{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988.json",
  "id": "ukpga/1988/7",
  "title": "Social Security Act 1988",
  "long_title": "An Act to amend the law relating to social security and to make fresh provision in relation to welfare foods and for the remission of charges for services provided under the National Health Service Act 1977 and the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 and the payment of travelling and overnight expenses for the purpose of persons availing themselves of services provided under those Acts; and for connected purposes.",
  "citation": "1988 c. 7",
  "type": "ukpga",
  "year": "1988",
  "number": "7",
  "version": "current",
  "date": "1988-03-15",
  "revised": true,
  "valid_from": "2019-02-08",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "unapplied_effects": 0,
  "provisions": [
    {
      "path": "introduction",
      "kind": "introduction",
      "number": null,
      "heading": "Introductory text",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/introduction",
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "crossheading/1",
      "kind": "crossheading",
      "number": null,
      "heading": null,
      "url": null,
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/1",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "1–8",
      "heading": ". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/section-1",
      "extent": null,
      "status": "repealed",
      "parent": "crossheading/1"
    },
    {
      "path": "crossheading/earnings-factors-etc",
      "kind": "crossheading",
      "number": null,
      "heading": "Earnings factors etc.",
      "url": null,
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/9",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "9",
      "heading": ". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/section-9",
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": "repealed",
      "parent": "crossheading/earnings-factors-etc"
    },
    {
      "path": "section/10",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "10, 11",
      "heading": ". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/section-10",
      "extent": null,
      "status": "repealed",
      "parent": "crossheading/earnings-factors-etc"
    },
    {
      "path": "crossheading/uprating",
      "kind": "crossheading",
      "number": null,
      "heading": "Up-rating",
      "url": null,
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/12",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "12",
      "heading": "Up-rating Orders.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/section-12",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": "crossheading/uprating"
    },
    {
      "path": "crossheading/welfare-foods",
      "kind": "crossheading",
      "number": null,
      "heading": "Welfare foods",
      "url": null,
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/13",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "13",
      "heading": "Benefits under schemes for improving nutrition: pregnant women, mothers and children",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/section-13",
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": null,
      "parent": "crossheading/welfare-foods"
    },
    {
      "path": "crossheading/remission-of-health-service-charges-and-payment-of-travelling-expenses",
      "kind": "crossheading",
      "number": null,
      "heading": "Remission of Health Service charges and payment of travelling expenses",
      "url": null,
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/14",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "14",
      "heading": "National Health Service—remission of charges and payment of travelling expenses.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/section-14",
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": null,
      "parent": "crossheading/remission-of-health-service-charges-and-payment-of-travelling-expenses"
    },
    {
      "path": "crossheading/general-and-supplementary",
      "kind": "crossheading",
      "number": null,
      "heading": "General and supplementary",
      "url": null,
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/15",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "15",
      "heading": "Financial provision.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/section-15",
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": null,
      "parent": "crossheading/general-and-supplementary"
    },
    {
      "path": "section/15A",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "15A",
      "heading": "Regulations and orders etc.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/section-15A",
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": null,
      "parent": "crossheading/general-and-supplementary"
    },
    {
      "path": "section/16",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "16",
      "heading": "Minor and consequential amendments and repeals.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/section-16",
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": null,
      "parent": "crossheading/general-and-supplementary"
    },
    {
      "path": "section/17",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "17",
      "heading": ". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/section-17",
      "extent": null,
      "status": "repealed",
      "parent": "crossheading/general-and-supplementary"
    },
    {
      "path": "section/18",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "18",
      "heading": "Commencement.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/section-18",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": "crossheading/general-and-supplementary"
    },
    {
      "path": "section/19",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "19",
      "heading": "Extent.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/section-19",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": "crossheading/general-and-supplementary"
    },
    {
      "path": "section/20",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "20",
      "heading": "Citation.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/section-20",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": "crossheading/general-and-supplementary"
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/1",
      "kind": "schedule",
      "number": "1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
      "heading": null,
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/schedule-1",
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/2",
      "kind": "schedule",
      "number": "2",
      "heading": "Earnings Factors and Transfer Values",
      "url": null,
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/2/part/I",
      "kind": "part",
      "number": "I",
      "heading": "Earnings Factors",
      "url": null,
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": "schedule/2"
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/2/paragraph/1",
      "kind": "paragraph",
      "number": "1",
      "heading": null,
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/schedule-2/paragraph-1",
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": null,
      "parent": "schedule/2/part/I"
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/2/paragraph/2",
      "kind": "paragraph",
      "number": "2",
      "heading": null,
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/schedule-2/paragraph-2",
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": "repealed",
      "parent": "schedule/2/part/I"
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/2/part/II",
      "kind": "part",
      "number": "II",
      "heading": "Transfer Values",
      "url": null,
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": "schedule/2"
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/2/paragraph/3",
      "kind": "paragraph",
      "number": "3",
      "heading": null,
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/schedule-2/paragraph-3",
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": "repealed",
      "parent": "schedule/2/part/II"
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/3",
      "kind": "schedule",
      "number": "3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
      "heading": null,
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/schedule-3",
      "extent": "E+W+S",
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/4",
      "kind": "schedule",
      "number": "4",
      "heading": "MINOR AND CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS",
      "url": null,
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/4/crossheading/exemption-from-income-tax",
      "kind": "crossheading",
      "number": null,
      "heading": "Exemption from Income Tax",
      "url": null,
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": "schedule/4"
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/4/paragraph/1",
      "kind": "paragraph",
      "number": "1",
      "heading": null,
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/schedule-4/paragraph-1",
      "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
      "status": "repealed",
      "parent": "schedule/4/crossheading/exemption-from-income-tax"
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/4/crossheading/employment-and-training",
      "kind": "crossheading",
      "number": null,
      "heading": "Employment and Training",
      "url": null,
      "extent": null,
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      "path": "schedule/4/crossheading/social-security-act-1975",
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      "number": null,
      "heading": "Social Security Act 1975",
      "url": null,
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": "schedule/4"
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/4/paragraph/3",
      "kind": "paragraph",
      "number": "3–20",
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      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/schedule-4/paragraph-3",
      "extent": null,
      "status": "repealed",
      "parent": "schedule/4/crossheading/social-security-act-1975"
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/4/crossheading/other-amendments-of-social-security-act-1986",
      "kind": "crossheading",
      "number": null,
      "heading": "Other amendments of Social Security Act 1986",
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    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/4/paragraph/21",
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      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/schedule-4/paragraph-21",
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      "extent": null,
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      "parent": "schedule/4/crossheading/other-amendments-of-social-security-act-1986"
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/5",
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      "number": "5",
      "heading": "Repeals",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1988/schedule-5",
      "extent": null,
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    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/7",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:48:53.464365+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}