Add the universal credit limb of the Housing Benefit passport

changelog.d/hb-universal-credit-passport.fixed.md

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- Disregard the earnings, whole income and whole capital of a Housing Benefit claimant on Universal Credit, as SI 2006/213 Schedule 4 paragraph 12, Schedule 5 paragraph 4 and Schedule 6 paragraph 5 (Northern Ireland: SR 2006/405 Schedule 5 paragraph 12, Schedule 6 paragraph 4 and Schedule 7 paragraph 5) require, so where Housing Benefit is paid alongside Universal Credit the means test gives the maximum. Being on Universal Credit means being entitled to it, whether it is in payment or not (regulation 2(3B)), which the model reads as Universal Credit above nil before the benefit cap and deductions. The limb applies from 28 October 2013 in Great Britain and 8 May 2018 in Northern Ireland (`gov.dwp.housing_benefit.means_test.universal_credit_passport`). Adds `housing_benefit_on_passporting_benefit`, which the three passports now read. No family receives both benefits in the model yet, so outputs on the Enhanced FRS do not change.

docs/book/programs/gov/dwp/housing-benefit.ipynb

@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
     "1. **Eligible rent**: the rent the benunit is liable for (`benunit_rent`). Where the Local Housing Allowance applies (`LHA_eligible`: renting, and no member in social housing), the eligible rent is the maximum rent (LHA), which is the LHA rate or, where the rent is lower, the rent (`LHA_cap`; SI 2006/213 regs [12D(2)(a)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/213/regulation/12D) and [13D(5)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/213/regulation/13D)).\n",
     "2. **Applicable amount** (`housing_benefit_applicable_amount`): a personal allowance derived from the benunit's composition (single, couple, lone parent) and age, plus any disability/carer premiums. This is the \"minimum income\" the household needs before HB tapers begin.\n",
     "3. **Means test** (`housing_benefit_entitlement`): the appropriate maximum Housing Benefit is the eligible rent less `housing_benefit_non_dep_deductions` for any non-dependant adults living in the household ([reg. 70](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/213/regulation/70)). The published `withdrawal_rate` (currently 0.65) of the benunit's `housing_benefit_applicable_income` in excess of the applicable amount is deducted from that maximum ([SSCBA 1992 s. 130(3)(b)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1992/4/section/130), [reg. 71](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/213/regulation/71)). Because the LHA caps the eligible rent, the taper comes off the LHA: a private tenant with rent above the LHA and income above the applicable amount receives the LHA less the taper, not the lower of the LHA and the rent less the taper. The pension-age regulations (SI 2006/214) have the same rules at regs 12D, 13D, 50 and 51, and the Northern Ireland regulations at SR 2006/405 regs 13C, 14D, 68 and 69 and SR 2006/406 regs 13C, 14D, 48 and 49.\n",
-    "   If the benunit is in receipt of Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (`in_receipt_of_income_support_jsa_ib_or_esa_ir`: a positive amount of any of them), the whole of its income and capital is disregarded ([SI 2006/213 Sch. 5 para. 4](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/213/schedule/5/paragraph/4) and [Sch. 6 para. 5](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/213/schedule/6/paragraph/5); Northern Ireland: [SR 2006/405 Sch. 6 para. 4](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2006/405/schedule/6/paragraph/4) and [Sch. 7 para. 5](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2006/405/schedule/7/paragraph/5)). `housing_benefit_applicable_income` and `housing_benefit_assessable_capital` are then zero, so the award is that maximum. This applies at any age: a mixed-age couple whose younger member is on one of these benefits is assessed under the working-age regulations ([SI 2006/213 reg. 5(1)(b)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/213/regulation/5)). The universal credit limb of those paragraphs is not modelled, because no benunit receives both Housing Benefit and Universal Credit.\n",
+    "   If the benunit is on Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (`housing_benefit_on_passporting_benefit`), the whole of its earnings, other income and capital is disregarded ([SI 2006/213 Sch. 4 para. 12](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/213/schedule/4/paragraph/12), [Sch. 5 para. 4](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/213/schedule/5/paragraph/4) and [Sch. 6 para. 5](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/213/schedule/6/paragraph/5); Northern Ireland: [SR 2006/405 Sch. 5 para. 12](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2006/405/schedule/5/paragraph/12), [Sch. 6 para. 4](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2006/405/schedule/6/paragraph/4) and [Sch. 7 para. 5](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2006/405/schedule/7/paragraph/5)). `housing_benefit_applicable_income` and `housing_benefit_assessable_capital` are then zero, so the award is that maximum. This applies at any age: a mixed-age couple whose younger member is on one of these benefits is assessed under the working-age regulations ([SI 2006/213 reg. 5(1)(b)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/213/regulation/5)). Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance and income-related Employment and Support Allowance count when a positive amount is paid (`in_receipt_of_income_support_jsa_ib_or_esa_ir`). A person is on Universal Credit on any day they are entitled to it, whether it is in payment or not ([reg. 2(3B)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/213/regulation/2)); PolicyEngine reads that as Universal Credit above nil before the benefit cap and deductions (`is_uc_entitled`), for a family that claims it, so the passport adds no circular dependency through the benefit cap. The universal credit limb applies from 28 October 2013 in Great Britain and 8 May 2018 in Northern Ireland (`gov.dwp.housing_benefit.means_test.universal_credit_passport`). It matters only where Housing Benefit is paid alongside Universal Credit, for specified or temporary accommodation, which the eligibility rules above do not yet model.\n",
     "4. **Benefit cap** (`housing_benefit`): the post-means-test award is finally reduced by `benefit_cap_reduction` if the household's total benefit income exceeds the cap and no cap exemption applies.\n",
     "\n",
     "The take-up gate (`would_claim_housing_benefit`) is applied inside `housing_benefit_pre_benefit_cap`."

