Legalize / United Kingdom / Northern Ireland / Ni-Statutory-Rule

The Employment and Support Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

Type Ni-Statutory-Rule

Publication 2008-07-01

Last updated 2026-02-01

State In force

Jurisdiction Northern Ireland

Department Government Printer for Northern Ireland

Source legislation.gov.uk

PDF Download

articles Not indexed

Reform history JSON API

(e) any guaranteed income payment;

(f) any permanent health insurance payment in respect of which the employee had contributed to the premium to the extent of more than 50 per cent.

Deductions for councillor’s allowance

76

(1) Where the net amount of councillor’s allowance to which a claimant is entitled in respect of any week exceeds subject to paragraph (3), 16 times the national minimum wage , an amount equal to the excess is to be deducted from the amount of a contributory allowance to which that claimant is entitled in respect of that week, and only the balance remaining (if any) is to be payable.

(2) In paragraph (1) “net amount”, in relation to any councillor’s allowance to which a claimant is entitled, means the aggregate amount of the councillor’s allowance or remuneration to which that claimant is entitled for the week in question, reduced by the amount of any payment in respect of expenses wholly, exclusively and necessarily incurred by that claimant, in that week, in the performance of the duties of a councillor.

(3) where the amount determined by the calculation in paragraph (1) would, but for this paragraph, include an amount of—

(i) less than 50p, that amount shall be rounded up to the nearest 50p; or

(ii) less than £1 but more than 50p, that amount shall be rounded up to the nearest £1.

Date from which payments are to be taken into account

77

Where regulations 74(1) and 76(1) apply, deductions must have effect, calculated where appropriate in accordance with regulation 94(1) or (6), from the first day of the benefit week in which the payment or councillor’s allowance is paid to a claimant who is entitled to a contributory allowance in that week.

Date from which a change in the rate of the payment takes effect

78

Where a payment or councillor’s allowance is already being made to a claimant and the rate of that payment or that allowance changes, the deduction at the new rate must take effect, calculated where appropriate in accordance with regulation 94(1) or (6), from the first day of the benefit week in which the new rate of the payment or councillor’s allowance is paid.

Calculation of payment made other than weekly

79

(1) Where the period in respect of which a payment or councillor’s allowance is paid is otherwise than weekly, an amount calculated or estimated in accordance with regulation 94(1) or (6) is to be regarded as the weekly amount of that payment or allowance.

(2) In determining the weekly payment, where 2 or more payments are payable to a claimant, each payment is to be calculated separately in accordance with regulation 94(1) or (6) before aggregating the sum of those payments for the purposes of the reduction of a contributory allowance in accordance with regulation 74.

CHAPTER 3 — Statutory payments

Effect of statutory maternity pay on a contributory allowance

80

(1) This regulation applies where—

(a) a woman is entitled to statutory maternity pay and on the day immediately preceding the first day in the maternity pay period—

(i) is in a period of limited capability for work, and

(ii) satisfies the conditions of entitlement to a contributory allowance in accordance with section 1(2)(a) of the Act; and

(b) on any day during the maternity pay period—

(i) she is in a period of limited capability for work, and

(ii) that day is not a day where she is treated as not having limited capability for work.

(2) Where this regulation applies, notwithstanding section 20(2) of the Act, a woman who is entitled to statutory maternity pay is to be entitled to a contributory allowance in respect of any day that falls within the maternity pay period.

(3) Where by virtue of paragraph (2) a woman is entitled to a contributory allowance for any week (including part of a week), the total amount of such benefit payable to her for that week is to be reduced by an amount equivalent to any statutory maternity pay to which she is entitled in accordance with Part 12 of the Contributions and Benefits Act for the same week (or equivalent part of a week where entitlement to a contributory allowance is for part of a week) and only the balance, if any, of the contributory allowance is to be payable to her.

Effect of statutory adoption pay on a contributory allowance

81

(1) This regulation applies where—

(a) a claimant is entitled to statutory adoption pay and, on the day immediately preceding the first day in the adoption pay period—

(i) is in a period of limited capability for work, and

(ii) satisfies the conditions of entitlement to a contributory allowance in accordance with section 1(2)(a) of the Act; and

(b) on any day during the adoption pay period—

(i) that claimant is in a period of limited capability for work, and

(ii) that day is not a day where that claimant is treated as not having limited capability for work.

(2) Where this regulation applies, notwithstanding section 20(4) of the Act, a claimant who is entitled to statutory adoption pay is to be entitled to a contributory allowance in respect of any day that falls within the adoption pay period.

(3) Where by virtue of paragraph (2) a claimant is entitled to a contributory allowance for any week (including part of a week), the total amount of such benefit payable to that claimant for that week is to be reduced by an amount equivalent to any statutory adoption pay to which that claimant is entitled in accordance with Part 12ZB of the Contributions and Benefits Act[^f00085] for the same week (or equivalent part of a week where entitlement to a contributory allowance is for part of a week) and only the balance, if any, of the contributory allowance is to be payable to that claimant.

Effect of additional statutory paternity pay on a contributory allowance

82

(1) This regulation applies where—

(a) a claimant is entitled to additional statutory paternity pay and on the day immediately preceding the first day in the additional paternity pay period—

(i) is in a period of limited capability for work, and

(ii) satisfies the conditions of entitlement to a contributory allowance in accordance with section 1(2)(a) of the Act; and

(b) on any day during the additional statutory paternity pay period—

(i) that claimant is in a period of limited capability for work, and

(ii) that day is not a day where that claimant is treated as not having limited capability for work.

(2) Where this regulation applies, notwithstanding section 20(6) of the Act, a claimant who is entitled to additional statutory paternity pay is to be entitled to a contributory allowance in respect of any day that falls within the additional paternity pay period.

(3) Where by virtue of paragraph (2) a person is entitled to a contributory allowance for any week (including part of a week), the total amount of such benefit payable to that claimant for that week is to be reduced by an amount equivalent to any additional statutory paternity pay to which that claimant is entitled in accordance with Part 12ZA of the Contributions and Benefits Act[^f00086] for the same week (or equivalent part of a week where entitlement to a contributory allowance is for part of a week) and only the balance, if any, of the contributory allowance is to be payable to that claimant.

PART 10 — INCOME AND CAPITAL

CHAPTER 1 — General

Calculation of income and capital of members of claimant’s family and of a polygamous marriage

83

(1) Subject to paragraph (4), the income and capital of a claimant’s partner which by virtue of paragraph 6(2) of Schedule 1 to the Act is to be treated as income and capital of the claimant, is to be calculated in accordance with the following provisions of this Part in like manner as for the claimant; and any reference to the “claimant” is, except where the context otherwise requires, to be construed, for the purposes of this Part, as if it were a reference to the claimant’s partner.

