OpenLegislation

Social Security Act 1975

1975 c. 14 · Enacted 20 March 1975

Original text. legislation.gov.uk does not revise this item, so later amendments are not shown here. Changes made to it are listed under each provision when known.

An Act to consolidate for England, Wales and Scotland so much of the Social Security Act 1973 as establishes a basic scheme of contributions and benefits, together with the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Acts 1965 to 1974 and other enactments relating to social security.

[20th March 1975]

Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Contents

  1. Part I: Contributions
  2. Preliminary
  3. 1Outline of contributory system
  4. 2Categories of earners
  5. 3"Earnings"
  6. The four classes of contributions
  7. 4Class 1 contributions (incidence)
  8. 5Class 1 standard and reduced rates
  9. 6Class 1 exemptions
  10. 7Class 2 contributions
  11. 8Class 3 contributions
  12. 9Class 4 contributions recoverable under Tax Acts
  13. 10Class 4 contributions recoverable under regulations
  14. 11General power to regulate liability for contributions
  15. Part II: Benefit and its Administration
  16. Chapter I: Contributory Benefits
  17. Preliminary
  18. 12Descriptions of contributory benefits
  19. 13Contribution conditions and the earnings factor
  20. Benefits for unemployment, sickness and invalidity
  21. 14Unemployment benefit and sickness benefit
  22. 15Invalidity pension
  23. 16Invalidity allowance
  24. 17Determination of days for which benefit is payable
  25. 18Duration of unemployment benefit
  26. 19Loss of employment due to stoppage of work
  27. 20Other disqualifications, etc.
  28. Maternity
  29. 21Maternity grant
  30. 22Maternity allowance
  31. 23Supplementary provisions as to maternity benefit
  32. Widowhood
  33. 24Widow's allowance
  34. 25Widowed mother's allowance
  35. 26Widow's pension
  36. Retirement pensions (Categories A and B)
  37. 27Matters affecting entitlement to pension
  38. 28Category A retirement pension
  39. 29Category B retirement pension
  40. 30Category A and B pensions (supplementary)
  41. Other benefits
  42. 31Child's special allowance
  43. 32Death grant
  44. Supplementary
  45. 33Partial satisfaction of contribution conditions
  46. Chapter II: Non-Contributory Benefits
  47. 34Descriptions of non-contributory benefits
  48. 35Attendance allowance
  49. 36Non-contributory invalidity pension
  50. 37Invalid care allowance
  51. 38Guardian's allowance
  52. 39Retirement benefits for the aged
  53. 40Age addition
  54. Chapter III: Increases for Dependants
  55. Child dependants
  56. 41Beneficiary's dependent children
  57. 42Additional provisions as to increase under s.41
  58. 43Limits of increase for dependent children
  59. Adult dependants
  60. 44Short term benefit: increase for adult dependants
  61. 45Pension increase (wife)
  62. 46Pension increase (female with care of children)
  63. 47Invalidity pension (dependant relative)
  64. 48Pension increases supplementary provisions
  65. Increase of certain non-contributory benefits
  66. 49Beneficiaries under ss.36 and 37
  67. Chapter IV: Benefit for Industrial Injuries
  68. General provisions as to benefit
  69. 50Descriptions of industrial injuries benefits
  70. 51Relevant employments
  71. 52Earner acting in breach of regulations, etc.
  72. 53Earner travelling in employer's transport
  73. 54Accidents happening while meeting emergency
  74. 55Accident caused by another's misconduct, etc.
  75. Injury benefit
  76. 56Injury benefit
  77. Disablement benefit
  78. 57Disablement gratuity and pension
  79. 58Unemployability supplement
  80. 59Increase of unemployability supplement
  81. 60Increase of disablement pension for special hardship
  82. 61Increase where constant attendance needed
  83. 62Increase during hospital treatment
  84. 63Increase for exceptionally severe disablement
  85. Increases for dependants
  86. 64Beneficiary's dependent children
  87. 65Additional provisions as to increase under s.64
  88. 66Adult dependants
