STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS.

S.I. No. 232 of 2000 .

SOCIAL WELFARE (CONSOLIDATED PAYMENTS PROVISIONS) (AMENDMENT) (NO. 10) (SALE OF RESIDENCE) REGULATIONS, 2000.

S.I. No. 232 of 2000 .

SOCIAL WELFARE (CONSOLIDATED PAYMENTS PROVISIONS) (AMENDMENT) (NO. 10) (SALE OF RESIDENCE) REGULATIONS, 2000.

The Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 4 and Rule 2 (as amended by section 20 of the Social Welfare Act, 1997 (No. 10 of 1997)) of Part II of the Third Schedule to the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993 (No. 27 of 1993) hereby makes the following Regulations:

Citation and construction.

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Social Welfare (Consolidated Payments Provisions) (Amendment) (No. 10) (Sale of Residence) Regulations, 2000.

(2) These Regulations and the Social Welfare (Consolidated Payments Provisions) Regulations, 1994 to 2000 shall be construed together as one and may be cited as the Social Welfare (Consolidated Payments Provisions) Regulations, 1994 to 2000.

Sale of residence.

2. Article 90 of the Social Welfare (Consolidated Payments Provisions) Regulations, 1994 ( S.I. No. 417 of 1994 ) is hereby amended by the substitution in sub-article (2) for "£75,000" of "£150,000".

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

Under current provisions, a person aged 66 or over, who is in receipt of Old Age (Non-Contributory) Pension, Widow's or Widower's (Non-Contributory) Pension or a One-Parent Family Payment, may sell his/her principal residence and either buy or rent alternative accommodation or move into a private nursing home, with the balance of the gross proceeds from the sale being exempted from the means test, subject to a ceiling of £75,000.

These Regulations provide for an increase in this ceiling to £150,000.