(2) Subject to the following provisions of this Part, the income paid to, or in respect of, and capital of, a child or young person who is a member of the claimant’s family is not to be treated as the income or capital of the claimant.

(3) Subject to paragraph (5), where a claimant or the partner of a claimant is married polygamously to 2 or more members of the claimant’s household—

(a) the claimant is to be treated as possessing capital and income belonging to each such member; and

(b) the income and capital of that member is to be calculated in accordance with the following provisions of this Part in like manner as for the claimant.

(4) Where at least one member of a couple is aged less than 18 and the applicable amount of the couple falls to be determined under paragraph 1(3)(e), (f), (g), (h) or (i) of Schedule 4 (amounts), the income of the claimant’s partner is not to be treated as the income of the claimant to the extent that—

(a) in the case of a couple where both members are aged less than 18, the amount specified in paragraph 1(3)(c) of that Schedule exceeds the amount specified in paragraph 1(3)(i) of that Schedule; and

(b) in the case of a couple where only one member is aged less than 18, the amount specified in paragraph 1(3)(a) of that Schedule exceeds the amount which is specified in paragraph 1(3)(h) of that Schedule.

(5) Where a member of a polygamous marriage is a partner aged less than 18 and the amount which applies in respect of that partner under regulation 68(2) (polygamous marriages) is nil, the claimant is not to be treated as possessing the income of that partner to the extent that an amount in respect of that partner would have been included in the applicable amount if the partner had fallen within the circumstances set out in regulation 68(2)(a) or (b).

Income of participants in the self-employment route

84

Chapters 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 9 and regulations 132 to 137, 142 and 143 do not apply to any income which is to be calculated in accordance with Chapter 5 (participants in the self-employment route).

... liable relative payments

85

Regulations 91 to 109 and 111 to 117 and Chapter 10 do not apply to any payment which is calculated in accordance with Chapter 8 (... liable relative payments).

Child support

86

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Calculation of income and capital of students

87

The provisions of Chapters 2 to 7 (income and capital) are to have effect in relation to students and their partners subject to the provisions set out in Chapter 10 (students).

Calculation of income which consists of earnings of participants in exempt work

88

Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Part, regulations 91(2), 92 to 99 and 108(2) and (3) and Schedule 7 (sums to be disregarded in the calculation of earnings) are to apply to any income which consists of earnings which is to be calculated for the purposes of regulations 45(2) to (4) (exempt work – earnings limits).

Calculation of income where pension payments, PPF periodic payments or councillor’s allowance payable

89

Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Part, regulation 94(1) and (6) is to apply for the purposes of calculating the amount of any pension payments, PPF periodic payments or councillor’s allowance to which Chapter 2 of Part 9 (deductions from the contributory allowance) applies.

CHAPTER 2 — Income

Calculation of income

90

(1) For the purposes of paragraph 6(1) of Schedule 1 to the Act (conditions of entitlement to an income-related allowance), the income of a claimant is to be calculated on a weekly basis—

(a) by determining in accordance with this Part, other than Chapter 7, the weekly amount of the claimant’s income; and

(b) by adding to that amount the weekly income calculated under regulation 118 (calculation of tariff income from capital).

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1) “income” includes capital treated as income under regulation 105 and income which a claimant is treated as possessing under regulations 106 to 109 (notional income).

(3) For the purposes of paragraph 10 of Schedule 2 to the Act (effect of work), the income which consists of earnings of a claimant is to be calculated on a weekly basis by determining the weekly amount of those earnings in accordance with regulations 91(2), 92 to 99 and 108(2) and (3) and Schedule 7.

(4) For the purposes of paragraph (3), “income which consists of earnings” includes income which a claimant is treated as possessing under regulation 108(2) and (3).

(5) For the purposes of pension payments, PPF periodic payments and a councillor’s allowance to which section 3 of the Act applies, the income other than earnings of a claimant is to be calculated on a weekly basis by determining in accordance with regulation 94(1), (2), (5) and (6) the weekly amount of the pension payments, PPF periodic payments or a councillor’s allowance paid to the claimant.

Calculation of earnings derived from employed earner’s employment and income other than earnings

91

(1) Earnings derived from employment as an employed earner and income which does not consist of earnings are to be taken into account over a period determined in accordance with the following provisions of this regulation and at a weekly amount determined in accordance with regulation 94 (calculation of weekly amount of income).

(2) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, the period over which a payment is to be taken into account is to be—

(a) where the payment is monthly, a period equal to the number of weeks from the date on which the payment is treated as paid to the date immediately before the date on which the next monthly payment would have been so treated as paid whether or not the next monthly payment is actually paid;

(b) where the payment is in respect of a period which is not monthly, a period equal to the length of the period for which payment is made;

(c) in any other case, a period equal to such number of weeks as is equal to the number obtained (and any fraction is to be treated as a corresponding fraction of a week) by dividing—

(i) the net earnings, or

(ii) in the case of income which does not consist of earnings, the amount of that income less any amount paid by way of tax on that income which is disregarded under paragraph 1 of Schedule 8 (income other than earnings to be disregarded),

by the amount of an employment and support allowance which would be payable had the payment not been made plus an amount equal to the total of the sums which would fall to be disregarded from that payment under Schedule 7 (earnings to be disregarded) or, as the case may be, any paragraph of Schedule 8 other than paragraph 1 of that Schedule, as is appropriate in the claimant’s case,

and that period is to begin on the date on which the payment is treated as paid under regulation 93 (date on which income is treated as paid).

(3) Where grant income, as defined in Chapter 10, has been paid to a claimant who ceases to be a full-time student before the end of the period in respect of which that income is payable and, as a consequence, the whole or part of that income falls to be repaid by that claimant, that income is to be taken into account over the period beginning on the date on which that income is treated as paid under regulation 93 and ending—

(a) on the date on which repayment is made in full;

(b) where the grant is paid in instalments, on the day before the next instalment would have been paid had the claimant remained a full-time student; or

whichever is the earlier.

(3A) in the case of a period of training which lasts for the number of days listed in column 1 of the Table, over a period of time which is equal to the number of days set out in the corresponding row in column 2 of that Table; or

(a) in the case of a period of training which lasts for the number of days listed in column 1 of the Table, over a period of time which is equal to the number of days set out in the corresponding row in column 2 of that Table; or

(b) in any other case, over a period which is equal to the duration of the training period.

Column 1Period of training in days	Column 2Period of time over which earnings are to be taken into account in days
8 to 1015 to 1722 to 2429 to 3136 to 3843	71421283542

(3B) The period over which earnings to which paragraph (3A) applies are to be taken into account shall begin on the date on which the payment is treated as paid under regulation 93.

