The Universal Credit (Extension of Coronavirus Measures) Regulations 2021

Made: 15th March 2021

Laid before Parliament: 16th March 2021

Coming into force: 6th April 2021

In accordance with section 173(1)(b) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992[^f00002], the Social Security Advisory Committee has agreed that the proposals in respect of these Regulations should not be referred to it.

Citation and Commencement

1

These Regulations may be cited as the Universal Credit (Extension of Coronavirus Measures) Regulations 2021 and come into force on 6th April 2021.

Standard Allowance modification

2

• (1) For any assessment period in relation to an award of universal credit, where that assessment period ends on or after 6th April 2021 and before 6th October 2021 regulation 36 (table showing amounts of elements) of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013[^f00003], as amended by the current up-rating order, is to be read as if the amounts of the standard allowance were each increased by £86.67.

• (2) For the purposes of any calculation under regulation 54 (transitional element – indicative UC amount) and 55 (transitional element – initial amount and adjustment where other elements increase) of the Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2014[^f00004] the amount of the standard allowance is to be the amount specified in regulation 36 of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013, as amended by the current up-rating order, with paragraph (1) being disregarded.

• (3) In this regulation “the current up-rating order” means the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2020[^f00005] or the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2021[^f00006].

Minimum Income Floor

3

In regulation 10(2A) (expiry) of the Social Security (Coronavirus) (Further Measures) Regulations 2020[^f00007] for “30th April 2021” substitute “31st July 2021”.

Signed

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Will Quince — Parliamentary Under Secretary of State — Department for Work and Pensions — 15th March 2021

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These Regulations provide for further measures in response to the present outbreak of coronavirus disease in Great Britain.

Under regulation 2, modifications to the amount of the standard allowance in universal credit for the 2020-21 tax year, which essentially increases the underlying rates by £86.67 per assessment period, are continued. The modification will last for a further six months and take account of any up-rating order that takes effect during the period for which the modification is in force. The temporary amounts will not apply for the purposes of calculating transitional protection in relation to a claimant who has moved to universal credit under Part 4 (managed migration) of the Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/1230). Similarly, the temporary amounts will also not apply for the purposes of calculating transitional protection as a result of being a former Severe Disability Premium recipient who has naturally migrated to UC.

These Regulations also amend the provision by which regulation 2 of the Social Security (Coronavirus) (Further Measures) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/371) (“the Further Measures Regulations”) is due to expire on 30th April 2021. Regulation 2 of the Further Measures Regulations provides a discretion for the Secretary of State to apply a number of measures in relation to the minimum income floor, which applies to self-employed claimants in universal credit. Following a review by the Secretary of State of the operation of that regulation, it will now expire on 31st July 2021.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, public or voluntary sectors is foreseen.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 2012 c. 5. Section 40 is cited for the meaning of “prescribed”.

[^f00002]: 1992 c. 5.

[^f00003]: S. I. 2013/376. Relevant amendments were made by S.I. 2020/234.

[^f00004]: S.I. 2014/1230. Regulations 54 and 55 were inserted by S.I. 2019/1152.

[^f00005]: S.I. 2020/234.

[^f00006]: S.I. 2021/162.

[^f00007]: S.I. 2020/371. Regulation 10(2A) was inserted by S.I. 2020/1201.