Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 Schedule 3 Part 1

Definitions - means testing

Schedule 3 Part 1 establishes the standard definitions used throughout the social welfare means-testing process.

• Personal status definitions cover spouses and civil partners (must be living together), blind persons (over 18 and unable to work requiring sight), and fishermen (self-employed sea fishers on registered boats)
• Housing-related terms define gross proceeds from selling a principal residence (either the full sale price or the difference if buying a replacement) and housing costs (rent or loans for purchase, repair or essential improvement of current home)
• Education support terms cover maintenance grants from various statutory schemes including those under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts and Student Support Act 2011
• The special incentive career break scheme (announced April 2009) allows certain civil servants to take at least three years' unpaid leave with an incentive payment