{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1998/section-20",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1998/section-20.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1998/14",
  "legislation_title": "Social Security Act 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/social-security-act-1998",
  "path": "section/20",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "20",
  "heading": "Medical examination required by appeal tribunal",
  "text": "(1) This section applies where an appeal has been brought under section 12 above against a decision on a claim for a relevant benefit, or as to a person’s entitlement to such a benefit ....\n(2) The First-tier Tribunal may, if conditions prescribed by Tribunal Procedure Rules are satisfied, refer the person—\n(a) in respect of whom the claim is made; or\n(b) whose entitlement is at issue,\nto a health care professional approved by the Secretary of State for such examination and report as appears to the First-tier Tribunal to be necessary for the purpose of providing it with information for use in determining the appeal.\n. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(2A) The power under subsection (2) to refer a person to a health care professional approved by the Secretary of State includes power to specify the description of health care professional to whom the person is to be referred.\n(3) At a hearing before the First-tier Tribunal, except in cases or circumstances prescribed by Tribunal Procedure Rules, the tribunal—\n(a) may not carry out a physical examination of the person mentioned in subsection (2) above; and\n(b) may not require that person to undergo any physical test for the purpose of determining whether he satisfies the condition mentioned in section 73(1)(a) of the Contributions and Benefits Act.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 20(1) repealed (1.4.1999) by Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 (c. 2), s. 28(3), Sch. 7 para. 31, Sch. 10 Pt. I (with Sch. 8); S.I. 1999/527, art. 2(b), Sch. 2 (with arts. 3-6)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 20(2) substituted (3.11.2008) by The Transfer of Tribunal Functions Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/2833), art. 1(1), Sch. 3 para. 157(a)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 20(2) substituted (3.7.2007) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), ss. 62(3), 70(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 20(2) substituted (3.11.2008) by The Transfer of Tribunal Functions Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/2833), art. 1(1), Sch. 3 para. 157(a)(ii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Word in s. 20(2) substituted (3.11.2008) by The Transfer of Tribunal Functions Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/2833), art. 1(1), Sch. 3 para. 157(a)(iii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in s. 20(2) omitted (3.11.2008) by virtue of The Transfer of Tribunal Functions Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/2833), art. 1(1), Sch. 3 para. 157(a)(iv)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "S. 20(2A) inserted (3.7.2007) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), ss. 62(4), 70(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in s. 20(3) substituted (3.11.2008) by The Transfer of Tribunal Functions Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/2833), art. 1(1), Sch. 3 para. 157(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 20 in force at 4.3.1999 for specified purposes by S.I. 1999/528, art. 2(a), Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I2",
      "text": "S. 20 in force at 18.10.1999 for specified purposes by S.I. 1999/2860, art. 2(c), Sch. 1 (with art. 4, Schs. 16-18)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I3",
      "text": "S. 20 in force at 29.11.1999 for specified purposes by S.I. 1999/3178, art. 2(1)(a)(2), Sch. 1 (with art. 4, Schs. 21-23)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I4",
      "text": "S. 20(1)(2)(3)(a) in force at 5.7.1999 for specified purposes by S.I. 1999/1958, art. 2(1)(b), Sch. 1 (with art. 5, Sch. 12)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I5",
      "text": "S. 20(1)(2)(3)(a) in force at 6.9.1999 for specified purposes by S.I. 1999/2422, art. 2(c), Sch. 1 (with art. 4, Sch. 14)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I6",
      "text": "S. 20(1)(2)(3)(a) in force at 5.10.1999 for specified purposes by S.I. 1999/2739, art. 2, Sch. 1 (with art. 3, Sch. 2)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/14/section/20",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:23:08.158022+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."
}