Citation and commencement

1. This Order may be cited as the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) Amendment Order 2013 and comes into force on 1st April 2013.

Amendment of the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) Order 1997

2. —(1)The Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) Order 1997( 2 ) is amended as follows.

(2) In Schedule 2 (size criteria)—

(a) for paragraph 1A( 3 ) substitute—

“ 1A. One additional bedroom is allowed where on the application for the determination—

(a) the tenant or the tenant’s partner is (or both of them are) stated as being a person who requires overnight care; or

(b) the tenant or the tenant’s partner is (or both of them are) stated as being a qualifying parent or carer.

1B. Two additional bedrooms are allowed where sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph 1A both apply. ” ;

(b) after paragraph 2 add—

“ 3. In this Schedule “qualifying parent or carer” has the meaning given by regulation 2(1) of the Housing Benefit Regulations. ” .

Amendment of the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Scotland) Order 1997

3. —(1)The Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Scotland) Order 1997( 4 ) is amended as follows.

(2) In Schedule 2 (size criteria)—

(a) for paragraph 1A( 5 ) substitute—

“ 1A. One additional bedroom is allowed where on the application for the determination—

(a) the tenant or the tenant’s partner is (or both of them are) stated as being a person who requires overnight care; or

(b) the tenant or the tenant’s partner is (or both of them are) stated as being a qualifying parent or carer.

1B. Two additional bedrooms are allowed where sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph 1A both apply. ” ;

(b) after paragraph 2 add—

“ 3. In this Schedule “qualifying parent or carer” has the meaning given by regulation 2(1) of the Housing Benefit Regulations. ” .