Legislation – Welfare Reform Act 2012
Changes to legislation:
Welfare Reform Act 2012, SCHEDULE 4 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 31 October 2025. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.![]()
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Schedule 4:
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/1511 by S.I. 2017/57 art. 5 13 14 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/2657 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 4–6 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/2657 by S.I. 2017/57 art. 13 15 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/2846 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 3 4 7 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/983 by S.I. 2018/138 art. 3
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/983 by S.I. 2019/10 reg. 3(1)
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/983 by S.I. 2019/167 art. 5(2)
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/983, art. 5A(1), 6(1) by S.I. 2017/483 art. 2
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/1583 by S.I. 2017/664 art. 5 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/209 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 3 4 8 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/209 by S.I. 2017/57 art. 10 16 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/2321 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 5 9 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/2321 by S.I. 2016/963 art. 3 7 8 13 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/2321 by S.I. 2017/584 art. 5 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/2321 by S.I. 2017/664 art. 5 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 3–5 10 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2016/963 art. 4 6–12 14 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2017/57 art. 3–9 11 12 17 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2017/584 art. 3 4 6–9 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2017/664 art. 3–5 7–9 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 3 4 11 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2016/963 art. 3–12 15 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2017/57 art. 3–7 9 12 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2017/584 art. 3 4 6–9 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2017/664 art. 3–9 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/33 by S.I. 2018/138 art. 6
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/33 by S.I. 2019/10 reg. 3(2)
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/33 by S.I. 2019/167 art. 5(3)
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/33 by S.I. 2019/37 art. 5
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/33, art. 6(11) by S.I. 2017/483 art. 3
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634 by S.I. 2018/138 art. 6
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634 by S.I. 2019/10 reg. 3(3)
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634 by S.I. 2019/167 art. 5(4)
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634 by S.I. 2019/37 art. 5
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634, art. 7(2) by S.I. 2017/376 reg. 4
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2016/596 by S.I. 2016/963 art. 17
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2019/37 by S.I. 2019/935 art. 2
- specified provision(s) modification of earlier commencing S.I. 2014/1583 by S.I. 2018/532 art. 3 Sch.
- specified provision(s) modification of earlier commencing S.I. 2014/2321 by S.I. 2018/532 art. 3 Sch.
- specified provision(s) modification of earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2018/532 art. 3 Sch.
- specified provision(s) modification of earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2018/532 art. 3 Sch.
- specified provision(s) modification of earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634 by S.I. 2018/532 art. 5
SCHEDULE 4Housing credit element of state pension credit
Part 1Amendments to State Pension Credit Act 2002
State Pension Credit Act 2002 (c. 16)
1
The State Pension Credit Act 2002 is amended as follows.
2
“or
(iii)
the conditions in section 3A(1) and (2) (housing credit).”
3
In that section, in subsection (3)—
(a)
“or
(c)
to a housing credit, calculated in accordance with section 3A, if he satisfies the conditions in subsections (1) and (2) of that section,”;
(b)
for the words from “(or to both)” to the end there is substituted “
.
(or to more than one of them, if he satisfies the relevant conditions)
”
4
“3AHousing credit
(1)
The first of the conditions mentioned in section 1(2)(c)(iii) is that the claimant is liable to make payments in respect of the accommodation he occupies as his home.
(2)
The second of the conditions mentioned in section 1(2)(c)(iii) is that the claimant’s capital and income are such that the amount of the housing credit payable (if he were entitled to it) would not be less than a prescribed amount.
(3)
Where the claimant is entitled to a housing credit, the amount of the housing credit shall be an amount calculated in or determined under regulations (which may be zero).
(4)
For the purposes of subsection (1)—
(a)
the accommodation must be in Great Britain;
(b)
the accommodation must be residential accommodation;
(c)
it is immaterial whether the accommodation consists of the whole or part of a building and whether or not it comprises separate and self-contained premises.
(5)
Regulations may make provision as to—
(a)
the meaning of “payments in respect of accommodation” for the purposes of this section (and, in particular, as to the extent to which such payments include mortgage payments);
(b)
circumstances in which a claimant is to be treated as liable or not liable to make such payments;
(c)
circumstances in which a claimant is to be treated as occupying or not occupying accommodation as his home (and, in particular, for temporary absences to be disregarded);
(d)
circumstances in which land used for the purposes of any accommodation is to be treated as included in the accommodation.
(6)
Regulations under this section may make different provision for different areas.”
5
“(10)
Regulations may prescribe circumstances in which subsection (3) does not apply for the purposes of determining the amount of a housing credit to which the claimant is entitled.”
6
In section 12 (polygamous marriages), in subsection (2)(b), after “savings credit” there is inserted “
.
or housing credit
”
7
In section 17 (interpretation), in subsection (1), after the definition of “guarantee credit” there is inserted—
““housing credit” shall be construed in accordance with sections 1 and 3A;”.
(8)
In Schedule 2 (consequential amendments etc), paragraph 9(5)(a) is repealed.
Part 2Amendments to other Acts
Social Security Administration Act 1992 (c. 5)
9
The Social Security Administration Act 1992 is amended as follows.
10
In section 5 (regulations about claims and payments) in subsection (6), before “subsection” there is inserted “or housing credit (within the meaning of the State Pension Credit Act 2002)”.
F111
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12
(1)
Section 122F (supply by rent officers of information) is amended as follows.
(2)
In subsection (3)(a) at the end of the words in brackets there is inserted “or housing credit”.
(3)
In subsection (4) at the end there is inserted “or housing credit”.
(4)
“(5)
In this section “housing credit“ has the same meaning as in the State Pension Credit Act 2002”.
Housing Act 1996 (c. 52)
13
(1)
Section 122 of the Housing Act 1996 (rent officers) is amended as follows.
(2)
In the heading, at the end there is inserted “and housing credit”.
(3)
In subsection (1), at the end there is inserted “or housing credit (within the meaning of the State Pension Credit Act 2002)“.
Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000 (c. 19)
14
In section 69 of the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000 (discretionary financial assistance with housing), in subsection (1)(a), after “universal credit” there is inserted “
.
or housing credit (within the meaning of the State Pension Credit Act 2002)
”