Agenda item

Report of the Group Director of Operations.

The Cabinet Member with the Resources Portfolio introduced the report of the Group Director of Operations (previously circulated) requesting that consideration be given to reconfirming that war pensions should be fully disregarded as income when calculating entitlement to Housing Benefit.

The submitted report stated that legislation allowed discretion for Council’s to disregard up to 100 per cent of War Disablement Pensions and War Widow’s Pensions in the calculation of Housing Benefit entitlement (referred to as the ‘local scheme’); this Council, had fully disregarded war pensions in the calculation of Housing Benefit, since the Social Security Administration Act was introduced in 1992; and outlined the financial and legal implications.

RESOLVED – (a)  That the contents of the report be noted.

(b)  That the war pensions, as defined in paragraph 18 of the submitted report, be fully disregarded as income when calculating entitlement to Housing Benefit.

REASON  -  The Social Security Administration Act 1992 requires the Council to formally adopt any modification of the Housing Benefit scheme where the whole or part of any war pension is disregarded.