragraphs (3) and (7), to a full-time student, and

(b) to a student who is treated as not being in Great Britain in accordance with regulation 16 (persons not entitled to council tax reduction: persons treated as not being in Great Britain).

(3) Paragraph (2)(a) does not apply to a student—

(a) who is a person on a qualifying income-related benefit or who has an award of universal credit,

(b) who is a lone parent,

(c) whose applicable amount would, but for this regulation, include disability premium under paragraph 11 of schedule 1 or severe disability premium under paragraph 13 of that schedule,

(d) whose applicable amount would include the disability premium but for the student being treated as capable of work by virtue of a determination made in accordance with Regulations made under section 171E of the 1992 Act[^f00128],

(e) who is, or is treated as, incapable of work and has been so incapable, or has been so treated as incapable, of work in accordance with the provisions of, and Regulations made under, Part 12A of the 1992 Act (incapacity for work) for a continuous period of not less than 196 days, and for this purpose any two or more separate periods separated by a break of not more than 56 days is to be treated as one continuous period,

(f) who has, or is treated as having, limited capability for work and has had, or been treated as having, limited capability for work in accordance with the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations or the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2013 for a continuous period of not less than 196 days, and for this purpose any two or more separate periods separated by a break of not more than 84days are to be treated as one continuous period,

(g) who has a partner who is also a full-time student, if the student or that partner is responsible for a child or young person,

(h) who is a single applicant with whom a child is placed by a local authority or voluntary organisation within the meaning of the Children Act 1989[^f00129] under section 26(1)(a) of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 or in respect of whom arrangements have been made by a local authority under section 26(1)(c) of that Act,

(i) who is—

(i) aged under 21 and whose course of study is not a course of higher education,

(ii) aged 21 and attained that age during a course of study which is not a course of higher education, or

(iii) a young person or child within the meaning of section 142 of the 1992 Act (child and qualifying young person)[^f00131],

(j) in respect of whom , on account of the student’s disability by reason of deafness—

(i) a supplementary requirement has been determined under paragraph 9 of Part 2 of schedule 2 of the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 2003[^f00132],

(ii) an allowance, or as the case may be, bursary has been granted which includes a sum under regulation 4(1)(d) of the Students’ Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 2007[^f00133] in respect of expenses incurred,

(iii) a payment has been made under section 2 of the Education Act 1962[^f00134] or under or by virtue of Regulations made under the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998[^f00135],

(iv) a grant has been made under regulation38 of the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011[^f00136], regulation25 of the Assembly Learning Grants and Loans (Higher Education) (Wales) (No.2) Regulations 2011[^f00137] or regulation5 of the Education (Student Support) (No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009[^f00138], or

(v) a supplementary requirement has been determined under paragraph9 of schedule6 of the Students Awards Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003[^f00139] or a payment has been made under article 50(3) of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986[^f00140] ....

(4) Where paragraph (3)(e) applies to a full-time student and the student ceases, for a period of 56 days or less, to be incapable or to be treated as incapable of work, on the student again becoming incapable or treated as incapable of work, paragraph (3)(e) applies for so long as the student remains incapable or is treated as remaining incapable of work.

(5) In paragraph 3(i)—

(a) head (ii) only applies to an applicant until the end of the course during which the applicant attained the age of 21, and

(b) a reference to a course of higher education is a reference to a course of any description mentioned in schedule 6 of the Education Reform Act 1988[^f00141].

(6) A full-time student to whom paragraph (3)(j) applies, is to be treated as satisfying that sub-paragraph from the date on which the student made a request for the supplementary requirement, allowance, bursary or payment as the case may be.

(7) Paragraph (2) does not apply to a full-time student for the period specified in paragraph(8) if—

(a) at any time during an academic year, with the consent of the relevant educational establishment, the student ceases to attend or undertake a course of study because the student is—

(i) engaged in caring for another person, or

(ii) ill,

(b) the student has subsequently ceased to be engaged in caring for the person or, as the case may be, has subsequently recovered from that illness, and

(8) The period specified for the purposes of paragraph (7) is the period, not exceeding one year, beginning on the day on which the student ceased to be engaged in caring for the person or, as the case may be, the day on which the student recovered from that illness and ending on the day before the earliest of—

(a) the day on which the student resumes attending or undertaking the course of study, or

(b) the day from which the relevant educational establishment agrees that the student may resume attending or undertaking the course of study.

(9) In paragraph (7) “academic year” means the period of 12 months beginning on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July or 1 September according to whether the course in question begins in the winter, the spring, the summer or the autumn respectively but if students are required to begin attending the course during August or September and to continue attending through the autumn, the academic year of the course is to be considered to begin in the autumn rather than the summer.

CHAPTER 3 — Over-entitlement

Non-recovery of council tax arrears caused by official error

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(1) Arrears of council tax are not recoverable if they arise in consequence of an over‑entitlement to council tax reduction as described in paragraph (2).

(2) This paragraph applies to an over-entitlement which arises in consequence of an official error where the applicant or a person acting on their behalf or any other person to whom the council tax reduction is awarded could not have reasonably been expected to realise that it was an over-entitlement at the time it arose or upon any subsequent notification of entitlement.

(3) In this regulation, “over-entitlement” means an amount of council tax reduction which was awarded and to which there was no entitlement (whether on the initial decision or as subsequently reviewed or superseded or further reviewed or superseded).

(4) In this regulation, “official error” means a mistake, whether in the form of an act or omission, by—

(a) the relevant authority,

(b) an officer or person acting for the relevant authority, or

where the applicant, a person acting on their behalf or any other person to whom the council tax reduction is awarded, did not cause or materially contribute to that mistake.

PART 4 — Procedural Matters

CHAPTER 1 — Applications

Who may apply

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In the case of a couple an application is to be made by whichever one of them they agree should apply or, in default of agreement, by whichever one of them the relevant authority determines is to make the application.

Written applications

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(1) Subject to regulation 24 (applications: universal credit claimants) and regulation 25 (telephone applications) an application must be sent in writing to the office designated by the relevant authority as the office to which applications should be sent and—

(a) made on a properly completed form approved for the purposes by the relevant authority, or

(b) in such written form as the relevant authority accepts as sufficient in the circumstances of any particular case or class of cases having regard to the sufficiency of the written information and evidence.

(2) Where an application is not made in the form described in paragraph (1)(a) or (b) it is defective.

(3) Where an application is defective because—

(a) it was made on the form approved for the purpose but that form is not accepted by the relevant authority as being properly completed, the relevant authority may request the applicant to complete the defective application, or

(b) it was made in writing but not on the form approved for the purpose and the relevant authority does not accept the application as being in a written form which is sufficient in the circumstances of the case, having regard to the sufficiency of the written information and evidence, the relevant authority may supply the applicant with the approved form or request further information or evidence.

(4) A defective application is to be treated as if it had been validly made in the first instance if, in any particular case, one of the conditions specified in paragraph (5) is satisfied.

(5) The conditions are that—

(a) where paragraph (3)(a) (incomplete form) applies, the relevant authority receives the properly completed application or the information requested to complete it within one month of the authority’s request, or any longer period the relevant authority considers reasonable, or

(b) where paragraph (3)(b) (application not on approved form or further information requested by relevant authority) applies—

(i) the approved form sent to the applicant is received by the relevant authority properly completed within one month of it having been sent to the applicant, or any longer period the relevant authority considers reasonable, or

(ii) the applicant supplies whatever information or evidence was requested under that paragraph within one month of the request, or any longer period the relevant authority considers reasonable.

(6) An application made on an approved form is for the purposes of these Regulations properly completed if completed in accordance with the instructions on the form, including any instructions to provide information and evidence in connection with the application.

Applications: universal credit claimants

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(1) An application may be treated as made where—

(a) a person has made a claim for universal credit,

(b) the Secretary of State has supplied relevant information in relation to that person to a relevant authority in accordance with section 131 of the 2012 Act (information-sharing in relation to welfare services etc.)[^f00142], and

(2) Paragraph (1) is not to be construed as creating a duty, obligation, or right which is contrary to any duty, obligation or right created by—

(a) the data protection legislation listed in section 3(9) of the Data Protection Act 2018[^f00143], or

(b) any other rule of law which relates to data protection.

