Carers Bedroom Entitlement (Social Housing Sector) Bill (HC Bill 95)
A
BILL
TO
Provide that people in receipt of Universal Credit and Housing Benefit and
accommodated in the social housing sector be entitled to an additional
bedroom related to caring responsibilities or overnight care; and for connected
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and
consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present
Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
1
Provision for rooms for carers and those requiring overnight care in Universal
Credit
(1)
In Section 11 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (Housing Costs), after subsection
(3), insert—
“(3A)
5In relation to a dwelling of which the landlord is a local housing
authority or a registered provider of social housing, regulations under
this section shall not permit the housing cost element of the universal
credit to be less than the actual amount of the liability in a case where a
household has no more than one spare bedroom, and where a person,
10whom the relevant authority is satisfied occupies the claimant’s
dwelling as their home—
(a) is entitled to carer’s allowance; or
(b) requires overnight care.”
2
Provision for rooms for carers and those requiring overnight care in Housing
15Benefit
In Section 69 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (Housing Benefit), after
subsection (3) insert—
“(3A) After subsection (6) insert—
“(7)
In relation to a dwelling of which the landlord is a local housing
20authority or a registered provider of social housing, regulations
under this section shall not permit the appropriate maximum
housing benefit (AMHB) to be less than the actual amount of the
Carers Bedroom Entitlement (Social Housing Sector) BillPage 2
liability in a case where a household has no more than one spare
bedroom, and where a person, whom the relevant authority is
satisfied occupies the claimant’s dwelling as their home—
(a) is entitled to carer’s allowance; or
(b) 5requires overnight care.””
3 Interpretation
(1)
In any instance where these provisions apply to Scotland or Wales, for
“registered provider of social housing” substitute “registered social landlord”.
(2)
For the purposes of this Act “relevant authority” means an authority
10administering Housing Benefit or the housing costs element of Universal
Credit.
4 Financial provisions
There shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament any increase attributable to
this Act in the sums payable out of money so provided by virtue of any other Act.
5 15Short title, commencement and extent
(1)
This Act may be cited as the Carers Bedroom Entitlement (Social Housing
Sector) Act 2015.
(2)
This Act comes into force at the end of the period of 2 months beginning with
the day on which it is passed.
(3) 20This Act extends to England and Wales and Scotland.