(4) Where, but for this paragraph—

(a) earnings not of the same kind are derived from the same source; and

(b) the periods in respect of which those earnings would fall to be taken into account overlap, wholly or partly,

those earnings are to be taken into account over a period equal to the aggregate length of those periods and that period is to begin with the earliest date on which any part of those earnings would otherwise be treated as paid under regulation 93.

(5) In a case to which paragraph (4) applies, earnings under regulation 95 (earnings of employed earners) are to be taken into account in the following order of priority—

(a) earnings normally derived from the employment;

(b) any payment to which paragraph (1)(b) or (c) of that regulation applies;

(d) any payment to which paragraph (1)(d) of that regulation applies.

(6) Where earnings to which regulation 95(1)(b) to (d) applies are paid in respect of part of a day, those earnings are to be taken into account over a period equal to a day.

(7) Any earnings to which regulation 95(1)(j) applies which are paid in respect of, or on the termination of, part-time employment, are to be taken into account over a period equal to one week.

(8) In this regulation “part-time employment” means, if the claimant were entitled to income support, employment in which the claimant is not to be treated as engaged in remunerative work under regulation 5 or 6(1) and (4) of the Income Support Regulations[^f00087] (persons treated, or not treated, as engaged in remunerative work).

(9) For the purposes of this regulation the claimant’s earnings and income which does not consist of earnings are to be calculated in accordance with Chapters 3 and 6 respectively.

Calculation of earnings of self-employed earners

92

(1) Except where paragraph (2) applies, where a claimant’s income consists of earnings from employment as a self-employed earner the weekly amount of the claimant’s earnings is to be determined by reference to the claimant’s average weekly earnings from that employment—

(a) over a period of one year; or

(b) where the claimant has recently become engaged in that employment or there has been a change which is likely to affect the normal pattern of business, over such other period as may, in any particular case, enable the weekly amount of the claimant’s earnings to be determined more accurately.

(2) Where the claimant’s earnings consist of any items to which paragraph (2A) applies those earnings shall be taken into account over a period equal to such number of weeks as is equal to the number obtained (and any fraction shall be treated as a corresponding fraction of a week) by dividing the earnings by the amount of employment and support allowance which would be payable 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 7 (earnings to be disregarded) as is appropriate in the claimant’s case.

(2A) 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; or

(b) any payment in respect of any—

(i) book registered under the Public Lending Right Scheme 1982, or

(ii) work made under any international public lending right scheme that is analogous to the Public Lending Right Scheme 1982,

where the claimant is the first owner of the copyright, design, patent or trademark, or an original contributor to the book or work concerned.

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

Date on which income is treated as paid

93

(1) Except where paragraph (2)... applies, a payment of income to which regulation 91 (calculation of earnings derived from employed earner’s employment and income other than earnings) applies is to be treated as paid—

(a) in the case of a payment which is due to be paid before the first benefit week pursuant to the claim, on the date on which it is due to be paid;

(b) in any other case, on the first day of the benefit week in which it is due to be paid or the first succeeding benefit week in which it is practicable to take it into account.

(2) Employment and support allowance, income support, jobseeker’s allowance, maternity allowance, short-term or long-term incapacity benefit , severe disablement allowance or universal credit is to be treated as paid on on any day in respect of which it is payable.

(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Calculation of weekly amount of income

94

(1) For the purposes of regulation 91 (calculation of earnings derived from employed earner’s employment and income other than earnings) and Chapter 2 of Part 9 (deductions from contributory allowance), subject to paragraphs (2) to (8), where the period in respect of which a payment is made—

(a) does not exceed a week, the weekly amount is to be the amount of that payment;

(b) exceeds a week, the weekly amount is to be determined—

(i) in a case where that period is a month, by multiplying the amount of the payment by 12 and dividing the product by 52,

(ii) in a case where that period is 3 months, by multiplying the amount of the payment by 4 and dividing the product by 52,

(iii) in a case where that period is a year and the payment is an award of working tax credit, by dividing the payment by the number of days in the year and multiplying the result by 7,

(iiia) in a case where that period is a year and the payment is income other than an award of working tax credit, by dividing the amount of the payment by 52,

(iv) in any other case by multiplying the amount of the payment by 7 and dividing the product by the number equal to the number of days in the period in respect of which it is made.

(2) Where a payment for a period not exceeding a week is treated under regulation 93(1)(a) (date on which income is treated as paid) as paid before the first benefit week and a part is to be taken into account for some days only in that week (“relevant days”), the amount to be taken into account for the relevant days is to be calculated by multiplying the amount of the payment by the number equal to the number of relevant days and dividing the product by the number of days in the period in respect of which it is made.

(3) Where a payment is in respect of a period equal to or in excess of a week and a part thereof is to be taken into account for some days only in a benefit week (“relevant days”), the amount to be taken into account for the relevant days is, except where paragraph (4) applies, to be calculated by multiplying the amount of the payment by the number equal to the number of relevant days and dividing the product by the number of days in the period in respect of which it is made.

(4) In the case of a payment of—

(a) maternity allowance, short-term or long-term incapacity benefit or severe disablement allowance, the amount to be taken into account for the relevant days is to be the amount of benefit payable in respect of those days;

(b) an employment and support allowance, income support or a jobseeker’s allowance the amount to be taken into account for the relevant days is to be calculated by multiplying the weekly amount of the benefit by the number of relevant days and dividing the product by 7.

(5) Except in the case of a payment which it has not been practicable to treat under regulation 93(1)(b) (date on which income is treated as paid) as paid on the first day of the benefit week in which it is due to be paid, where a payment of income from a particular source is or has been paid regularly and that payment falls to be taken into account in the same benefit week as a payment of the same kind and from the same source, the amount of that income to be taken into account in any one benefit week is not to exceed the weekly amount determined under paragraph (1)(a) or (b) of the payment which under regulation 93(1)(b) is treated as paid first.

(6) Where the amount of the claimant’s income fluctuates and has changed more than once, or a claimant’s regular pattern of work is such that the claimant does not work every week, the foregoing paragraphs may be modified so that the weekly amount of the claimant’s income is determined by reference to the claimant’s average weekly income—

(a) if there is a recognisable cycle of work, over the period of one complete cycle (including, where the cycle involves periods in which the claimant does no work, those periods but disregarding any other absences);

(b) in any other case, over a period of 5 weeks or such other period as may, in the particular case, enable the claimant’s average weekly income to be determined more accurately.

(7) Where income is taken into account under paragraph (3) of regulation 91 over the period specified in that paragraph, the amount of that income to be taken into account in respect of any week in that period is to be an amount equal to the amount of that income which would have been taken into account under regulation 132 (calculation of grant income) had the person to whom that income was paid not ceased to be a full-time student.