  89. Industrial death benefit
  90. 67Widow's benefit (entitlement)
  91. 68Widow's benefit (rate)
  92. 69Widower's benefit (entitlement and rate)
  93. 70Children of deceased's family
  94. 71Parents
  95. 72Relatives
  96. 73Woman having care of deceased's children
  97. 74Beneficiary previously maintained by deceased
  98. 75Death of person with constant attendance allowance
  99. Chapter V: Industrial Diseases, and Injuries not within Chapter IV
  100. 76Benefit in respect of industrial disease, etc.
  101. 77General provisions as to benefit under s.76
  102. 78Respiratory diseases
  103. Chapter VI: Administration of Benefit
  104. Provisions relating to benefit under Chapters I to V
  105. 79Claims and awards
  106. 80Claims in the alternative
  107. 81Payment
  108. 82Disqualification and suspension
  109. 83Disqualifications disregarded for certain purposes
  110. 84Persons maintaining dependants, etc.
  111. 85Overlapping benefits
  112. 86Set-off of overpayments
  113. 87Benefit to be inalienable
  114. Provisions relating to industrial injuries benefit only
  115. 88Notification of accidents, etc.
  116. 89Medical examination and treatment
  117. 90Obligations of claimants
  118. 91Adjustments for successive accidents
  119. Supplementary
  120. 92Benefit forgone for unabated sick pay
  121. Part III: Determination of Claims and Questions
  122. Adjudication by Secretary of State
  123. 93Principal questions for Secretary of State
  124. 94Appeal on question of law
  125. 95Other questions for Secretary of State
  126. 96Review of decisions under ss.93, 95
  127. Adjudication by insurance officers, local tribunals and Commissioners
  128. 97Adjudicating officials and bodies
  129. 98Claims and questions to be submitted to insurance officer
  130. 99Decision of insurance officer
  131. 100Appeal to local tribunal
  132. 101Appeal from local tribunal to Commissioner
  133. 102Questions first arising on appeal
  134. 103Reference of special questions
  135. 104Review of decisions
  136. Adjudication in relation to attendance allowance
  137. 105Attendance Allowance Board
  138. 106Review of, and appeal from, Board's decision
  139. Adjudication in relation to industrial injuries, etc.
  140. 107Declaration that accident is an industrial accident
  141. 108Disablement questions
  142. 109Medical appeals and references
  143. 110Review of medical decisions
  144. 111Reference to single doctor
  145. 112Appeal etc. on question of law to Commissioner
  146. 113Adjudication as to industrial diseases
  147. Adjudication generally
  148. 114Regulations as to determination of questions
  149. 115Procedure
  150. 116Tribunal of 3 Commissioners
  151. 117Finality of decisions
  152. 118Questions as to child or family
  153. 119Effect of adjudication on payment and recovery
  154. Part IV: General Provisions as to Operation and Administration of this Act
  155. Review and re-rating of contributions
  156. 120Annual review of contributions
  157. 121Orders under s.120 (supplementary)
  158. 122Additional power to alter contributions
  159. 123Orders under s.122 (supplementary)
  160. Up-rating of benefits
  161. 124Power to increase rates of benefit
  162. 125Duty to increase certain benefits
  163. 126Supplementary provisions as to up-rating
  164. Special classes of earners
  165. 127Crown employment
  166. 128Her Majesty's forces
  167. 129Mariners, airmen, etc.
  168. 130Married women and widows
  169. 131Persons outside Great Britain
  170. 132Employment at sea (continental shelf operations)
  171. Finance
  172. 133National Insurance Fund
  173. 134Destination of contributions and Treasury supplements
  174. 135General financial arrangements
  175. 136Payments for purposes of s.92
  176. 137Financial review and report
  177. Advisory bodies
  178. 138National Insurance Advisory Committee
  179. 139Committee to be consulted as to regulations
  180. 140Advisory functions in relation to attendance allowance
  181. 141Industrial Injuries Advisory Council
  182. Social security systems outside Great Britain
