Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.-(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Social Fund Cold Weather Payments (General) Amendment Regulations 2011.

(2) They come into force on 1st November 2011.

(3) In these Regulations "the principal Regulations" means the Social Fund Cold Weather Payments (General) Regulations 1988(3).

Amendment of the principal Regulations

2.-(1) For Schedule 1(4) to the principal Regulations (identification of stations and postcode districts), substitute the Schedule set out in Schedule 1 to these Regulations.

(2) For Schedule 2(5) to the principal Regulations (specified alternative stations), substitute the Schedule set out in Schedule 2 to these Regulations.

Regulation 2(1)

SCHEDULE 1

The following Schedule is substituted for Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations-

Regulation 2(1)(a) and (2)

"SCHEDULE 1IDENTIFICATION OF STATIONS AND POSTCODE DISTRICTS

Regulation 2(2)

SCHEDULE 2

The following Schedule is substituted for Schedule 2 to the principal Regulations-

Regulation 2(1A)(a) and (1B)(a)

"SCHEDULE 2SPECIFIED ALTERNATIVE STATIONS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Social Fund Cold Weather Payments (General) Regulations 1988 (SI 1988/1724) ("the 1988 Regulations").

Schedule 1 to the 1988 Regulations designates the relevant primary weather station for specified postcodes. A designated weather station records or forecasts periods of cold weather which are then used to determine eligibility for cold weather payments for claimants living in postcodes assigned to that weather station. Schedule 2 to those Regulations specifies alternative stations used to provide this information where the primary station is unable to do so. Where there is no specified alternative station for the relevant primary station, the nearest primary station able to provide this information is used.

Regulation 2(1) substitutes the Schedule set out in Schedule 1 to these Regulations for the existing Schedule 1 to the 1988 Regulations. The new Schedule largely re-enacts the list contained in the former Schedule 1, but Dundrennan, St Catherine's Point and West Freugh weather stations are no longer specified as primary weather stations. Four weather stations (Aboyne, Auchincruive, Bainbridge and Threave), have been added to the list of primary weather stations. The new Schedule 1 also transfers postcodes between weather stations and assigns postcodes to the new stations.

Regulation 2(2) substitutes the Schedule set out in Schedule 2 to these Regulations for the existing Schedule 2 to the 1988 Regulations. The new Schedule adds to column (1) fourteen Meteorological Office Stations for which alternative stations are added to column (2).

The Postcode Atlas of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the postcode maps may be obtained from their publishers. A person may establish the current postcode for his or her address by contacting the Royal Mail Postcode Enquiries Office (telephone 0906 302 1222 -� Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. -� or 08457 111 222) or through the Royal Mail website at www.royalmail.com.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as it has no impact on the private sector or civil society organisations.