(8) Where any payment of earnings is taken into account under paragraph (7) of regulation 91 (calculation of earnings derived from employed earner’s employment and income other than earnings), over the period specified in that paragraph, the amount to be taken into account is to be equal to the amount of the payment.

CHAPTER 3 — Employed earners

Earnings of employed earners

95

(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), “earnings” means, in the case of employment as an employed earner, any remuneration or profit derived from that employment and includes—

(a) any bonus or commission;

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

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

(e) any payment by way of a retainer;

(f) any payment made by the claimant’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 claimant’s employer in respect of—

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

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

(g) any award of compensation made under Article 146(4) or 151(3)(a) of the Employment Rights Order[^f00089] (the remedies: orders and compensation enforcement of order and compensation);

(h) any payment or remuneration made under Article 60, 66, 96, 100 or 102 of the Employment Rights Order (right to guarantee payments, remuneration on suspension on medical or maternity grounds, complaints to industrial tribunals);

(i) any such sum as is referred to in section 112(3) of the Contributions and Benefits Act[^f00090] (certain sums to be earnings for social security purposes);

(j) where a payment of compensation is made in respect of employment which is part-time employment, the amount of the compensation;

(k) 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 to the Social Security (Contributions) Regulations 2001[^f00091].

(l) any payment made under the legislation of, or under any scheme operating in, the Republic of Ireland which is analogous to any income to which this paragraph relates.

(2) “Earnings” are not to include—

(a) subject to paragraph (3), any payment in kind;

(b) any remuneration paid by or on behalf of an employer to the claimant in respect of a period throughout which the claimant is on maternity leave, paternity leave , shared parental leave , parental bereavement leave leave or adoption leave or is absent from work because the claimant is ill;

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

(d) any occupational pension;

(e) any lump sum payment made under the Iron and Steel Re-adaptation Benefits Scheme[^f00092].

(f) any payment in respect of expenses arising out of the laimant participating as a service user.

(3) Paragraph (2)(a) is not to apply in respect of any non-cash voucher referred to in paragraph (1)(k).

(4) In this regulation—

“compensation” means any payment made in respect of, or on the termination of, employment in a case where a claimant has not received or received only part of a payment in lieu of notice due or which would have been due to the claimant had that claimant not waived the right to receive it, other than—any payment specified in paragraph (1)(a) to (i) or (l);any payment specified in paragraph (2)(a) to (f) ;any redundancy payment within the meaning of Article 170(1) of the Employment Rights Order;any refund of contributions to which that person was entitled under an occupational pension scheme;

“part-time employment” means, if the claimant were entitled to income support, employment in which the claimant is not to be treated as engaged in remunerative work under regulation 5 or 6(1) and (4) of the Income Support Regulations (persons treated, or not treated, as engaged in remunerative work).

Calculation of net earnings of employed earners

96

(1) For the purposes of regulation 91 (calculation of earnings derived from employed earner’s employment and income other than earnings) the earnings of a claimant derived from employment as an employed earner to be taken into account, subject to paragraph (2), are the claimant’s net earnings.

(2) There is to be disregarded from a claimant’s net earnings, any sum, where applicable, specified in paragraphs 1 to 12 of Schedule 7 (sums to be disregarded in the calculation of earnings).

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (1) net earnings are to be calculated by taking into account the gross earnings of the claimant from that employment less—

(a) any amount deducted from those earnings by way of—

(i) income tax,

(ii) primary Class 1 contributions under section 6(1)(a) of the Contributions and Benefits Act[^f00093];

(b) one half of any sum paid by the claimant in respect of a pay period by way of a contribution towards an occupational or personal pension scheme.

(4) Where the claimant is an employed earner in the Republic of Ireland the amounts to be deducted for income tax and primary Class 1 contributions under this regulation shall be such amounts as, in the opinion of the Department, would have been deducted had the claimant been employed in Northern Ireland.

CHAPTER 4 — Self-employed earners

Earnings of self-employed earners

97

(1) Subject to paragraph (2), “earnings”, in the case of employment as a self-employed earner, means the gross receipts of the employment and includes any allowance paid under sections 2 and 3 of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act (Northern Ireland) 1945[^f00094], section 1 of the Employment and Training Act[^f00095] or any equivalent allowance payable under Republic of Ireland legislation to the claimant for the purpose of assisting the claimant in carrying on the claimant’s business.

(2) “Earnings” do not include—

(a) where a claimant is involved in providing board and lodging accommodation for which a charge is payable, any payment by way of such a charge;

(b) any payment to which paragraph 27 or 28 of Schedule 8 refers (sums to be disregarded in the calculation of income other than earnings);

Calculation of net profit of self-employed earners

98

(1) For the purposes of regulation 92 (calculation of earnings of self-employed earners), the earnings of a claimant to be taken into account are to be—

(a) in the case of a self-employed earner who is engaged in employment on that self-employed earner’s own account, the net profit derived from that employment;

(b) in the case of a self-employed earner whose employment is carried on in partnership or is that of a share fisherman within the meaning of the Social Security (Mariners’ Benefits) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1975[^f00096], that self-employed earner’s share of the net profit derived from that employment less—

(i) an amount in respect of income tax and of National Insurance contributions payable under the Contributions and Benefits Act calculated in accordance with regulation 99 (deduction of tax and contributions for self-employed earners), and

(ii) one half of any premium paid in the period that is relevant under regulation 92 in respect of a personal pension scheme.

(2) There is to be disregarded from a claimant’s net profit any sum, where applicable, specified in paragraphs 1 to 11 of Schedule 7.

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(a) the net profit of the employment, except where paragraph (9) applies, is to be calculated by taking into account the earnings of the employment over the period determined under regulation 92 less—

(a) subject to paragraphs (5) to (7), any expenses wholly and exclusively defrayed in that period for the purposes of that employment;

(b) an amount in respect of—

(i) income tax, and

(ii) National Insurance contributions payable under the Contributions and Benefits Act,

calculated in accordance with regulation 99; and

(c) one half of any premium paid in the period that is relevant under regulation 92 in respect of a personal pension scheme.

(4) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b), the net profit of the employment is to be calculated by taking into account the earnings of the employment over the period determined under regulation 92 less, subject to paragraphs (5) to (7), any expenses wholly and exclusively defrayed in that period for the purpose of that employment.

(5) Subject to paragraph (6), a deduction is not to be made under paragraph (3)(a) or (4) in respect of—

(a) any capital expenditure;

(b) the depreciation of any capital asset;

(d) any loss incurred before the beginning of the period determined under regulation 92;

(e) the repayment of capital on any loan taken out for the purposes of the employment;

(f) any expenses incurred in providing business entertainment.

