Section 7A Sharing of functions as regards certain claims and informationF1

United Kingdom

(1)

Regulations may, for the purpose of supplementing the persons or bodies to whom claims for relevant benefits may be made, make provision—

(a)

as regards housing benefit or council tax benefit, for claims for that benefit to be made to—

(i)

a Minister of the Crown, or

(ii)

a person providing services to a Minister of the Crown;

(b)

as regards any other relevant benefit, for claims for that benefit to be made to—

(i)

a local authority,

(ii)

a person providing services to a local authority, or

(iii)

a person authorised to exercise any function of a local authority relating to housing benefit or council tax benefit;

(F2c)

as regards any relevant benefit, for claims for that benefit to be made to—

(i)

a county council in England,

(ii)

a person providing services to a county council in England, or

(iii)

a person authorised to exercise any function a county council in England has under this section.

(2)

Regulations may make provision for or in connection with—

(a)

the forwarding by a relevant authority of—

(i)

claims received by virtue of any provision authorised by subsection (1) above, and

(ii)

information or evidence supplied in connection with making such claims (whether supplied by persons making the claims or by other persons);

(b)

the receiving and forwarding by a relevant authority of information or evidence relating to social security F3or work matters supplied by, or the obtaining by a relevant authority of such information or evidence from—

(i)

persons making, or who have made, claims for a relevant benefit, or

(ii)

other persons in connection with such claims

including information or evidence not relating to the claims or benefit in question;

(c)

the recording by a relevant authority of information or evidence relating to social security or work matters supplied to, or obtained by, the authority and the holding by the authority of such information or evidence (whether as supplied or obtained or as recorded);

(d)

the giving of information or advice with respect to social security or work matters by a relevant authority to persons making, or who have made, claims for a relevant benefit;

(F4e)

the verification by a relevant authority of information or evidence supplied to or obtained by the authority in connection with a claim for or an award of a relevant benefit.

(3)

In paragraphs (b)F5, (d) and (e) of subsection (2) above—

(a)

references to claims for a relevant benefit are to such claims whether made as mentioned in subsection F6(1)(a), (b) or (c) above or not; and

(b)

references to persons who have made such claims include persons to whom awards of benefit have been made on the claims.

(4)

Regulations under this section may make different provision for different areas.

(5)

Regulations under any other enactment may make such different provision for different areas as appears to the Secretary of State expedient in connection with any exercise by regulations under this section of the power conferred by subsection (4) above.

(6)

In this section—

(a)

“benefit” includes child support or a war pension (any reference to a claim being read, in relation to child support, as a reference to an application F7(or an application treated as having been made) under the Child Support Act 1991 for a F8maintenance calculation);

(b)

“local authority” means an authority administering housing benefit or council tax benefit;

(F9c)

“relevant authority” means—

(i)

a Minister of the Crown;

(ii)

a local authority;

(iii)

a county council in England;

(iv)

a person providing services to a person mentioned in sub-paragraphs (i) to (iii);

(v)

a person authorised to exercise any function of a local authority relating to housing benefit or council tax benefit;

(vi)

a person authorised to exercise any function a county council in England has under this section;

(d)

“relevant benefit” means housing benefit, council tax benefit or any other benefit prescribed for the purposes of this section;

(F10e)

“social security or work matters” means matters relating to—

(i)

social security, child support or war pensions, or

(ii)

employment or training;

and in this subsection “war pension” means a war pension within the meaning of section 25 of the Social Security Act 1989 (establishment and functions of war pensions committees).

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: S. 7A and cross-heading inserted (11.11.1999) by the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (c. 30), ss. 71, 89(4)(a)
F2: S. 7A(1)(c) inserted (3.7.2007) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), ss. 41(2)(a), 70(1)
F3: Words in s. 7A(2) inserted (24.11.2002) by Employment Act 2002 (c. 22), s. 55(2), Sch. 7 para. 12(a); S.I. 2002/2866, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 Pt. 1
F4: S. 7A(2)(e) inserted (3.7.2007) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), ss. 41(2)(b), 70(1)
F5: Words in s. 7A(3) substituted (3.7.2007) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), ss. 41(2)(c), 70(1)
F6: Words in s. 7A(3)(a) substituted (3.7.2007) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), ss. 41(2)(d), 70(1)
F7: Words in s. 7A(6)(a) inserted (3.3.2003 for specified purposes) by Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000 (c. 19), s. 86(1)(a)(2), Sch. 3 para. 12(a) (with s. 83(6)); S.I. 2003/192, art. 3, Sch.
F8: Words in s. 7A(6)(a) substituted (3.3.2003 for specified purposes) by Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000 (c. 19), s. 86(1)(a)(2), Sch. 3 para. 12(b) (with s. 83(6)); S.I. 2003/192, art. 3, Sch.
F9: S. 7A(6)(c) substituted (3.7.2007) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), ss. 41(2)(e), 70(1)
F10: S. 7A(6)(e) substituted (24.11.2002) by Employment Act 2002 (c. 22), s. 55(2), Sch. 7 para. 12(b); S.I. 2002/2866, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 Pt. 1