policyengine_uk/parameters/gov/dwp/housing_benefit/means_test/universal_credit_passport.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+description: >-
+  Whether the Housing Benefit passport covers a claimant on Universal Credit:
+  the whole of the earnings, other income and capital of a claimant who is
+  entitled to Universal Credit, whether it is in payment or not, is
+  disregarded, as it is for a claimant on Income Support, income-based
+  Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
+  The universal credit words came into force on different dates in Great
+  Britain and Northern Ireland. Annual formulas read the value sampled on
+  30 April of the model year, so the limb applies from 2014-15 in Great
+  Britain and 2019-20 in Northern Ireland.
+great_britain:
+  description: Whether the Housing Benefit passport covers a claimant on Universal Credit in Great Britain. SI 2013/2070 inserted "universal credit," into SI 2006/213 Sch 4 para 12, Sch 5 para 4 and Sch 6 para 5, and the meaning of being on Universal Credit as reg 2(3B), from 28 October 2013.
+  values:
+    2006-03-06: false
+    2013-10-28: true
+  metadata:
+    label: Housing Benefit passport covers Universal Credit in Great Britain
+    unit: bool
+    period: year
+    reference:
+      - title: The Housing Benefit Regulations 2006, Schedule 4 paragraph 12
+        href: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/213/schedule/4/paragraph/12
+      - title: The Housing Benefit Regulations 2006, Schedule 5 paragraph 4
+        href: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/213/schedule/5/paragraph/4
+      - title: The Housing Benefit Regulations 2006, Schedule 6 paragraph 5
+        href: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/213/schedule/6/paragraph/5
+      - title: The Housing Benefit Regulations 2006, regulation 2(3B)
+        href: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/213/regulation/2
+      - title: The Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) and Housing Benefit (Amendment) Regulations 2013, regulation 7
+        href: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/2070/regulation/7
+northern_ireland:
+  description: Whether the Housing Benefit passport covers a claimant on Universal Credit in Northern Ireland. SR 2018/92 inserted "universal credit," into SR 2006/405 Sch 5 para 12, Sch 6 para 4 and Sch 7 para 5, and the meaning of being on Universal Credit as reg 2(3B), from 8 May 2018.
+  values:
+    2006-11-20: false
+    2018-05-08: true
+  metadata:
+    label: Housing Benefit passport covers Universal Credit in Northern Ireland
+    unit: bool
+    period: year
+    reference:
+      - title: The Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006, Schedule 5 paragraph 12
+        href: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2006/405/schedule/5/paragraph/12
+      - title: The Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006, Schedule 6 paragraph 4
+        href: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2006/405/schedule/6/paragraph/4
+      - title: The Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006, Schedule 7 paragraph 5
+        href: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2006/405/schedule/7/paragraph/5
+      - title: The Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006, regulation 2(3B)
+        href: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2006/405/regulation/2
+      - title: The Universal Credit (Persons Required to Provide Information, Miscellaneous Amendments and Saving and Transitional Provision) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2018, regulation 4
+        href: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2018/92/regulation/4

policyengine_uk/tests/policy/baseline/finance/benefit/family/housing_benefit/applicable_income/housing_benefit_applicable_income.yaml

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 - name: Capped at 0
   period: 2025
   input:
+    would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
     # Benefits
     child_benefit: 1_000
     income_support: 0
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@
 - name: Baseline inputs
   period: 2025
   input:
+    would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
     # Benefits
     child_benefit: 1_000
     income_support: 0
@@ -51,6 +53,7 @@
   # earnings. 3,250 - 1,500 / 2 = 2,500.
   period: 2025
   input:
+    would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
     # Benefits
     child_benefit: 0
     income_support: 0
@@ -77,6 +80,7 @@
   # para 56 does not apply. 3,250 + 2,000 - 1,500 / 2 = 4,500.
   period: 2025
   input:
+    would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
     # Benefits
     child_benefit: 0
     income_support: 0
@@ -102,6 +106,7 @@
   # Applicable income is floored at nil: 3,250 - 100,000 / 2 < 0.
   period: 2025
   input:
+    would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
     # Benefits
     child_benefit: 0
     income_support: 0

policyengine_uk/tests/policy/baseline/finance/benefit/family/housing_benefit/applicable_income/housing_benefit_applicable_income_disregard.yaml