Telephone applications

25

(1) Where the relevant authority has published a telephone number for the purpose of receiving applications for council tax reduction, an application may be made by telephone to that telephone number.

(2) The relevant authority may determine that an application made by telephone is not a valid application unless the applicant approves a written statement of the person’s circumstances, provided by the relevant authority.

(3) An application made by telephone in accordance with paragraph (1) is defective unless the relevant authority is provided with all the information requested by it during the telephone call.

(4) Where an application made by telephone in accordance with paragraph (1) is defective, the applicant must be given an opportunity to correct the defect.

(5) If the applicant corrects the defect referred to in paragraph (4) within one month, or any longer period the relevant authority considers reasonable, of the date the authority last drew attention to the defect, the application is to be treated as if it had been validly made in the first instance.

(6) If the person does not correct the defect within one month, or any longer period the relevant authority considers reasonable, of the date the authority last drew attention to the defect, the application may be treated as if it had not been defective if the relevant authority considers that it has sufficient information to determine the application.

Date on which an application is made

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(1) Subject to paragraph (3) and regulation 9(9) (occupation of a dwelling as a home) the date on which an application is made is—

(a) where an award of a qualifying income-related benefit or universal credit has been made to the applicant or the applicant’s partner and the application for council tax reduction is made, or is treated as made, within one month of the date on which the claim for that qualifying income-related benefit or universal credit was received at the appropriate DWP office, the first day of entitlement to that qualifying income-related benefit or universal credit arising from that claim,

(b) where an applicant or the applicant’s partner is a person on qualifying income-related benefit or universal credit and the applicant becomes liable for the first time to pay council tax in respect of the dwelling which the applicant occupies as a home, where the application is received by the relevant authority within one month of the date on which the applicant first became liable to pay council tax, the date on which the applicant first became so liable,

(c) where an applicant separates from a partner who was entitled to council tax reduction at the time of the separation, and where the applicant makes an application for council tax reduction within one month of the separation, the date of the separation,

(d) where the applicant (“A”) was the partner of a person (“B”) at the date of B’s death and—

(i) B was entitled to council tax reduction at that date,

(ii) immediately before B’s death, A and B jointly had an award of universal credit, and

(iii) where A makes an application for council tax reduction within one month of the last day on which B is treated as if B had not died for the purpose of entitlement to universal credit in accordance with regulation 37(a) of the 2013 Regulations,

the last day on which B is treated as if B had not died for the purpose of entitlement to universal credit in accordance with regulation 37(a) of the 2013 Regulations (run-on after a death),

(e) where the applicant (“A”) was the partner of a person (“B”) at the date of B’s death and—

(i) B was entitled to council tax reduction at that date,

(ii) immediately before B’s death, neither A nor B had any award of universal credit, or either A or B had an award of universal credit, but it was not awarded to A and B jointly, and

(iii) A makes an application for council tax reduction within one month of the date of B’s death,

that date,

(f) except where sub-paragraph (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e) is satisfied, in a case where a properly completed application is received within one month, or any longer period the relevant authority considers reasonable, of the date on which—

(i) an application form was issued to the applicant following the applicant first notifying, by whatever means, the relevant authority of an intention to make an application, or

(ii) the applicant notifies, by whatever means, the relevant authority of an intention to make an application by telephone in accordance with regulation 25 (telephone applications),

the date of first notification,

(g) in any other case, the date on which the application is received by the relevant authority.

(2) For the purpose of paragraph (1)(a), a person who has been awarded an income-based jobseeker’s allowance or an income-related employment and support allowance is to be treated as entitled to that allowance for any days which immediately precede the first day of that award and on which the person would, but for Regulations made under—

(a) in the case of income-based jobseeker’s allowance, paragraph 4 of schedule 1 of the Jobseekers Act (waiting days), or

(b) in the case of income-related employment and support allowance, paragraph 2 of schedule 2 of the 2007 Act (waiting days),

have been entitled to that allowance.

(3) Except in the case of an application made by a person living abroad, where a person has not become liable for council tax to a relevant authority but it is anticipated that the person will become liable within the period of 8 weeks, the person may apply for council tax reduction at any time in that period and, provided that liability arises within that 8 week period, the relevant authority is to treat the application as having been made on the day on which the liability for council tax arises.

(4) Where a relevant authority has not set or imposed its council tax by the beginning of the financial year, if an application for council tax reduction is properly made or treated as made and—

(a) the date on which the application is made or treated as made is in the period from 1April of the current year and ending one month after the date on which the authority sets or imposes the tax, and

(b) if the tax had been determined, the applicant would have been entitled to council tax reduction either from—

(i) the reduction week in which 1 April of the current year fell, or

(ii) a reduction week falling after the date specified in head (i) but before the application was made,

the relevant authority must treat the application as made in the reduction week immediately preceding the reduction week in which such entitlement would have commenced.

(5) Except in the case of an application made by a person living abroad, where the applicant is not entitled to council tax reduction in the reduction week immediately following the date of the application but the relevant authority is of the opinion that unless there is a change of circumstances the applicant will be entitled to council tax reduction for a period beginning not later than the thirteenth reduction week following the date on which the application is made, the relevant authority may treat the application as made on a date in the reduction week immediately preceding the first reduction week of that period of entitlement and grant entitlement to council tax reduction accordingly.

(6) In the case of a person who has attained, or whose partner has attained, the age which is 17weeks younger than pensionable age, paragraph (5) applies as if for the reference to the thirteenth reduction week, there was substituted a reference to the seventeenth reduction week.

(7) Where an applicant (“C”)—

(a) makes an application which includes (or which C subsequently requests should include) a period before the application is made, and

(b) from a day in that period, up to the date when C made the application (or subsequently requested that the application should include a past period), C had continuous good cause for failing to make an application (or request that the application should include that period),

the application is to be treated as made on the date determined in accordance with paragraph(8).

(8) The date referred to in paragraph (7) is the latest of—

(a) the first day from which C had continuous good cause for failing to make the application,

(b) the day 6 months before the date the application was made, or

(9) In this regulation “appropriate DWP office” means—

(a) an office of the Department for Work and Pensions or any other place designated by the Secretary of State as a place to, or at which, any claim, notice, document, evidence or other information may be sent, delivered or received for the purposes of a claim for a qualifying income-related benefit or universal credit and includes a postal address specified by the Secretary of State for that purpose, or

(b) an address approved by means of a direction given by the Secretary of State for the purposes of receiving any claim, notice, document, evidence or other information sent by electronic communications for the purposes of a claim for a qualifying income-related benefit or universal credit.

Evidence and information

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(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) to (4) an applicant must furnish any certificates, documents, information and evidence in connection with an application for council tax reduction or existing entitlement to council tax reduction as may reasonably be required by the relevant authority in order to determine that person’s entitlement to, or continuing entitlement to, council tax reduction and must do so within one month of the authority requiring the applicant to do so, or any longer period the authority considers reasonable.

(2) Nothing in this regulation requires a person to furnish any certificates, documents, information or evidence relating to a payment to which paragraph (3) applies.

(3) This paragraph applies to—

(a) a payment which is disregarded under regulation 75 (special schemes for compensation etc.), other than a payment by ILF Scotland, and

(b) a payment which is disregarded under regulation 90(9)(b) (non-dependant deductions) or paragraph 2(b) of schedule 2 (amount of second adult rebate: second adult’s gross income), other than a payment by ILF Scotland.

(4) Where a request is made under paragraph (1) the relevant authority must—

(a) inform the applicant of the duty under regulation 31 to notify the authority of any change of circumstances, and

(b) without prejudice to the extent of the duty owed under regulation 31, indicate to the applicant, either orally or by notice or by reference to some other document available to that applicant, on application and without charge, the kind of changes of circumstances which are to be notified.

(5) Where an applicant or any partner of that applicant has attained pensionable age and is a member of, or a person deriving entitlement to a pension under, a personal pension scheme, the applicant must, where the relevant authority so requires, furnish the following information—

(a) the name and address of the pension fund holder, and

(b) any other information including any reference or policy number as is needed to enable the personal pension scheme to be identified.