(6) A deduction is to be made under paragraph (3)(a) or (4) in respect of the repayment of capital on any loan used for—

(a) the replacement in the course of business of equipment or machinery;

(b) the repair of an existing business asset except to the extent that any sum is payable under an insurance policy for its repair; and

(7) The Department will refuse to make a deduction in respect of any expenses under paragraph (3)(a) or (4) where it is not satisfied that the expense has been defrayed or, having regard to the nature of the expense and its amount, that it has been reasonably incurred.

(8) For the avoidance of doubt—

(a) a deduction is not to be made under paragraph (3)(a) or (4) in respect of any sum unless it has been expended for the purposes of the business;

(b) a deduction is to be made thereunder in respect of—

(i) the excess of any VAT paid over VAT received in the period determined under regulation 92,

(ii) any income expended in the repair of an existing asset except to the extent that any sum is payable under an insurance policy for its repair,

(iii) any payment of interest on a loan taken out for the purposes of the employment.

(9) Where a claimant is engaged in employment as a child minder the net profit of the employment is to be one third of the earnings of that employment, less—

(a) an amount in respect of—

(i) income tax, and

(ii) National Insurance contributions payable under the Contributions and Benefits Act,

calculated in accordance with regulation 99; and

(b) one half of any premium paid in respect of a personal pension scheme.

(10) Notwithstanding regulation 92 and the foregoing paragraphs, the Department may assess any item of a claimant’s income or expenditure over a period other than that determined under regulation 92 as may, in the particular case, enable the weekly amount of that item of income or expenditure to be determined more accurately.

(11) For the avoidance of doubt where a claimant is engaged in employment as a self-employed earner and that claimant is also engaged in one or more other employments as a self-employed or employed earner any loss incurred in any one of the claimant’s employments is not to be offset against the claimant’s earnings in any other of the claimant’s employments.

(12) Where the claimant is a self-employed earner in the Republic of Ireland the amounts to be deducted for income tax and National Insurance contributions under this regulation are to be such amounts as, in the opinion of the Department, would have been deducted had the claimant been employed in Northern Ireland.

Deduction of tax and contributions for self-employed earners

99

(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the amount to be deducted in respect of income tax under regulation 98(1)(b)(i), (3)(b)(i) or (9)(a)(i) (calculation of net profit of self-employed earners) is to be calculated on the basis of the amount of chargeable income and as if that income were assessable to income tax at ... the basic rate , or in the case of a Scottish taxpayer, the Scottish basic rate, of tax less only the personal reliefs to which the claimant is entitled under Chapters 2, 3 and 3A of Part 3 of the Income Tax Act 2007 as are as is appropriate to the claimant’s circumstances.

(2) If the period determined under regulation 92 is less than a year the earnings to which the basic rate , or the Scottish basic rate, of tax is to be applied and the amount of the personal allowance deductible under paragraph (1) are to be calculated on a pro rata basis.

(3) The amount to be deducted in respect of National Insurance contributions under regulation 98(1)(b)(i), (3)(b)(ii) or (9)(a)(ii) is to be the total of—

(a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(b) the amount of Class 4 contributions (if any) which would be payable under section 15 of that Act[^f00100] (Class 4 contributions recoverable under the Income Taxes Acts) at the percentage rate applicable at the date of claim on so much of the chargeable income as exceeds the lower limit but does not exceed the upper limit of profits and gains applicable for the tax year in which the date of claim falls; but if the assessment period is less than a year, those limits are to be reduced pro rata.

(4) In this regulation “chargeable income” means—

(a) except where sub-paragraph (b) applies, the earnings derived from the employment less any expenses deducted under regulation 98(3)(a) or (4), as the case may be;

(b) in the case of employment as a child minder, one third of the earnings of that employment.

CHAPTER 5 — Participants in the self-employment route

Interpretation

100

In this Chapter “special account” means, where a claimant is carrying on a commercial activity in respect of which assistance is received under the self-employment route, the account into which the gross receipts from that activity are payable during the period in respect of which such assistance is received.

Treatment of gross receipts of participants in the self-employment route

101

The gross receipts of a commercial activity carried on by a claimant in respect of which assistance is received under the self-employment route, are to be taken into account in accordance with the following provisions of this Chapter.

Calculation of income of participants in the self-employment route

102

(1) The income of a claimant who has received assistance under the self-employment route is to be calculated by taking into account the whole of the monies in the special account at the end of the last day on which such assistance was received and deducting from those monies—

(a) an amount in respect of income tax calculated in accordance with regulation 103; and

(b) any sum to which paragraph (4) refers.

(2) Income calculated pursuant to paragraph (1) is to be apportioned equally over a period which starts on the date the income is treated as paid under paragraph (3) and is equal in length to the period beginning with the day on which assistance was first received under the self-employment route and ending on the last day on which such assistance was received.

(3) Income calculated pursuant to paragraph (1) is to be treated as paid—

(a) in the case where it is due to be paid before the first benefit week in respect of which the participant or the participant’s partner first claims an income-related allowance following the last day on which assistance was received under the self-employment route, on the day in the week in which it is due to be paid which corresponds to the first day of the benefit week;

(b) in any other case, on the first day of the benefit week in which it is due to be paid.

(4) This paragraph refers, where applicable, in each benefit week in respect of which income calculated pursuant to paragraph (1) is taken into account pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3), to the sums which would have been disregarded under paragraph 7(1) of Schedule 7 had the income been earnings.

Deduction in respect of tax for participants in the self-employment route

103

(1) The amount to be deducted in respect of income tax under regulation 102(1)(a) in respect of the period determined under regulation 102(2) is to be calculated as if—

(a) the chargeable income is the only income chargeable to tax;

(b) the personal reliefs applicable to the person receiving assistance under the self-employment route under Chapters 2, 3 and 3A of Part 3 of the Income Tax Act 2007 are allowable against that income;

(c) the rate at which the chargeable income less the personal reliefs is assessable to income tax is ... the basic rate , or in the case of a Scottish taxpayer, the Scottish basic rate, of tax.

(2) For the purpose of paragraph (1), the basic rate, or the Scottish basic rate, of tax to be applied and the amount of personal reliefs deductible are , where the period determined under regulation 102(2) is less than a year, to be calculated on a pro rata basis.

(3) In this regulation, “chargeable income” means the monies in the special account at the end of the last day upon which assistance was received under the self-employment route.

CHAPTER 6 — Other income

Calculation of income other than earnings

104

(1) For the purposes of regulation 91 (calculation of earnings derived from employed earner’s employment and income other than earnings) ... the income of a claimant which does not consist of earnings to be taken into account shall, subject to paragraphs (2) to (7), be the claimant’s gross income and any capital treated as income under regulation 105.

(2) There is to be disregarded from the calculation of a claimant’s gross income under paragraph (1), any sum, where applicable, specified in Schedule 8.

(3) Where the payment of any benefit under the benefit Acts is subject to any deduction by way of recovery the amount to be taken into account under paragraph (1) is to be the gross amount payable.