@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
         employment_income: 156 # £3 × 52
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [person]
   output:
     housing_benefit_applicable_income_disregard: 156 # min(£5, £3) × 52
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@
         employment_income: 5_200 # £100 × 52
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [person]
   output:
     housing_benefit_applicable_income_disregard: 260 # £5 × 52, not uprated
@@ -63,6 +65,7 @@
         employment_income: 5_200
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [person]
   output:
     housing_benefit_applicable_income_disregard: 260 # £5 × 52, not uprated
@@ -79,6 +82,7 @@
         age: 38
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [claimant, partner]
   output:
     housing_benefit_applicable_income_disregard: 520 # £10 × 52
@@ -96,6 +100,7 @@
         employment_income: 208 # £4 × 52
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [claimant, partner]
   output:
     # Para 7: the partner's earnings make up the £10 where the claimant's
@@ -115,6 +120,7 @@
         age: 5
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [parent, child]
   output:
     housing_benefit_applicable_income_disregard: 1_040 # min(£25, £20) × 52
@@ -132,6 +138,7 @@
         age: 5
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [parent, child]
   output:
     housing_benefit_applicable_income_disregard: 1_300 # £25 × 52
@@ -209,6 +216,7 @@
         weekly_hours: 30
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [person]
   output:
     housing_benefit_applicable_income_disregard: 260 # £5 × 52
@@ -224,6 +232,7 @@
         weekly_hours: 30
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [person]
   output:
     housing_benefit_applicable_income_disregard: 1_149.20 # (£5 + £17.10) × 52
@@ -239,6 +248,7 @@
         weekly_hours: 30
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [person]
   output:
     # Para 17(1): net earnings "equal or exceed" £5 × 52 + £0 childcare +
@@ -256,6 +266,7 @@
         weekly_hours: 30
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [person]
   output:
     housing_benefit_applicable_income_disregard: 260 # £5 × 52
@@ -273,6 +284,7 @@
         age: 5
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [parent, child]
   output:
     # £8,000 ≥ (£25 + £17.10) × 52 = £2,189.20.
@@ -291,6 +303,7 @@
         age: 5
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [parent, child]
   output:
     # £2,080 < (£25 + £17.10) × 52 = £2,189.20.
@@ -309,6 +322,7 @@
         age: 5
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [parent, child]
   output:
     # Para 17(1): £2,189.20 "equal or exceed" £1,300 + £0 childcare + £889.20.
@@ -327,6 +341,7 @@
         age: 5
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [parent, child]
   output:
     housing_benefit_applicable_income_disregard: 1_300 # £25 × 52
@@ -345,6 +360,7 @@
         age: 5
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [parent, child]
   output:
     # Childcare deducted is min(£4,160, one-child maximum) = £4,160.
@@ -366,6 +382,7 @@
         age: 5
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [parent, child]
   output:
     # £5,200 ≥ £1,300 + £1,040 + £889.20 = £3,229.20.
@@ -387,6 +404,7 @@
         age: 5
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [claimant, partner, child]
   output:
     housing_benefit_applicable_income_disregard: 1_409.20 # (£10 + £17.10) × 52
@@ -406,6 +424,7 @@
         weekly_hours: 16
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [claimant, partner]
   output:
     # One member must work 30 hours; hours are not added across the couple.
@@ -423,6 +442,7 @@
         is_disabled_for_benefits: true
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [person]
   output:
     # Para 17(2)(b)(iv)(aa): a single claimant with the disability premium
@@ -448,6 +468,7 @@
         employment_income: 1_040 # £20 a week
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [person]
         income_support: 3_000
   output:
@@ -465,6 +486,7 @@
         employment_income: 3_000
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [claimant, partner]
         esa_income: 4_000
   output:
@@ -486,6 +508,7 @@
         employment_income: 2_000
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [parent, child]
   output:
     housing_benefit_net_earnings: 0
@@ -507,6 +530,7 @@
         age: 5
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [parent, young_person, child]
   output:
     # A qualifying young person is a "young person" (SI 2006/213 reg

policyengine_uk/tests/policy/baseline/finance/benefit/family/housing_benefit/applicable_income/housing_benefit_net_earnings.yaml

@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@
         age: 0
     benunits:
       benunit:
+        would_claim_uc: false  # not on Universal Credit, which passports the means test
         members: [parent, child]
   output:
     # SI 2006/213 reg 35(1)(i). £8,000 is below the personal allowance and