Social Security Act 1998

11 Regulations with respect to decisions

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Chapter and the Administration Act, provision may be made by regulations for the making of any decision by the Secretary of State under or in connection with the current legislation, or the former legislation, including a decision on a claim for benefit.

(2) Where it appears to the Secretary of State that a matter before him involves a question of fact requiring special expertise, he may direct that in dealing with that matter he shall have the assistance of one or more experts.

(3) In this section—

• “the current legislation” means the Contributions and Benefits Act, the Jobseekers Act F1 ... [F2 , the Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997[F3 , the State Pension Credit Act 2002[F4 , Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2007, Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012]]][F5 , Part 4 of that Act and Part 1 of the Pensions Act 2014];

• “expert” means a person appearing to the Secretary of State to have knowledge or experience which would be relevant in determining the question of fact requiring special expertise;

• “the former legislation” means the National Insurance Acts 1965 to 1974, the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Acts 1965 to 1974, the Social Security Act 1975 and Part II of the Social Security Act 1986.

Textual Amendments

F1 Word in s. 11(3) repealed (7.4.2003) by State Pension Credit Act 2002 (c. 16), s. 22(3), Sch. 3; S.I. 2003/966, art. 2(b), Sch.

F2 Words in s. 11(3) substituted (2.7.2002 for specified purposes, 7.4.2003 so far as not already in force) by State Pension Credit Act 2002 (c. 16), s. 22(3), Sch. 1 para. 7; S.I. 2002/1691, art. 2(i); S.I. 2003/966, art. 2(a)

F3 Words in s. 11(3) substituted (27.10.2008) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), s. 70(2), Sch. 3 para. 17(4); S.I. 2008/787, art. 2(4)(f)

F4 Words in s. 11(3) substituted (25.2.2013) by Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5), s. 150(3), Sch. 2 para. 46; S.I. 2013/358, art. 2(2), Sch. 2 para. 40

F5 Words in s. 11(3) substituted (6.4.2016) by Pensions Act 2014 (c. 19), s. 56(4), Sch. 12 para. 34

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 11 applied (with modifications) (6.4.2010) by The National Insurance Contribution Credits (Transfer of Functions) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/1377), arts. 1(1), 3(2)(c), 4

C2 S. 11(2)(3): transfer of functions (5.10.1999) by Tax Credits Act 1999 (c. 10), ss. 2(1)(b), 20(2), Sch. 2 para. 5(b)(iii) (with s. 19)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 11 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)

I2 S. 11(1) in force at 4.3.1999 for specified purposes by S.I. 1999/528, art. 2(a), Sch.

I3 S. 11(1)(2)(3) 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)

I4 S. 11(1)(2)(3) in force at 6.9.1999 for specified purposes by S.I. 1999/2422, art. 2(c), Sch. 1 (with art. 4, Sch. 14)

I5 S. 11(1)(2)(3) in force at 5.10.1999 for specified purposes by S.I. 1999/2739, art. 2, Sch. 1 (with art. 3, Sch. 2)

I6 S. 11(1)(2)(3) 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)