(4) Paragraphs (5) and (5A) apply where—

(a) a relevant payment has been made to a claimant in an academic year; and

(b) that claimant abandons, or is dismissed from, that claimant’s course of study before the payment to the claimant of the final instalment of the relevant payment.

(5) Where a relevant payment is made quarterly, the amount of a relevant payment to be taken into account for the assessment period for the purposes of paragraph (1) in respect of a claimant to whom paragraph (4) applies, is to be calculated by applying the formula—

$$A−(B x C)D$where—Athe total amount of the relevant payment which that claimant would have received had that claimant remained a student until the last day of the academic term in which the person abandoned, or was dismissed from, the course, less any deduction under regulation 137(6) (treatment of student loans);Bthe number of benefit weeks from the benefit week immediately following that which includes the first day of that academic year to the benefit week immediately before that which includes the day on which the claimant abandoned, or was dismissed from, that claimant’s course;Cthe weekly amount of the relevant payment, before the application of the £10 disregard, which would have been taken into account as income under regulation 137(3) had the claimant not abandoned, or been dismissed from, the course and, in the case of a claimant who was not entitled to an income-related allowance immediately before that claimant abandoned, or was dismissed from, the course, had that claimant, at that time, been entitled to an income-related allowance;Dthe number of benefit weeks in the assessment period.$

(5A) Where a relevant payment is made by 2 or more instalments in a quarter, the amount of a relevant payment to be taken into account for the assessment period for the purposes of paragraph (1) in respect of a person to whom paragraph (4) applies, shall be calculated by applying the formula in paragraph (5) but as if—

A	=	the total amount of the relevant payments which that person received, or would have received, from the first day of the academic year to the day the person abandoned the course, or was dismissed from it, less any deduction under regulation 137(6).

(6) In this regulation )—

“academic year” and “student loan” have the meanings given by Chapter10;

“assessment period” means—in a case where a relevant payment is made quarterly, the period beginning with the benefit week which includes the day on which the claimant abandoned, or was dismissed from, the course and ending with the benefit week which includes the last day of the last quarter for which an instalment of the relevant payment was payable to that claimant;in a case where the relevant payment is made by 2 or more instalments in a quarter, the period beginning with the benefit week which includes the day on which the claimant abandoned, or was dismissed from, the course and ending with the benefit week which includes—the day immediately before the day on which the next instalment of the relevant payment would have been due had the payments continued, orthe last day of the last quarter for which an instalment of the relevant payment was payable to that claimant,whichever of those dates is earlier;

“quarter” for the purposes of the definition of “assessment period”, in relation to an academic year, means a period in that year—beginning on 1st January and ending on 31st March;beginning on 1st April and ending on 30th June;beginning on 1st July and ending on 31st August; orbeginning on 1st September and ending on 31st December;

“relevant payment” means either a student loan or an amount intended for the maintenance of dependants referred to in regulation 132(6) (calculation of grant income) or both.

(7) In the case of income to which regulation 91(3) (calculation of income of former students) applies, the amount of income to be taken into account for the purposes of paragraph (1) is to be the amount of that income calculated in accordance with regulation 94(7) (calculation of weekly amount of income) and on the basis that none of that income has been repaid.

(8) Subject to paragraph (9), for the avoidance of doubt there is to be included as income to be taken into account under paragraph (1)—

(a) any payment to which regulation 95(2) or 97(2) (payments not earnings) applies; or

(b) in the case of a claimant who is receiving support provided under section 95 or 98 of the Immigration and Asylum Act[^f00101], including support provided by virtue of regulations made under Schedule 9 to that Act[^f00102], the amount of such support provided in respect of essential living needs of the claimant and the claimant’s partner (if any) as is specified in regulations made under paragraph 3 of Schedule 8 to that Act.

(9) In the case of a claimant who is the partner of a person subject to immigration control and whose partner is receiving support provided under section 95 or 98 of the Immigration and Asylum Act, including support provided by virtue of regulations made under Schedule 9 to that Act, there is not to be included as income to be taken into account under paragraph (1) the amount of support provided in respect of essential living needs of the partner of the claimant and the claimant’s dependants (if any) as is specified in regulations made under paragraph 3 of Schedule 8 to that Act.

Capital treated as income

105

(1) Capital which is payable by instalments which are outstanding on—

(a) the first day in respect of which an income-related allowance is payable or the date of the determination of the claim, whichever is earlier; or

(b) in the case of a supersession, the date of that supersession,

is to be treated as income if the aggregate of the instalments outstanding and the amount of the claimant’s capital otherwise calculated in accordance with Chapter 7 exceeds £16,000.

(2) Any payment received under an annuity is to be treated as income.

(3) Any earnings to the extent that they are not a payment of income are to be treated as income.

(4) Where an agreement or court order provides that payments are to be made to the claimant in consequence of any personal injury to the claimant and that such payments are to be made, wholly or in part, by way of periodical payments, any such periodical payments received by the claimant (but not a payment which is treated as capital by virtue of this Part), are to be treated as income.

Notional income – deprivation and income on application

106

(1) A claimant is to be treated as possessing income of which the claimant has deprived himself for the purpose of securing entitlement to an employment and support allowance or increasing the amount of that allowance, or for the purpose of securing entitlement to, or increasing the amount of, income support or a jobseeker’s allowance.

(2) Except in the case of—

(a) a discretionary trust;

(b) a trust derived from a payment made in consequence of a personal injury;

(d) a jobseeker’s allowance;

(e) working tax credit;

(f) child tax credit;

(g) a personal pension scheme, occupational pension scheme or a payment made by the Board of the Pension Protection Fund where the claimant has not attained the qualifying age for state pension credit ; or

(ga) any sum to which paragraph (9) applies;

(gb) any sum to which regulation 137(4A) (treatment of student loans) applies;

(h) any sum to which paragraph 42(2)(a) of Schedule 9 (capital to be disregarded) applies which is administered in the way referred to in paragraph 42(1)(a) of that Schedule,

income which would become available to the claimant upon application being made but which has not been acquired by the claimant is to be treated as possessed by the claimant but only from the date on which it could be expected to be acquired were an application made.

(3) A claimant who has attained the qualifying age for state pension credit is to be treated as possessing—

(a) the amount of any income from an occupational pension scheme, a personal pension scheme or the Board of the Pension Protection Fund—

(i) for which no claim has been made, and

(ii) to which the claimant might expect to be entitled if a claim for it were made;

(b) income from an occupational pension scheme which the claimant elected to defer,

but only from the date on which it could be expected to be acquired were an application for it to be made.