(6) In this regulation “pension fund holder” means the trustees, managers or scheme administrators, as the case may be, of the scheme concerned.

Amendment of applications

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(1) Subject to paragraph (2), at any time before a relevant authority has made a determination on an application the applicant may amend the application by notice in writing sent to the office designated by the relevant authority as the office to which applications should be sent.

(2) Where an application is made by telephone in accordance with regulation 25 (telephone applications) an amendment may be made by telephone to the telephone number specified by the relevant authority for the purpose of that regulation.

(3) Any application amended in accordance with paragraph (1) or (2) is to be treated as if it had been in its amended state when it was first made.

Withdrawal of applications

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(1) An applicant may withdraw the application at any time by notice in writing delivered or sent to the office designated by the relevant authority as the office to which applications should be sent before the relevant authority has determined the application.

(2) Where the application was made by telephone in accordance with regulation 25, the withdrawal may be made by telephone to the telephone number specified by the relevant authority for the purpose of that regulation.

(3) Any notice of withdrawal given in accordance with paragraph (1) or (2) has effect when it is received by the relevant authority.

Sending documents by electronic communication

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(1) For the purpose of these Regulations, an applicant may send a document by electronic communication—

(a) in a form approved by the relevant authority for the purposes of this regulation,

(b) to an address notified by the relevant authority for the purpose of this regulation, and

(2) An applicant sending a document to a relevant authority by electronic communications is taken to have agreed—

(a) to the use of electronic communications for all purposes relating to the application which are capable of being carried out electronically, and

(b) that the address for the purpose of such communications is the address incorporated into, or otherwise logically associated with, that communication.

(3) Deemed agreement referred to in paragraph (2) subsists until the applicant gives notice to revoke the agreement, and the notice takes effect from the date specified in it, being a date not less than 7 working days after the date on which the notice is given.

(4) An electronic communication must be—

(a) capable of being accessed by the recipient,

(b) legible in all other material respects, and

(5) Unless the contrary is proved a document sent by the method specified in paragraph (4) is, for the purposes of any legal proceedings, to be regarded as having been—

(a) delivered where the document has been delivered to or by the relevant authority and the delivery of the document has been recorded on an official computer system, and

(b) received at the time and date of receipt recorded in an official computer system.

(6) In this regulation—

“address” includes any number or address used for the purpose of electronic communications or storage,

“document” includes an application, notice, certificate, information and evidence,

“electronic communication” has the same meaning as in section 15(1) of the Electronic Communications Act 2000[^f00144],

“legible in all material respects” means that the information contained in the document is available to the recipient to no lesser extent than it would be if sent or given by means of a document in printed form, and

“official computer system” means a computer system maintained by or on behalf of the relevant authority for the sending, receiving, processing or storing of an application.

CHAPTER 2 — Notification of change of circumstances

Duty to notify changes of circumstances

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(1) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4) and regulation 32 (alternative means of notifying changes of circumstances), if at any time between the making of an application and it being determined or during a period of entitlement to council tax reduction, there is a change of circumstances which an applicant might reasonably be expected to know might affect entitlement to council tax reduction that applicant must notify that change of circumstances by giving notice to the relevant authority—

(a) in writing, or

(b) by telephone—

(i) where the relevant authority has published a telephone number for that purpose or for the purposes of regulation 25 (telephone applications), unless the authority determines that in any particular case, or class of case, notification of a change of circumstances may not be given by telephone, or

(ii) in any case, or class of case, where the relevant authority determines that notice of a change of circumstances may be given by telephone, or

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), the duty imposed by paragraph (1) does not extend to notifying changes—

(a) in the amount of council tax payable to the relevant authority,

(b) in the age of the applicant or of any member of the applicant’s family,

(d) in the case of an applicant who has an award of a qualifying income‑related benefit, in circumstances which affect the amount of the award but not the amount of council tax reduction to which the applicant is or would be entitled, or

(e) in the case of an applicant who has an award of universal credit, in circumstances where the relevant authority will be made aware of the change of circumstances by the Secretary of State.

(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2)(b), (d) or (e) an applicant is required by paragraph (1) to notify the relevant authority of—

(a) any change in the composition of the applicant’s family arising from the fact that a person who was a member of the family is now no longer a member of the family because that person ceased to be a child or young person, or

(b) the cessation of entitlement to universal credit or a qualifying income-related benefit.

(4) Where the amount of council tax reduction is the second adult rebate applicable to the applicant calculated in accordance with regulation 91 (second adult rebate), the applicant is under a duty to give written notice to the relevant authority of—

(a) changes which occur—

(i) in the number of adults in the dwelling, or

(ii) in those adults’ total gross incomes,

which might reasonably be expected to change the applicant’s entitlement to council tax reduction,

(b) where any of the adults in the dwelling ceases to be in receipt of—

(i) state pension credit,

(ii) universal credit, or

(iii) a qualifying income-related benefit,

the date when this occurs.

Alternative means of notifying changes of circumstances

32

Where a change of circumstances described in regulation 31(1) (duty to notify changes of circumstances) is a birth or death the relevant authority may determine for a particular class of case that the duty in that regulation to notify a change of circumstances may be discharged by personal attendance at an office specified by that authority.

CHAPTER 3 — Effective Date

Date on which entitlement is to begin

33

(1) Subject to paragraph (2), where a person—

(a) makes, or is treated as making, an application, and

(b) fulfils the conditions of entitlement to council tax reduction in regulation 13 or 14,

that person is entitled to council tax reduction from the first Monday after the date on which the application is made or treated as made.

(2) Where, a person—

(a) becomes liable for the first time for council tax in respect of a dwelling in which the person resides,

(b) makes, or is treated as making, an application in the reduction week in which the person first becomes liable for council tax in respect of that dwelling, and

that person is entitled to council tax reduction from the day on which the person first becomes liable for council tax.

Date on which a change of circumstances is to take effect

34

(A1) Subject to paragraph (8), this regulation applies only where a change of circumstances occurs in the case of an applicant who does not have an award of universal credit.

(1) Subject to the provisions of this regulation, for the purpose of calculating entitlement to council tax reduction a change of circumstances which affects entitlement to council tax reduction is to take effect from the first day of the reduction week starting immediately after the date on which the change actually occurs, and where that change is cessation of entitlement to any benefit under the benefit Acts, the date on which the change actually occurs is the day immediately following the last day of entitlement to that benefit.

(2) Where the change of circumstances is a change in the amount—

(a) of any benefit a person receives under the benefit Acts and the rate of that benefit is altered with effect from a date on or after 1 April in a year, but not later than 15 April in a year, the relevant authority may treat the person as possessing that benefit at the altered rate from 1 April or from the first Monday in April in that year,

(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), where the change of circumstances is a change in the amount of council tax payable, it takes effect from the day on which it actually occurs.

(4) Where the change of circumstances is a change in the amount a person is liable to pay in respect of council tax in consequence of Regulations under section 80 of the Act (reduced amounts of council tax)[^f00145] or changes in the discount to which a dwelling may be subject under section79 of that Act[^f00146], it takes effect from the day on which the change in amount has effect.

(5) Where the change of circumstances is an amendment to these Regulations, it takes effect from the date on which the amendment to these Regulations comes into force.

(6) Where the change of circumstances is the applicant’s acquisition of a partner, it takes effect on the day on which the acquisition takes place.

(7) Where the change of circumstances is the applicant’s separation from a partner, it takes effect on the day on which the separation takes place.

(8) Where the change of circumstances is the death of an applicant’s partner and at the date of that death neither the applicant nor the applicant’s partner had any award of universal credit, ... the change of circumstances takes effect on the date of that death.

(9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(10) If two or more changes of circumstances occurring in the same reduction week would, but for this paragraph, take effect in different reduction weeks in accordance with paragraphs (1) to (8) they take effect from the day to which the appropriate paragraph from (2) to (8) refers, or, where more than one day is concerned, from the earlier day.