  183. 142Co-ordination with Northern Ireland
  184. 143Reciprocity with other countries
  185. Enforcement
  186. 144Appointment and powers of inspectors
  187. 145Duty to submit to inspection
  188. 146Offences and penalties
  189. 147General provisions as to prosecutions
  190. 148Questions arising in proceedings
  191. Unpaid contributions
  192. 149Evidence of non-payment
  193. 150Recovery on prosecution
  194. 151Proof of previous offences
  195. 152Provisions supplementary to ss.150, 151
  196. 153Priority in bankruptcy, etc.
  197. Matters particularly relating to industrial injuries and diseases
  198. 154Research on industrial injuries, etc.
  199. 155Control of pneumoconiosis
  200. 156Accidents in course of illegal employment
  201. 157Persons treated as employers for certain purposes
  202. 158Supplementary schemes
  203. 159Payments for pre-1948 cases
  204. Other administrative provisions
  205. 160Provisions relating to age, death and marriage
  206. 161Furnishing of addresses for maintenance proceedings, etc.
  207. 162Treatment of certain marriages
  208. 163Exemption from stamp duty
  209. 164Disclosure of information by Inland Revenue
  210. 165Deputy Government Actuary
  211. Part V: General
  212. 166Orders and regulations (general provisions)
  213. 167Parliamentary control of orders and regulations
  214. 168Interpretation
  215. 169Citation, extent and commencement
  216. Schedule 1: Supplementary provisions relating to Contributions of Classes 1, 2 and 3
  217. Class 1 contributions where earner employed in more than one employment
  218. 1Paragraph 1
  219. Earnings not paid at normal intervals
  220. 2Paragraph 2
  221. Method of paying Class 1 contributions
  222. 3Paragraph 3
  223. General provisions as to Class 1 contributions
  224. 4Paragraph 4
  225. Power to combine collection of contributions with tax
  226. 5Paragraph 5
  227. General regulation-making powers
  228. 6Paragraph 6
  229. 7Paragraph 7
  230. Deduction of contributions from pension, etc.
  231. 8Paragraph 8
  232. Schedule 2: Levy of Class 4 Contributions with Income Tax
  233. Interpretation
  234. 1Paragraph 1
  235. Method of computing profits or gains
  236. 2Paragraph 2
  237. Reliefs
  238. 3Paragraph 3
  239. Husband and wife
  240. 4Paragraph 4
  241. Partnerships
  242. 5Paragraph 5
  243. Trustees, etc.
  244. 6Paragraph 6
  245. Other provisions
  246. 7Paragraph 7
  247. 8Paragraph 8
  248. 9Paragraph 9
  249. Schedule 3: Contribution Conditions for Entitlement to Benefit
  250. Part I: The conditions
  251. Unemployment and sickness benefit
  252. 1Paragraph 1
  253. Maternity grant
  254. 2Paragraph 2
  255. Maternity allowance
  256. 3Paragraph 3
  257. Widow's allowance
  258. 4Paragraph 4
  259. Widowed mother's allowance and widow's pension; retirement pensions (Categories A and B)
  260. 5Paragraph 5
  261. Child's special allowance
  262. 6Paragraph 6
  263. Death grant
  264. 7Paragraph 7
  265. Part II: Satisfaction of conditions in early years of contribution
  266. 8Paragraph 8
  267. 9Paragraph 9
  268. 10Paragraph 10
  269. 11Paragraph 11
  270. 12Paragraph 12
  271. 13Paragraph 13
  272. Schedule 4: Rates of Benefits, Grants and Increases for Dependants
  273. IContributory Periodical Benefits (Sections 14-31)
  274. IIMaternity Grant and Death Grant
  275. IIINon-Contributory Periodical Benefits (ss. 34-40)
  276. IVIncreases for Dependants (ss. 41-49)
  277. VRate or Amount of Industrial Injuries Benefit
  278. Schedule 5Meaning of "unemployability supplement or allowance"
  279. Schedule 6: Earnings-related Supplement and Addition
  280. Part I: Computation of weekly rate
  281. 1Paragraph 1
  282. 2Paragraph 2
  283. 3Paragraph 3
  284. 4Paragraph 4
  285. Part II: Additional provisions
  286. 5Paragraph 5
  287. 6Paragraph 6
  288. 7Paragraph 7
  289. Schedule 7: Method of treating deceased Husband's Contributions as those of his Widow, so as to entitle her to Category A Retirement Pension
  290. 1Paragraph 1
  291. 2Paragraph 2
  292. 3Paragraph 3