(4) This paragraph applies where a claimant who has attained the qualifying age for state pension credit —

(a) is entitled to money purchase benefits under an occupational pension scheme or a personal pension scheme;

(b) fails to purchase an annuity with the funds available in that scheme; and

(i) defers in whole or in part the payment of any income which would have been payable to the claimant by that claimant’s pension fund holder, or

(ii) fails to take any necessary action to secure that the whole of any income which would be payable to the person by that claimant’s pension fund holder upon the person applying for it, is so paid, or

(iii) income withdrawal is not available to the claimant under that scheme.

(5) Where paragraph (4) applies, the amount of any income foregone is to be treated as possessed by that claimant, but only from the date on which it could be expected to be acquired were an application for it to be made.

(6) The amount of any income foregone in a case where paragraph (4)(c)(i) or (ii) applies is to be the rate of the annuity which may have been purchased with the fund and is to be determined by the Department which shall take account of information provided by the pension fund holder in accordance with regulation 7(5) of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987[^f00103].

(7) The amount of any income foregone in a case where paragraph (4)(c)(iii) applies is to be the income that the claimant could have received without purchasing an annuity had the funds held under the relevant occupational or personal pension scheme been held under a scheme where income withdrawal was available and is to be determined in the manner specified in paragraph (6).

(8) In paragraph (4), “money purchase benefits” has the meaning given by section 176(1) of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993[^f00104].

(9) Paragraphs (1) and (2) do not apply in respect of any amount of income other than earnings, or earnings derived from employment as an employed earner, arising out of the claimant participating as a service user .

Notional income – income due to be paid or income paid to or in respect of a third party

107

(1) Except in the case of a discretionary trust, or a trust derived from a payment made in consequence of a personal injury, any income which is due to be paid to the claimant but—

(a) has not been paid to the claimant;

(b) is not a payment prescribed in regulation 8 or 9 of the Social Security (Payments on Account, Overpayment and Recovery) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1988[^f00105] (duplication and prescribed payments or maintenance payments) and not made on or before the date prescribed in relation to it,

is, except for any amount to which paragraph (2) applies, to be treated as possessed by the claimant.

(2) This paragraph applies to—

(a) an amount which is due to be paid to the claimant under an occupational pension scheme but which is not paid because the trustees or managers of the scheme have suspended or ceased payments due to an insufficiency of resources;

(b) any amount by which a payment made to the claimant from an occupational pension scheme falls short of the payment to which the claimant was due under the scheme where the shortfall arises because the trustees or managers of the scheme have insufficient resources available to them to meet in full the scheme’s liabilities; or

(c) any earnings which are due to an employed earner on the termination of that employed earner’s employment by reason of redundancy but which have not been paid to that employed earner.

(3) Any payment of income, other than a payment of income specified in paragraph (5) or (5A) , made to a third party in respect of a single claimant or the claimant’s partner (but not a member of the third party’s family) is to be treated—

(a) in a case where that payment is derived from—

(i) a payment of any benefit under the benefit Acts,

(ii) a payment from the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme,

(iii) a war disablement pension, war widow’s pension or war widower’s pension, or

(iv) a pension payable to a person as a widow, widower or surviving civil partner under any power of Her Majesty otherwise than under a statutory provision to make provision about pensions for or in respect of persons who have been disabled or have died in consequence of service as members of the armed forces of the Crown,

as possessed by that single claimant, if it is paid to the claimant or by the claimant’s partner, if it is paid to the claimant’s partner;

(b) in a case where that payment is a payment of an occupational pension, a pension or other periodical payment made under a personal pension scheme or a payment made by the Board of the Pension Protection Fund, as possessed by that single claimant or, as the case may be, by the claimant’s partner;

(c) in any other case, as possessed by that single claimant or the claimant’s partner to the extent that it is used for the food, ordinary clothing or footwear, household fuel, rent or rates for which housing benefit is payable, or any housing costs to the extent that they are met under regulation 67(1)(c) or 68(1)(d) (housing costs), of that single claimant or, as the case may be, of the claimant’s partner, or is used for any water charges for which that claimant or that partner is liable,

but, except where sub-paragraph (a) applies, this paragraph does not apply to any payment in kind to the third party.

(4) Any payment of income, other than a payment of income specified in paragraph (5) or (5A) , made to a single claimant or the claimant’s partner in respect of a third party (but not in respect of another member of the claimant’s family) is to be treated as possessed by that single claimant or, as the case may be, the claimant’s partner, to the extent that it is kept or used by that claimant or used by or on behalf of the claimant’s partner but, except where paragraph (3)(a) applies, this paragraph does not apply to any payment in kind to the third party.

(5) Paragraphs (3) and (4) do not apply in respect of a payment of income made—

(a) under or by the Macfarlane Trust, the Macfarlane (Special Payments) Trust, the Macfarlane (Special Payments) (No. 2) Trust, the Fund, the Eileen Trust , MFET Limited , the Skipton Fund, the Caxton Foundation , the Infected Blood Payment Scheme for Northern Ireland, the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme, an approved blood scheme , the London Emergencies Trust, the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund , the National Emergencies Trust or the Independent Living Fund (2006);

(b) pursuant to section 19(1)(a) of the Coal Industry Act 1994[^f00106] (concessionary coal);

(i) in an employment programme specified in regulation 75(1)(a) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations[^f00107],

(ii) in a training scheme specified in regulation 75(1)(b)(ii) of those Regulations[^f00108],

(iii) in a qualifying course within the meaning of regulation 17A(7) of those Regulations[^f00109]; or

(ca) in respect of a person's participation in a scheme prescribed in regulation 3 of the Jobseeker's Allowance (Schemes for Assisting Persons to Obtain Employment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014; or

(d) under an occupational pension scheme, in respect of a pension or other periodical payment made under a personal pension scheme or a payment made by the Board of the Pension Protection Fund where—

(i) a bankruptcy order has been made in respect of the person in respect of whom the payment has been made or, in Scotland, the estate of that person is subject to sequestration or a judicial factor has been appointed on that person’s estate under section 41 of the Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980[^f00110],

(ii) the payment is made to the trustee in bankruptcy or any other person acting on behalf of the creditors, and

(iii) the person referred to in head (i) and that person’s partner (if any) does not possess, or is not treated as possessing, any other income apart from that payment.

(5A) Paragraphs (3) and (4) do not apply in respect of any of the following payments of income—

(a) a Grenfell Tower payment;

(b) child abuse payment;

(d) a Post Office compensation payment;

(e) an LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme payment;

(f) a miscarriage of justice compensation payment.

(6) Where the claimant resides in a residential care home, a nursing home, an Abbeyfield Home or an independent hospital, or is temporarily absent from such a home or hospital, any payment made by a person other than the claimant or a member of the claimant’s family in respect of some or all of the cost of maintaining the claimant or the claimant’s partner in that home or hospital is to be treated as possessed by the claimant or the claimant’s partner.