(11) Where the change of circumstances is that income, or an increase in the amount of income, other than a benefit or an increase in the amount of a benefit under the 1992 Act, Part 4 of the 2012 Act or article 24A of the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) Order 2011[^f00147], is paid in respect of a past period and there was no entitlement to income of that amount during that period, it takes effect from the first day on which the income, had it been paid in that period at intervals appropriate to that income, would have been taken into account for the purposes of these Regulations.

(12) Without prejudice to paragraph (8), where the change of circumstances is the payment of income or arrears of income in respect of a past period, it takes effect from the first day on which the income, had it been timeously paid in that period at intervals appropriate to that income, would have been taken into account for the purposes of these Regulations.

(13) Where the change of circumstances is that—

(a) a conversion decision within the meaning of regulation 5(2)(a) of the Employment and Support Allowance (Existing Awards) Regulations has been made in relation to the applicant or the applicant’s partner, or

(b) the applicant or the applicant’s partner is appealing a conversion decision within the meaning of regulation 5(2)(b) of the Employment and Support Allowance (Existing Awards) Regulations and is treated as having limited capability for work by virtue of regulation 30 of the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations[^f00148] as modified by the Employment and Support Allowance (Existing Awards) Regulations,

it takes effect, where the conversion decision takes effect on or after 1 April in any year but before 16 April of that year, from 1 April and in any other case from the day the conversion decision takes effect.

PART 5 — Applicable amount

Applicable amount

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An applicant’s weekly applicable amount is the aggregate of each of the following amounts which apply in the applicant’s case—

(a) an amount in respect of the applicant or, if the applicant is a member of a couple, an amount in respect of both of them, determined in accordance with paragraph 1 (personal allowances) of schedule1 (the “personal allowance”),

(b) an amount determined in accordance with paragraph 2 of schedule 1 in respect of any child or young person who is a member of the applicant’s family (the “child premium”),

(c) an additional amount determined in accordance with paragraph 3, 4, 4A , 4C or 4D of schedule 1 in respect of any child or young person who is disabled (the “disabled child premium” and “enhanced disability premium”),

(d) an amount determined in accordance with paragraph 5 of schedule 1 in respect of any regular and substantial caring responsibilities for a severely disabled person (the “carer premium”),

(e) the amount of any premiums which are applicable, determined in accordance with Parts 4 and 5 of schedule 1 (“disability premiums”),

(f) the amount of either the—

(i) work-related activity component, or

(ii) support component,

if applicable in accordance with Part 6 of schedule 1 (components),

(g) the amount of any transitional family premium determined in accordance with regulation 98 (transitional family premium),

(h) the amount of any transitional addition which may be applicable to the applicant in accordance with Part 6 of schedule 1 (transitional addition) of the 2012 Regulations.

PART 6 — Assessment of household income and capital

CHAPTER 1 — General

Calculation of income and capital of members of applicant’s family

36

(1) The income and capital of an applicant’s partner is to be treated as income and capital of the applicant and is to be calculated or estimated in accordance with the provisions of this Part in the same way the applicant’s income and capital is calculated or estimated and any reference to the “applicant” in this Part and in schedule 4 is, except where the context otherwise requires, to be construed for the purposes of this Part as if it included a reference to the applicant’s partner.

(2) The income and capital of a child or young person is not to be treated as the income and capital of the applicant.

Circumstances in which income and capital of a non-dependant is to be treated as applicant’s

37

(1) Where it appears to the relevant authority that a non-dependant and the applicant have entered into arrangements in order to take advantage of the council tax reduction scheme set out in these Regulations and the non-dependant has more capital and income than the applicant, the authority must, except where the applicant is on a qualifying income-related benefit, treat the applicant as possessing the capital and income of the non-dependant and must disregard any capital and income which the applicant does possess.

(2) Where an applicant is treated as possessing the capital and income of a non-dependant under paragraph (1) the capital and income of that non-dependant is to be calculated or estimated in accordance with the provisions of this Part as if it was the capital and income of the applicant and any reference to the “applicant” is, except where the context otherwise requires, to be construed for the purposes of this Part as if it were a reference to that non-dependant.

CHAPTER 2 — Calculation of weekly income

Calculation of income on a weekly basis (applicants with no award of universal credit)

38

(1) This regulation and regulations 39 to 41A apply where neither the applicant nor the applicant’s partner, nor the partners jointly, have an award of universal credit.

(2) For the purposes of regulation 13(6) or regulation 14(5) (conditions of entitlement to council tax reduction) the income of an applicant is to be calculated on a weekly basis—

(a) by estimating the amount which is likely to be the applicant’s average weekly earned income in accordance with this Chapter ...,

(b) by adding to that amount the average weekly unearned income calculated in accordance with this Chapter and Chapter 4 of this Part,

(d) in a case where the conditions in paragraph (3) are met, from that sum plus whichever credit specified in paragraph (3)(b) is appropriate, up to the maximum deduction specified in paragraph (4).

(3) The conditions referred to in paragraph (2)(d) are that—

(a) the applicant’s average weekly earned income is less than the lower of the relevant childcare charges or whichever of the deductions specified in paragraph (2)(c) otherwise applies, and

(b) the applicant, or if the applicant is a member of a couple, either the applicant or the other member of the couple, is in receipt of working tax credit or child tax credit.

(4) The maximum deduction to which paragraph (2)(d) refers is—

(a) where the applicant’s family includes only one child in respect of whom relevant childcare charges are paid, £175.00 per week, and

(b) where the applicant’s family includes more than one child in respect of whom relevant childcare charges are paid, £300.00 per week.

Average weekly employed earnings

39

(1) For the purpose of regulation 38(2)(a), where an applicant’s income consists of employed earnings, the applicant’s average weekly earnings are to be estimated by reference to the earnings from that employment—

(a) over a period immediately preceding the reduction week in which the application is made or treated as made and being a period of—

(i) 5 weeks, if the applicant is paid weekly, or

(ii) 2 months, if the applicant is paid monthly, or

(b) whether or not sub-paragraph (a)(i) or (ii) applies, where an applicant’s earnings fluctuate, over such other period preceding the reduction week in which the application is made or treated as made as may, in any particular case, enable the applicant’s average weekly earnings to be estimated more accurately.

(2) Where the applicant has been in that employment for less than the period specified in paragraph(1)(a)(i) or (ii)—

(a) in a case where the applicant has received earnings for the period that the applicant has been in that employment and those earnings are likely to represent the average weekly earnings from that employment, the applicant’s average weekly earnings are to be estimated by reference to those earnings,

(b) in any other case, the relevant authority must require the applicant’s employer to furnish an estimate of the applicant’s likely weekly earnings over such period as the relevant authority may require and the applicant’s average weekly earnings are to be estimated by reference to that estimate.

(3) Where the amount of an applicant’s earnings changes during a period of entitlement to council tax reduction, average weekly earnings are to be estimated by reference to the applicant’s likely earnings from the employment over a period that is appropriate to allow the average weekly earnings to be estimated accurately but the length of the period is not in any case to exceed 52 weeks.

(4) For the purposes of this regulation the applicant’s employed earnings are to be calculated in accordance with Chapter 3 of this Part.

Average weekly earnings of self-employed earners

40

(1) For the purpose of regulation 38(2)(a), where an applicant’s income consists of self-employed earnings the applicant’s average weekly earnings are to be estimated by reference to the earnings from that employment over such period as is appropriate in order that the applicant’s average weekly earnings may be estimated accurately but the length of the period is not in any case to exceed 52 weeks.

(2) For the purposes of this regulation the applicant’s self-employed earnings are to be calculated in accordance with Chapter 3 of this Part.

Average weekly unearned income

41

(1) For the purpose of regulation 38(2)(b),an applicant’s unearned income must, except where paragraph(2) applies, be estimated over a period that is appropriate to allow the applicant’s average weekly income to be estimated accurately but the length of the period is not in any case to exceed 52 weeks ....

(2) The period over which any benefit under the benefit Acts is to be taken into account is the period in respect of which that benefit is payable.

(3) For the purposes of this regulation unearned income is to be calculated in accordance with Chapter 4 of this Part.

