Social Security Act 1998

Medical examinations

19 Medical examination required by Secretary of State

(1) Before making a decision on a claim for a relevant benefit, or as to a person’s entitlement to such a benefit F1 ... , the Secretary of State may refer the person—

(a) in respect of whom the claim is made; or

(b) whose entitlement is at issue,

to a [F2 health care professional approved by the Secretary of State] for such examination and report as appears to the Secretary of State to be necessary for the purpose of providing him with information for use in making the decision.

(2) Subsection (3) below applies where—

(a) the Secretary of State has exercised the power conferred on him by subsection (1) above; and

(b) the [F3 health care professional approved by the Secretary of State] requests the person referred to him to attend for or submit himself to medical examination.

(3) If the person fails without good cause to comply with the request, the Secretary of State shall make the decision against him.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 19(1) repealed (1.4.1999) by Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 (c. 2), s. 28(3), Sch. 7 para. 30, Sch. 10 Pt. I (with Sch. 8); S.I. 1999/527, art. 2(b), Sch. 2 (with arts. 3-6)

F2 Words in s. 19(1) substituted (3.7.2007) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), ss. 62(2), 70(1)

F3 Words in s. 19(2)(b) substituted (3.7.2007) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), ss. 62(2), 70(1)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 19 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)

I2 S. 19 in force at 6.9.1999 for specified purposes by S.I. 1999/2422, art. 2(c), Sch. 1 (with art. 4, Sch. 14)

I3 S. 19 in force at 5.10.1999 for specified purposes by S.I. 1999/2739, art. 2, Sch. 1 (with art. 3, Sch. 2)

I4 S. 19 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)

I5 S. 19 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)

20 Medical examination required by appeal tribunal

(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 F4 ....

(2) [F5 The First-tier Tribunal may, if conditions prescribed by Tribunal Procedure Rules] are satisfied, refer the person—

(a) in respect of whom the claim is made; or

(b) whose entitlement is at issue,

to a [F6 health care professional approved by the Secretary of State] for such examination and report as appears to [F7 the First-tier Tribunal] to be necessary for the purpose of providing [F8 it] with information for use in determining the appeal.

F9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F10 (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.]

(3) At a hearing before [F11 the First-tier Tribunal, except in cases or circumstances prescribed by Tribunal Procedure Rules,] the tribunal—

(a) may not carry out a physical examination of the person mentioned in subsection (2) above; and

(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.

Textual Amendments

F4 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)

F5 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)

F6 Words in s. 20(2) substituted (3.7.2007) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), ss. 62(3), 70(1)

F7 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)

F8 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)

F9 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)

F10 S. 20(2A) inserted (3.7.2007) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), ss. 62(4), 70(1)

F11 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)

Commencement Information

I6 S. 20 in force at 4.3.1999 for specified purposes by S.I. 1999/528, art. 2(a), Sch.

I7 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)

I8 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)

I9 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)

I10 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)

I11 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)

[F12 20A. Travelling and other allowances

(1) The Lord Chancellor may pay to any person required under this Part (whether for the purposes of this Part or otherwise) to attend for or to submit to medical or other examination or treatment such travelling and other allowances as the Lord Chancellor may determine.

(2) In subsection (1) the reference to travelling and other allowances includes compensation for loss of remunerative time but such compensation shall not be paid to any person in respect of any time during which the person is in receipt of remuneration under section 28 of, or paragraph 5 of Schedule 2 to, the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (assessors and judges of First-Tier Tribunal).]

Textual Amendments

F12 S. 20A inserted (3.11.2008) by The Transfer of Tribunal Functions Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/2833), art. 1(1), Sch. 3 para. 158