(7) In paragraph (2)(a) and (b) “resources” has the meaning given by section 176(1) of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993.

(8) Paragraphs (1), (3) and (4) do not apply in respect of any amount of income other than earnings, or earnings derived from employment as an employed earner, arising out of the claimant participating as a service user .

Notional income – other income

108

(1) Where a claimant’s earnings are not ascertainable at the time of the determination of the claim or of any revision or supersession the Department will treat the claimant as possessing such earnings as is reasonable in the circumstances of the case having regard to the number of hours worked and the earnings paid for comparable employment in the area.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), where—

(a) a claimant performs a service for another person; and

(b) that person makes no payment of earnings or pays less than that paid for a comparable employment in the area,

the Department is to treat the claimant as possessing such earnings (if any) as is reasonable for that employment unless the claimant satisfies the Department that the means of that person are insufficient for the person to pay, or to pay more, for the service.

(3) Paragraph (2) shall not apply—

(a) to a claimant who is engaged by a charitable or voluntary organisation or who is a volunteer if the Department is satisfied in any of those cases that it is reasonable for the claimant to provide the service free of charge;

(b) in a case where the service is performed in connection with—

(i) the claimant’s participation in an employment or training programme in accordance with regulation 19(1)(p) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations, other than where the service is performed in connection with the claimant’s participation in the Preparation for Employment Programme specified in regulation 75(1)(a)(v) of those Regulations[^f00111], or

(ii) the claimant’s or the claimant’s partner’s participation in an employment or training programme as defined in regulation 19(3) of those Regulations[^f00112] for which a training allowance is not payable or, where such an allowance is payable, it is payable for the sole purpose of reimbursement of travelling or meal expenses to the claimant or the claimant’s partner participating in that programme;

(i) the New Deal for Lone Parents, or

(ii) a scheme which has been approved by the Department for Employment and Learning as supporting the objectives of the New Deal for Lone Parents; or

(d) to a claimant who is participating in a work placement approved in writing by the Department for Employment and Learning (or a person providing services to that Department) before the placement starts and in this sub-paragraph “work placement” means practical work experience with an employer, which is neither paid nor undertaken in expectation of payment.

(4) Paragraphs (1) and (2) do not apply in respect of any amount of income other than earnings, or earnings derived from employment as an employed earner, arising out of the claimant participating as a service user .

Notional income – calculation and interpretation

109

(1) Where a claimant is treated as possessing any income under regulation 106 or 107 the foregoing provisions of this Part are to apply for the purposes of calculating the amount of that income as if a payment had actually been made and as if it were actual income which the claimant does possess.

(2) Where a claimant is treated as possessing any earnings under regulation 108(1) or (2) the foregoing provisions of this Part are to apply for the purposes of calculating the amount of those earnings as if a payment had actually been made and as if they were actual earnings which the claimant does possess except that regulation 96(3) (calculation of net earnings of employed earners) does not apply and the claimant’s net earnings are to be calculated by taking into account the earnings which the claimant is treated as possessing, less—

(a) where the period over which those earnings are to be taken into account is a year or more, an amount in respect of income tax equivalent to an amount calculated by applying to those earnings ... the basic rate , or in the case of a Scottish taxpayer, the Scottish basic rate, of tax in the year of assessment less only the personal reliefs to which the claimant is entitled under Chapters 2, 3 and 3A of Part 3 of the Income Tax Act 2007 as are appropriate to the claimant’s circumstances;

(b) where... the period over which those earnings are to be taken into account is less than a year, the earnings to which the basic rate , or the Scottish basic rate, of tax is to be applied and the amount of the personal reliefs deductible under this paragraph are to be calculated on a pro rata basis;

(c) where the weekly amount of those earnings equals or exceeds the lower earnings limit, an amount representing primary Class 1 contributions under section 6(1)(a) of the Contributions and Benefits Act, calculated by applying to those earnings the initial and main primary percentages in accordance with section 8(1)(a) and (b) of that Act[^f00114]; and

(d) one half of any sum payable by the claimant in respect of a pay period by way of a contribution towards an occupational or personal pension scheme.

(3) Where the claimant is an employed earner in the Republic of Ireland the amounts to be deducted for income tax and primary Class 1 contributions under paragraph (2) are to be such amounts as, in the opinion of the Department, would have been deducted had the claimant been employed in Northern Ireland.

CHAPTER 7 — Capital

Capital limit

110

For the purposes of paragraph 6(1)(b) of Schedule 1 to the Act as it applies to an income-related allowance (no entitlement to benefit if capital exceeds prescribed amount), the prescribed amount is £16,000.

Calculation of capital

111

(1) For the purposes of sections 1(2) and 4 of, and Part 2 of Schedule 1 to, the Act as it applies to an income-related allowance, the capital of a claimant to be taken into account is, subject to paragraph (2), to be the whole of the claimant’s capital calculated in accordance with this Part and any income treated as capital under regulation 112 (income treated as capital).

(2) There is to be disregarded from the calculation of a claimant’s capital under paragraph (1) any capital, where applicable, specified in Schedule 9 (capital to be disregarded).

Income treated as capital

112

(1) Any bounty derived from employment to which regulation 43(1)(e) and paragraph 12 of Schedule 7 apply and paid at intervals of at least one year is to be treated as capital.

(2) Any amount by way of a refund of income tax paid in respect of, or deducted from, profits or income chargeable to—

(a) tax under the provisions in Part 2 of the Income Tax (Trading and Other Income) Act 2005[^f00115] or Part 2 of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003[^f00116]; or

(b) tax under the legislation of the Republic of Ireland which is analogous to tax under those provisions,

is to be treated as capital.

(3) Any holiday pay which is not earnings under regulation 95(1)(d) (earnings of employed earners) is to be treated as capital.

(4) Except any income derived from capital disregarded under paragraph 1, 2, 4 to 8, 10, 16 or 42 of Schedule 9, any income derived from capital is to be treated as capital but only from the date it is normally due to be credited to the claimant’s account.

(5) In the case of employment as an employed earner, any advance of earnings or any loan made by the claimant’s employer is to be treated as capital.

(6) Any payment made by the Secretary of State by way of an allowance to a prisoner on discharge is to be treated as capital.

(7) Any charitable or voluntary payment which is not made or not due to be made at regular intervals, other than one to which paragraph (8) applies, is to be treated as capital.

(8) This paragraph applies to—

Reading this document does not replace reading the official text published on legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies arising from the conversion of the original CLML XML to this format.

This text is published under legislation.gov.uk's own terms of reuse, not a Legalize or public-domain licence. legislation.gov.uk
Open Government Licence v3.0 (attribution required)
© Crown and database right. Derived from content available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 from legislation.gov.uk.