Calculation of income on a weekly basis (applicants with an award of universal credit)

42

(1) This regulation and regulation 43 apply where the applicant or the applicant’s partner has, or the partners jointly have, an award of universal credit.

(2) For the purposes of regulation 13(6) or regulation 14(5) (conditions of entitlement to council tax reduction) the income of an applicant is to be calculated on a weekly basis—

(a) by estimating the amount which is likely to be the applicant’s average weekly earned income in accordance with this Part ...,

(b) by adding to that amount the weekly unearned income calculated in accordance with this Chapter and Chapter 4 of this Part, and

(c) by then deducting any relevant childcare charges calculated in accordance with regulation 78(3), or in a case where the conditions in paragraph (3) are met, from that sum plus whichever credit specified in paragraph (3)(b) is appropriate, up to a maximum deduction.

(3) The conditions referred to in paragraph (2)(c) are that—

(a) the applicant’s average weekly earned income is less than the lower of the relevant child care charges or whichever of the deductions specified in paragraph (b) otherwise applies, and

(b) the applicant or, if the applicant is a member of a couple, either the applicant or the other member of the couple, is in receipt of working tax credit or child tax credit.

(4) The maximum deduction to which paragraph (2)(c) refers is—

(a) where the applicant’s family includes only one child in respect of whom relevant childcare charges are paid, £280.00 per week, and

(b) where the applicant’s family includes more than one child in respect of whom relevant childcare charges are paid, £479.00 per week.

Calculation of average weekly income

43

(1) For the purpose of regulation 42(2)(a) an applicant’s average weekly earned income is calculated by—

(a) multiplying the applicant’s earned income for an assessment period by 12, and

(b) dividing the product by 52.

(2) For the purpose of regulation 42(2)(b) an applicant’s average weekly unearned income is calculated by—

(a) multiplying the applicant’s unearned income for an assessment period by 12, and

(b) dividing the product by 52.

Meaning of “assessment period”

44

(1) Where an applicant or the applicant’s partner has, or the partners jointly have, an award of universal credit—

(a) an “assessment period” means the assessment period based on which the monthly award of universal credit is calculated in accordance with regulation 21 of the 2013 Regulations[^f00149], and

(b) an applicant’s average total weekly income is calculated in accordance with regulation 43.

(2) Where neither the applicant nor the applicant’s partner, nor the partners jointly, have an award of universal credit, an “assessment period” is a period described in regulations 39 (average weekly employed earnings), 40 (average weekly self-employed earnings) , 41 (average weekly unearned income) and 41A (calculation of average weekly income from tax credits) over which income falls to be calculated.

CHAPTER 3 — Earned income

Meaning of “earned income”

45

“Earned income” means the remuneration or profits derived from—

(a) employment under a contract of service or in an office, including elective office,

(b) a trade, profession or vocation, or

(d) any income treated as earned income in accordance with this Chapter.

Meaning of other terms relating to earned income

46

(1) In this Chapter—

“HMRC” means Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs,

“PAYE Regulations” means the Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) Regulations 2003[^f00150], and

“relievable pension contributions” has the meaning in section 188 of the Finance Act 2004[^f00151].

(2) References in this Chapter to an applicant participating as a service user are to—

(a) an applicant who is being consulted by or on behalf of—

(i) a body which has a statutory duty to provide services in the field of health, social care or social housing, or

(ii) a body which conducts research or undertakes monitoring for the purpose of planning or improving such services,

in their capacity as a user, potential user, carer of a user or person otherwise affected by the provision of those services, or

(b) the carer of a person consulted under sub-paragraph (a).

Calculation of earned income in an assessment period

47

(1) The calculation of an applicant’s earned income in respect of an assessment period is, unless otherwise provided in this Chapter, to be based on the actual amounts received in that period.

(2) Where—

(a) an applicant has made a claim for universal credit,

(b) the Secretary of State has made a determination, whether or not based on an estimate of the amounts received or expected to be received by the applicant in an assessment period in accordance with regulation 54(2) of the 2013 Regulations, and

(c) the Secretary of State has shared relevant information relating to the applicant’s earned income with the relevant authority in accordance with section 131 of the 2012 Act[^f00152],

the relevant authority may use such parts of that information as are relevant for the purposes of calculating an applicant’s earned income in an assessment period.

(3) An applicant who has had employed earnings and has withdrawn their labour in furtherance of a trade dispute is, unless their contract of service has been terminated, to be assumed to have employed earnings at the same level as they would have had were it not for the trade dispute.

(4) In this regulation, “trade dispute” has the meaning given in section 244 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.

Surplus earnings

48

(1) This regulation applies where the applicant or the applicant’s partner has made, or the partners jointly have made, a claim for universal credit and an amount of surplus earnings is taken into account in determining that person’s universal credit award.

(2) Where this regulation applies, any surplus earnings determined in accordance with regulation 54A(3) of the 2013 Regulations[^f00153] are to be treated as an applicant’s earned income, unless the relevant authority considers it unreasonable to treat the surplus earnings in that way.

Employed earnings (applicants with an award of universal credit)

49

(1) This regulation applies for the purposes of calculating earned income from earnings where an applicant or an applicant’s partner has, or the partners jointly have, an award of universal credit.

(2) Employed earnings comprise any amounts that are general earnings, as defined in section 7(3) of ITEPA, but excluding—

(a) amounts that are treated as earnings under Chapters 2 to 11 of Part 3 of ITEPA (the benefits code), and

(b) amounts that are exempt from income tax under Part 4 of ITEPA.

(3) In the calculation of employed earnings the following are to be disregarded—

(a) expenses that are allowed to be deducted under Chapter 2 of Part 5 of ITEPA, and

(b) expenses arising from participation as a service user (see regulation 46(2)).

(4) The following benefits are to be treated as employed earnings—

(a) statutory sick pay,

(b) statutory maternity pay,

(d) statutory adoption pay,

(da) statutory neonatal care pay,

(e) statutory parental bereavement pay,

(f) statutory shared parental pay, and

(g) any corresponding payment under any enactment having effect in Northern Ireland.

(5) A repayment of income tax or national insurance contributions received by an applicant from HMRC in respect of a tax year in which the applicant was in paid work is to be treated as employed earnings unless it is taken into account as self-employed earnings under regulation 51.

(6) In calculating the amount of an applicant’s employed earnings in respect of an assessment period, there are to be deducted from the amount of general earnings or benefits specified in paragraphs (2) to (4)—

(a) any relievable pension contributions made by the applicant in that period,

(b) any amounts paid by the applicant in that period in respect of the employment by way of income tax or primary Class 1 contributions under section 6(1) of the 1992 Act,

(c) any sums withheld as donations to an approved scheme under Part 12 of ITEPA (payroll giving) by an applicant required to make deductions or repayments of income tax under the PAYE Regulations, and

(d) any sum, where applicable, specified in schedule 3.

Employed earnings (applicants with no award of universal credit)

50

(1) This regulation applies for the purposes of calculating earned income from earnings where neither the applicant nor an applicant’s partner, nor the partners jointly, have an award of universal credit.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), employed earnings comprise any remuneration or profit derived from employment and include—

(a) any bonus or commission,

(b) any payment in lieu of remuneration except any periodic sum paid to an applicant on account of the termination of the applicant’s employment by reason of redundancy,

(c) any payment in lieu of notice or any lump sum payment intended as compensation for the loss of employment but only in so far as it represents loss of income,

(d) any holiday pay except any payable more than 4 weeks after termination or interruption of the employment,

(e) any payment by way of a retainer,

(f) any payment made by an applicant’s employer in respect of expenses not wholly, exclusively and necessarily incurred in the performance of the duties of the employment, including any payment made by the applicant’s employer in respect of—

(i) travelling expenses incurred by the applicant between the applicant’s home and place of employment, or

(ii) expenses incurred by the applicant under arrangements made for the care of a member of the applicant’s family owing to the applicant’s absence from home,

(g) any award of compensation made under section 112(4) or 117(3)(a) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (remedies and compensation for unfair dismissal)[^f00154],

(h) any payment or remuneration made under section 28, 34, 64, 68 or 70 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (right to guarantee payments, remuneration on suspension on medical or maternity grounds, complaints to employment tribunals)[^f00155],

(i) any such sum as is referred to in section 112 of the 1992 Act (certain sums to be earnings for social security purposes)[^f00156],

(j) any statutory sick pay, statutory maternity pay, statutory paternity pay, statutory neonatal care pay, statutory shared parental pay, statutory parental bereavement pay or statutory adoption pay, or a corresponding payment under any enactment having effect in Northern Ireland,

(k) any remuneration paid by or on behalf of an employer to an applicant who for the time being is on maternity leave, paternity leave, neonatal care leave, shared parental leave, parental bereavement leave or adoption leave or is absent from work because the applicant is ill, and

(l) the amount of any payment by way of a non-cash voucher which has been taken into account in the computation of a person’s earnings in accordance with Part 5 of schedule 3 of the Social Security (Contributions) Regulations 2001[^f00157].