  293. Schedule 8: Assessment of Extent of Disablement
  294. General provisions as to method of assessment
  295. 1Paragraph 1
  296. 2Paragraph 2
  297. 3Paragraph 3
  298. 4Paragraph 4
  299. 5Paragraph 5
  300. Special provision as to entitlement to constant attendance allowance, etc.
  301. 6Paragraph 6
  302. Schedule 9: Limits of Entitlement to Industrial Death Benefit
  303. 1Paragraph 1
  304. 2Paragraph 2
  305. 3Paragraph 3
  306. 4Paragraph 4
  307. 5Paragraph 5
  308. 6Paragraph 6
  309. 7Paragraph 7
  310. 8Paragraph 8
  311. Schedule 10: Supplementary Provisions as to Local Tribunals, Commissioners, Etc
  312. Panels for appointment to local tribunals
  313. 1Paragraph 1
  314. Tribunal chairmen
  315. 2Paragraph 2
  316. Expenses of tribunal members and others
  317. 3Paragraph 3
  318. Commissioners' remuneration etc., and their pensions
  319. 4Paragraph 4
  320. 5Paragraph 5
  321. Commissioners' pensions: supplementary
  322. 6Paragraph 6
  323. Schedule 11: Attendance Allowance Board
  324. Part I: Membership of Board and Method of discharging Functions
  325. 1Paragraph 1
  326. 2Paragraph 2
  327. 3Paragraph 3
  328. 4Paragraph 4
  329. 5Paragraph 5
  330. Part II: Personnel, Administration and Expenses
  331. 6Paragraph 6
  332. 7Paragraph 7
  333. 8Paragraph 8
  334. 9Paragraph 9
  335. 10Paragraph 10
  336. 11Paragraph 11
  337. 12Paragraph 12
  338. Schedule 12: Medical Boards and Medical Appeal Tribunals
  339. 1Paragraph 1
  340. 2Paragraph 2
  341. 3Paragraph 3
  342. 4Paragraph 4
  343. 5Paragraph 5
  344. 6Paragraph 6
  345. 7Paragraph 7
  346. 8Paragraph 8
  347. Schedule 13: Provision which may be made by Procedure Regulations
  348. 1Paragraph 1
  349. 2Paragraph 2
  350. 3Paragraph 3
  351. 4Paragraph 4
  352. 5Paragraph 5
  353. 6Paragraph 6
  354. 7Paragraph 7
  355. 8Paragraph 8
  356. 9Paragraph 9
  357. 10Paragraph 10
  358. 11Paragraph 11
  359. Schedule 14: Provisions applicable on Alteration of Benefit Rates
  360. Preliminary
  361. 1Paragraph 1
  362. Awards before commencing date
  363. 2Paragraph 2
  364. Variation of disablement gratuities
  365. 3Paragraph 3
  366. Benefit in respect of children or adult dependants
  367. 4Paragraph 4
  368. Schedule 15: National Insurance Advisory Committee
  369. Part I: Constitution etc. of Committee
  370. 1Paragraph 1
  371. 2Paragraph 2
  372. 3Paragraph 3
  373. 4Paragraph 4
  374. 5Paragraph 5
  375. 6Paragraph 6
  376. 7Paragraph 7
  377. 8Paragraph 8
  378. 9Paragraph 9
  379. 10Paragraph 10
  380. Part II: Regulations not Requiring Prior Submission to Committee
  381. 11Paragraph 11
  382. 12Paragraph 12
  383. 13Paragraph 13
  384. 14Paragraph 14
  385. 15Paragraph 15
  386. 16Paragraph 16
  387. 17Paragraph 17
  388. 18Paragraph 18
  389. 19Paragraph 19
  390. 20Paragraph 20
  391. Schedule 16: Industrial Injuries Advisory Council
  392. Part I: Constitution of Council
  393. 1Paragraph 1
  394. 2Paragraph 2
  395. Part II: Regulations not Requiring Prior Submission to Council
  396. 3Paragraph 3
  397. 4Paragraph 4
  398. 5Paragraph 5
  399. 6Paragraph 6
  400. 7Paragraph 7
  401. 8Paragraph 8
  402. 9Paragraph 9
  403. 10Paragraph 10
  404. 11Paragraph 11
  405. 12Paragraph 12
  406. Schedule 17: Constitution, etc., of Joint Authority for Great Britain and Northern Ireland
  407. 1Paragraph 1
  408. 2Paragraph 2
  409. 3Paragraph 3
  410. Schedule 18: Priority of Debts in Cases of Personal and Company Insolvency
  411. 1Paragraph 1
  412. 2Paragraph 2
  413. 3Paragraph 3
  414. Schedule 19: Supplementary Schemes
  415. Implementation of schemes
  416. 1Paragraph 1
  417. 2Paragraph 2
  418. 3Paragraph 3
  419. 4Paragraph 4
  420. 5Paragraph 5
  421. Amendment and consolidation of schemes
  422. 6Paragraph 6
  423. 7Paragraph 7
  424. 8Paragraph 8
  425. 9Paragraph 9
  426. Set-off of overpayments
  427. 10Paragraph 10
  428. 11Paragraph 11
  429. 12Paragraph 12
  430. Exemption of certain documents from stamp duty
  431. 13Paragraph 13
  432. 14Paragraph 14
  433. Schedule 20Glossary of Expressions