(3) Earnings do not include—

(a) any amount deducted from them by way of income tax or primary Class 1 contributions under the 1992 Act,

(b) half of any sum paid by the applicant by way of a contribution towards an occupational pension scheme,

(c) half of the amount calculated in accordance with paragraph (4) in respect of any sum payable periodically by the applicant as a contribution towards a personal pension scheme,

(d) where those earnings include a payment described in paragraph (2)(j) under an enactment having effect in Northern Ireland, any amount deducted from them by way of contributions under an enactment having effect there which corresponds to primary Class 1 contributions under the 1992 Act,

(e) any payment in kind, unless it is by way of a non-cash voucher referred to in paragraph (2)(l),

(f) any payment in respect of expenses wholly, exclusively and necessarily incurred in the performance of the duties of the employment,

(g) any occupational pension,

(h) any payment in respect of expenses arising out of the applicant’s participation in a service user group, or

(i) any sum, where applicable, specified in schedule 3.

(4) The amount described in paragraph (3)(c) is to be calculated by multiplying the daily amount of the contribution by the number of days in the assessment period, the daily amount being determined—

(a) where the contribution is paid monthly, by multiplying its amount by 365 and then dividing the product by 12, or

(b) in any other case, by dividing the amount of the contribution by the number of days in the period to which it relates.

(5) Where the earnings of an applicant are estimated for an assessment period under regulation 39(2)(b) (average weekly earnings of employed earners), then for the purposes of paragraph (3)(a) to (c) the amount deducted by way of—

(a) income tax is to be calculated by applying to those earnings over that period the basic rate of tax applicable, less only the pro rata amount for that period of the personal relief to which the applicant is entitled under section 35(1) of the Income Tax Act 2007 (personal allowance)[^f00158],

(b) primary Class 1 contributions is to be the amount that would be deducted if such contributions were payable,

(c) pension contributions is to be half of any sum that would be so payable if the estimated earnings were actual earnings.

Self-employed earnings

51

(1) This regulation applies for the purpose of calculating earned income that is not employedearnings and is derived from carrying on a trade, profession or vocation (“self-employed earnings”).

(2) Where the applicant or the applicant’s partner has, or the partners jointly have, an award of universal credit, an applicant’s self-employed earnings in respect of an assessment period are to be calculated in accordance with the steps in this paragraph, and in accordance with paragraphs (3) and (4)—

Step 1

Calculate the amount of the applicant’s profit or loss in respect of each trade, profession or vocation carried on by the applicant by—

(a) taking the actual receipts in that assessment period, and

(b) deducting any amounts allowed as expenses under regulation 53 or 54.

Where a trade, profession or vocation is carried on in a partnership, take the amount of the profit or loss attributable to the applicant’s share in the partnership.

Step 2

If the applicant has carried on more than one trade, profession or vocation in the assessment period, add together the amounts resulting from step 1 in respect of each trade, profession or vocation.

Step 3

Deduct from the amount resulting from step 1 or (where applicable) step 2 any payment made by the applicant to HMRC in the assessment period by way of national insurance contributions or income tax in respect of any trade, profession or vocation carried on by the applicant.

If the amount resulting from steps 1 to 3 is nil or a negative amount, the amount of the applicant’s self-employed earnings in respect of the assessment period is nil (and ignore the following steps).

Step 4

If the amount resulting from step 3 is greater than nil, deduct from that amount any relievable pension contributions made by the applicant in the assessment period (unless a deduction has been made in respect of those contributions in calculating the applicant’s employed earnings).

If the amount resulting from this step is nil or a negative amount, the applicant’s self-employed earnings in respect of the assessment period are nil (and ignore the following steps).

Step5

Where the amount resulting from step 4 is greater than nil, deduct from that amount any unused losses (see regulation 52), taking the oldest first, and proceed to step 6.

If the amount resulting from this step is nil or a negative amount, the applicant’s self-employed earnings in respect of the assessment period are nil (and ignore the following step).

Step 6

Deduct from the amount any sum, where applicable, specified in schedule 3.

If the amount resulting is greater than nil, that is the amount of the applicant’s self-employed earnings for the assessment period.

If the amount resulting from this step is nil or a negative amount, the amount of the applicant’s self-employed earnings in respect of the assessment period is nil.

(3) The receipts referred to in paragraph (2) include receipts in kind and any refund or repayment of income tax, value added tax or national insurance contributions relating to the trade, profession or vocation.

(4) For the purposes of paragraph (2), where the purchase of an asset has been deducted as an expense in any assessment period and, in a subsequent assessment period, the asset is sold or ceases to be used for the purposes of a trade, profession or vocation carried on by the applicant, the proceeds of sale (or, as the case may be, the amount that would be received for the asset if it were sold at its current market value) are to be treated as a receipt in that subsequent assessment period

(5) If neither the applicant nor the applicant’s partner, nor the partners jointly, have an award of universal credit, the applicant’s self-employed earnings are to be calculated in accordance with paragraphs (6) to (11).

(6) For the purpose of paragraph (5) step 1 is to ascertain the gross income of the employment as a self-employed earner, but excluding—

(a) any payment to which paragraph 30 or 31 of schedule 4 of the 2012 Regulations refers (payments in respect of a person accommodated with the applicant under arrangements made by a local authority or voluntary organisation and payments made to the applicant by a health authority, local authority or voluntary organisation in respect of persons temporarily in the applicant’s care),

(b) any sports award within the meaning of regulation 10(9).

(7) This paragraph applies to—

(a) royalties or other sums paid as a consideration for the use of, or the right to use, any copyright, design, patent or trade mark, and

(b) any payment in respect of any—

(i) book registered under the Public Lending Right Scheme 1982[^f00159], or

(ii) work made under any international public lending right scheme that is analogous to the Public Lending Right Scheme 1982, where the applicant is the first owner of the copyright, design, patent or trade mark, or an original contributor to the book or work concerned.

(8) For the purpose of paragraph (6), where the applicant’s earnings consist of any items to which paragraph (7) applies, those earnings are to be taken into account over a period equal to the number of weeks equal to the number obtained (and any fraction is to be treated as a corresponding fraction of a week) by dividing the earnings by the amount of council tax reduction to which the applicant would have been entitled had the payment not been made plus an amount equal to the total of the sums which would fall to be disregarded from the payment under schedule 3 (sums to be disregarded in the calculation of earnings) as appropriate in the applicant’s case.

(9) For the purpose of paragraph (5), steps 2 and 3 in calculating that applicant’s self-employed earnings are to ascertain the net profit of the employment as self-employed earnings, in accordance with regulations 37 and 38 (calculation of net profit, and deduction of tax and contributions) of the 2012 Regulations[^f00160], but—

(a) reading all references in those regulations to—

(i) the “applicant” as referring to the applicant under these Regulations,

(ii) the “assessment period” as referring to the assessment period determined under regulation 44 of these Regulations,

(iii) “earnings” as referring to the gross income ascertained under Step 1 of this regulation,

(iv) the “qualifying premium” as referring to “relievable pension contributions” within the meaning of this Chapter (see regulation 46(1)), and

(b) reading the reference in regulation 37(2) of those Regulations to “Schedule 3” as a reference to schedule 3 of these Regulations.

(10) If the amount resulting from the steps 2 and 3 in paragraph (9) is a nil or negative amount, the amount of the applicant’s self-employed earnings in respect of the assessment period is nil, otherwise those earnings as to be calculated in accordance with step 4 in paragraph (11).

(11) For the purpose of paragraph (5), step 4 is to deduct from the amount obtained from steps 2 and 3 any sum, where applicable, specified in schedule 3, and if the amount resulting from that step—

(a) is greater than nil, that is the amount of the applicant’s self-employed earnings for the assessment period,

(b) is nil or a negative amount, the amount of the applicant’s self-employed earnings in respect of the assessment period is nil.

Unused losses (applicants with an award of universal credit)

52

(1) For the purposes of regulation 51(2), an applicant has an unused loss if—

(a) an applicant, or the applicant’s partner has, or the partners jointly have, an award of universal credit,

(b) in calculating the applicant’s self-employed earnings for any of the previous assessment periods, the amount resulting from steps 1 to 3 in regulation 51(2) was a negative amount (a “loss”), and

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b) a loss is extinguished if no amount of that loss remains after it has been deducted at step 5 in regulation 51(2).

(3) Where—

(a) an applicant or the applicant’s partner has, or the partners jointly have, an award of universal credit,

(b) the Secretary of State has treated periods of time that pre-dated the award of universal credit as assessment periods under the award of universal credit in accordance with regulation 57A(3) of the 2013 Regulations (unused losses)[^f00161], and

(c) the Secretary of State has shared relevant information relating to the applicant’s self-employed earnings with the relevant authority in accordance with section 131 of the 2012 Act,

a relevant authority may use such parts of that information as is relevant for the purposes of calculating an applicant’s self-employed earnings in an assessment period.

Permitted expenses (applicants with an award of universal credit)

53

(1) The deductions allowed for the purposes of regulation 51(2) in the calculation of self-employed earnings are amounts paid in the assessment period in respect of—

(a) expenses that have been wholly and exclusively incurred for purposes of the trade, profession or vocation, or

(b) in the case of expenses that have been incurred for more than one purpose, an identifiable part or proportion that has been wholly and exclusively incurred for the purposes of the trade, profession or vocation,

excluding any expenses that were incurred unreasonably.

(2) Payments deducted under paragraph (1) may include value added tax.

(3) No deduction may be made for payments in respect of—

(a) expenditure on non-depreciating assets (including property, shares or other assets held for investment purposes),

(b) repayment of capital in relation to a loan taken out for the purposes of the trade, profession or vocation,

(4) A deduction for a payment of interest in relation to a loan taken out for the purposes of the trade, profession or vocation may not exceed an amount equivalent to £492 per year.

(5) This regulation is subject to regulation 54.

Flat rate deductions for mileage and use of home and adjustment for personal use of business premises (applicants with an award of universal credit)

54

(1) This regulation provides for alternatives to the deductions that would otherwise be allowed under regulation 53.

(2) Instead of a deduction in respect of the actual expenses incurred in relation to the acquisition or use of a motor vehicle, the same deductions may be allowed as are allowed for that type of vehicle for the purposes of the 2013 Regulations[^f00162] according to the mileage covered on journeys undertaken in the assessment period for the purposes of the trade, profession or vocation and, if the motor vehicle is a car, the only deduction allowed for the acquisition or use of that vehicle is a deduction under this paragraph.

(3) Where an applicant carrying on a trade, profession or vocation incurs expenses in relation to the use of accommodation occupied as their home, instead of a deduction in respect of the actual expenses, a deduction is allowed according to the number of hours spent in the assessment period on income generating activities related to the trade, profession or vocation as follows—

(a) at least 25 hours but no more than 50 hours, £10,

(b) more than 50 hours but no more than 100 hours, £18,

(4) Where premises which are used by an applicant mainly for the purposes of a trade, profession or vocation are also occupied by that applicant for their personal use, whether alone or with other persons, the deduction allowed for expenses in relation to those premises is the amount that would be allowed under regulation 53(1) if the premises were used wholly and exclusively for purposes of the trade, profession or vocation, but reduced by the following amount according to the number of persons occupying the premises for their personal use—

(a) £350 for one person,

(b) £500 for two persons,

Notional earned income

55

(1) Where a relevant authority is of the opinion that an applicant has deprived themselves of earned income, or arranged for them to be so deprived, for the purpose of securing entitlement to council tax reduction or increasing the amount of that reduction, that income is to be treated as earned income of the applicant.

(2) Such a purpose is to be treated as existing if, in fact, entitlement to an increased amount of council tax reduction did result and, in the opinion of the relevant authority, this was a foreseeable and intended consequence of the deprivation.

(3) Where an applicant with an award of universal credit was treated as—

(a) possessing earned income under regulation 60(1) of the 2013 Regulations, or

(b) having received income under regulation 60(3) of the 2013 Regulations,

that income is to be treated as earned income under paragraph (1).

(4) For the avoidance of doubt, for the purpose of this regulation, if paragraphs (1) and (3) apply in respect of the same income, that income is to be counted as earned income only once.

(5) If an applicant provides services for another person and—

(a) the other person makes no payment for those services or pays less than would be paid for comparable services in the same location, and

(b) the means of the other person were sufficient to pay for, or pay more for, those services,

the applicant is to be treated as having received the remuneration that would be reasonable for the provision of those services.

(6) Paragraph (5) does not apply where—

(a) the applicant is engaged to provide the services by a charitable or voluntary organisation and the relevant authority is satisfied that it is reasonable to provide the services free of charge or at less than the rate that would be paid for comparable services in the same location,

(b) the applicant is participating as a service user (see regulation 46(2)), or

(c) the services are provided under or in connection with the applicant’s participation in an employment or training programme approved by the Secretary of State or the Scottish Ministers.

Minimum income floor

56

(1) Where—

(a) an applicant has an award of universal credit and the Secretary of State has determined for the purposes of that award that the applicant is in gainful self-employment,

(b) when calculating the applicant’s earned income for any given assessment period for the purposes of that award of universal credit—

(i) the applicant’s earned income was less than their individual threshold but was treated as being equal to that threshold, or

(ii) the applicant was a member of a couple and the couple’s combined earned income was less than the couple threshold,

under regulation 62 of the 2013 Regulations (minimum income floor)[^f00163], and

(c) the Secretary of State has shared relevant information relating to the applicant’s income with the relevant authority in accordance with section 131 of the 2012 Act,

a relevant authority may use such parts of that information as is relevant for the purposes of calculating an applicant’s income in an assessment period.

(2) In paragraph (1) “couple”, “couple threshold”, “earned income”, “gainful self-employment” and “individual threshold” have the meaning given to them in the 2013 Regulations.

(3) In calculating an applicant’s income, any surplus earnings determined in accordance with regulation 54A(3) of the 2013 Regulations are to be treated as earned income, unless the relevant authority considers it unreasonable to treat the surplus earnings in that way.

(4) This regulation does not apply in respect of an assessment period that falls wholly within a start-up period or which begins or ends in a start-period, and for this purpose—

(a) “start-up period” has the meaning given by regulation 63 of the 2013 Regulations (meaning of start-up period)[^f00164], but

(b) does not include a start-up period that the Secretary of State has terminated under paragraph (3) of that regulation.

CHAPTER 4 — Unearned income

Meaning of “unearned income”

57

(1) An applicant’s unearned income is any of their income, including income the applicant is treated as having by virtue of regulation 65 (notional unearned income), falling within the following descriptions—

(a) retirement pension income to which the applicant is entitled, subject to any adjustment to the amount payable in accordance with Regulations under section 73 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (overlapping benefits)[^f00165],

(b) any of the following benefits to which the applicant is entitled, subject to any adjustment to the amount payable in accordance with Regulations under section 73 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992—

(i) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(ii) jobseeker’s allowance (removing references to an income-based allowance),

(iii) contributory employment and support allowance ...,

(iv) carer’s allowance (but ignoring any carer’s allowance supplement under section 81 of the 2018 Act[^f00166]),

(iva) carer support payment,

(v) widowed mother’s allowance,

(vi) widowed parent’s allowance,

(vii) widow’s pension,

(viii) maternity allowance,

(ix) industrial injuries benefit, excluding any increase in that benefit under section 104 or 105 of the 1992 Act (increases where constant attendance needed and for exceptionally severe disablement),

(x) incapacity benefit,

(xi) severe disablement allowance under section 68 of the 1992 Act[^f00167],

(c) any benefit, allowance, or other payment which is paid under the law of a country outside the United Kingdom and is analogous to a benefit mentioned in sub-paragraph (b),

(d) payments made towards the maintenance of the applicant by their spouse, civil partner, former spouse or former civil partner under a court order or an agreement for maintenance,

(e) foreign state retirement pension,

(f) student income (see regulation 59),

(g) a payment made under section 2 of the 1973 Act[^f00168] or section 2 of the Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Act 1990[^f00169] which is a substitute for income support, a jobseeker’s allowance, incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance, an employment and support allowance or universal credit or is for an applicant’s living expenses,

(h) a payment made by one of the Sports Councils named in section 23(2) of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993[^f00170] out of sums allocated to it for distribution where the payment is for the applicant’s living expenses,

(i) a payment received under an insurance policy to insure against the risk of losing income due to illness, accident or redundancy,

(j) income from an annuity (other than retirement pension income), unless disregarded under regulation 74 (compensation for personal injury),

(k) income from a trust, unless disregarded under regulation 74 (compensation for personal injury) or 75 (special schemes for compensation),

(l) income that is treated as the yield from an applicant’s capital by virtue of regulation 63 (assumed yield from capital),

(m) capital that is treated as income by virtue of regulation 67(3) or (4) (capital that is treated as income),

(n) PPF periodic payments,

(o) income that does not fall within sub-paragraphs (a) to (n) and is taxable under Part 5 of the Income Tax (Trading and Other Income) Act 2005 (miscellaneous income)[^f00171],

(p) relevant universal credit payments,

(q) working tax credits,

(r) child tax credits , except where the payment of child tax credit continues in respect of a child or young person in circumstances where there is no child premium under paragraph 2 of schedule 1 (applicable amount) in respect of the child or young person included in the applicant’s applicable amount.

(2) In this regulation—

(a) in paragraph (1)(e) “foreign state retirement pension” means any pension which is paid under the law of a country outside the United Kingdom and is in the nature of social security,

(b) in paragraph (1)(g) and (h) an applicant’s “living expenses” are the cost of—

(i) food,

(ii) ordinary clothing or footwear,

(iii) household fuel, rent or other housing costs (including council tax), for the applicant, their partner and any child or young person for whom the applicant is responsible,

(c) in paragraph (1)(n) “PPF periodic payments” has the meaning given in section 17(1) of the State Pension Credit Act 2002[^f00172],

(d) in paragraph (1)(p) “relevant universal credit payments” means in relation to an applicant with an award of universal credit—

(i) where the award includes an amount for a child or young person under regulation 24(1) of the 2013 Regulations[^f00173] (“the child element”)—

(aa) the total amount of the child element included in the calculation of the maximum universal credit award (including any additional amount included under paragraph (2) of that regulation in respect of a child who is disabled) and, if applicable, the amount of childcare costs element (see regulation 31 of the 2013 Regulations)..., or

(bb) the total amount of the award, as if no deduction had been made,

whichever is lower,

(ii) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(iii) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(iv) where the award includes a child element but the award is reduced under Part 7 of the 2013 Regulations (benefit cap) to a level less than the value of the child element, the amount of the award after the reduction has been made.

(3) In a case where an award of income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance or income-related employment and support allowance is continuing for two weeks after the commencement of an award of universal credit by virtue of regulation 8(2A), 46(1) or 47(2) of the Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2014[^f00175], or by virtue of regulation 5 of the Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019[^f00176], notwithstanding paragraph (1)(b)(i) to (iii), that award is to be disregarded from the applicant’s weekly unearned income.

(4) Where an applicant is in receipt of widowed parent’s allowance, notwithstanding paragraph (1)(b)(vi), £15 is to be disregarded from the applicant’s weekly unearned income.

(5) Except in a case which falls under paragraph 15(1) of schedule 3, there is to be disregarded where the applicant is a person who satisfies any of the conditions in paragraph 15(2) of that schedule any amount of working tax credit up to £17.10.

(6) Where an applicant’s family includes at least one child or young person—

(a) £15 of any payment falling within paragraph (1)(d) is to be disregarded from the calculation of the applicant’s weekly unearned income,

(b) for the purposes of sub-paragraph (a) where more than one aliment or maintenance payment is to be taken into account in any week, all the payments are to be aggregated and treated as though they were a single payment,

(c) a payment made by the Secretary of State in lieu of maintenance is, for the purpose of paragraph (1), to be treated as a payment of maintenance made by a person specified in paragraph (1)(d).

Meaning of “retirement pension income”

58

(1) Subject to paragraph (2), in regulation 57(1)(a) “retirement pension income” has the same meaning as in section 16 of the State Pension Credit Act 2002[^f00177] as extended by regulation 16 of the State Pension Credit Regulations 2002.

(2) Retirement pension income includes any increase in a Category A or Category B retirement pension mentioned in section 16(1)(a) of the State Pension Credit Act 2002 which is payable under Part 4 of the 1992 Act in respect of an applicant’s partner.

Person treated as having student income

59

(1) An applicant who is a student and has a student loan, a postgraduate master’s degree loan or a grant in respect of the course they are undertaking, is to be treated as having student income in respect of—

(a) an assessment period in which the course begins,

(b) in the case of a course which lasts for two or more years, an assessment period in which the second or subsequent year begins,

(i) an assessment period in which the long vacation begins or which falls within the long vacation, or

(ii) an assessment period in which the course ends.

(2) Where an applicant has a student loan or a postgraduate master’s degree loan, their student income for any assessment period referred to in paragraph (1) is to be based on the amount of that loan.

(3) Where paragraph (2) applies, any grant in relation to the period to which the loan applies is to be disregarded except for—

(a) any specific amount included in the grant to cover payments which are rent payments in respect of which an amount is included in an award of universal credit for the housing costs element,

(b) any amount intended for the maintenance of another person in respect of whom an amount is included in the award.

(4) Where paragraph (2) does not apply, the applicant’s student income for any assessment period in which they are treated as having that income is to be based on the amount of their grant.

(5) For the purposes of paragraph (1), an applicant is to be treated as having a student loan or a postgraduate master’s degree loan where the applicant could acquire a student loan or a postgraduate master’s degree loan by taking reasonable steps to do so.

(6) Student income does not include any payment referred to in regulation 57(1)(g).

(7) In this regulation and regulations 60 to 62—

“grant” means any kind of educational grant or award, excluding a student loan or a payment made under a scheme to enable persons under the age of 21 to complete courses of education or training that are not advanced education,

“the long vacation” is a period of no less than one month which, in the opinion of the relevant authority, is the longest vacation during a course which is intended to last for two or more years,

“postgraduate master’s degree loan” means a loan which a student is eligible to receive under the Education (Postgraduate Master’s Degree Loans) Regulations 2016[^f00178].

Calculation of student income – student loans and postgraduate master’s degree loans

60

(1) Where, in accordance with regulation 59(1) or regulation 59(5), as the case may be, an applicant’s student income is to be based on theamount of a student loan for a year, the amount to be taken into account is the maximum studentloan (including any increases for additional weeks) that the applicant would be able to acquire inrespect of that year by taking reasonable steps to do so.

(2) Where, in accordance with regulation 59(2) or 59(5), as the case may be, an applicant’s student income is to be based on the amount of a postgraduate master’s degree loan for a year, the amount to be taken into account is 30 per cent of the maximum postgraduate master’s degree loan that the applicant would be able to acquire by taking reasonable steps to do so.

(3) For the purposes of calculating the maximum student loan in paragraph (1) or the maximum postgraduate master’s degree loan in paragraph (2) it is to be assumed no reduction has been made on account of—

(a) the applicant’s means or the means of their partner, parent or any other person, or

(b) any grant made to the applicant.

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