Social Security Act 1998

8 Decisions by Secretary of State

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Chapter, it shall be for the Secretary of State—

(a) to decide any claim for a relevant benefit;

F1 (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [F2 and]

(c) subject to subsection (5) below, to make any decision that falls to be made under or by virtue of a relevant enactment; F3 ...

F3 (d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(2) Where at any time a claim for a relevant benefit is decided by the Secretary of State—

(a) the claim shall not be regarded as subsisting after that time; and

(b) accordingly, the claimant shall not (without making a further claim) be entitled to the benefit on the basis of circumstances not obtaining at that time.

(3) In this Chapter “relevant benefit” F4 ... means any of the following, namely—

(a) benefit under Parts II to V of the Contributions and Benefits Act;

[F5 (aa) universal credit;]

[F6 (ab) state pension or a lump sum under Part 1 of the Pensions Act 2014;]

[F7 (ac) bereavement support payment under section 30 of the Pensions Act 2014;]

(b) a jobseeker’s allowance;

[F8 (ba) an employment and support allowance;]

[F9 (baa) personal independence payment;]

[F10 (bb) state pension credit;]

[F11 (bc) a loan under section 18 of the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016;]

(c) income support;

F12 (d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F12 (e) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(f) a social fund payment mentioned in section 138(1)(a) or (2) of the Contributions and Benefits Act;

(g) child benefit;

(h) such other benefit as may be prescribed.

(4) In this section “relevant enactment” means any enactment contained in this Chapter, the Contributions and Benefits Act, the Administration Act, the [1992 c. 6.] Social Security (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992 [F13 , the Jobseekers Act[F14 , the State Pension Credit Act 2002[F15 , Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2007, Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012]]][F16 , Part 4 of that Act or Part 1 of the Pensions Act 2014][F17 , section 30 of that Act or sections 18 to 21 of the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016], other than one contained in—

(a) Part VII of the Contributions and Benefits Act so far as relating to housing benefit and council tax benefit;

(b) Part VIII of the Administration Act (arrangements for housing benefit and council tax benefit and related subsidies).

[F18 (5) Subsection (1)(c) above does not include any decision which under section 8 of the Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 falls to be made by an officer of the Inland Revenue.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 8(1)(b) repealed (1.4.2013) by Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5), s. 150(3), Sch. 14 Pt. 8; S.I. 2012/3090, art. 2(1)(d) (with art. 3)

F2 Word in s. 8(1) inserted (1.4.1999) by Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 (c. 2), s. 28(3), Sch. 7 para. 22(2)(a) (with Sch. 8); S.I. 1999/527, art. 2(b), Sch. 2 (with arts. 3-6)

F3 S. 8(1)(d) and preceding word repealed (1.4.1999) by Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 (c. 2), s. 28(3), Sch. 7 para. 22(2)(b), Sch. 10 Pt. I (with Sch. 8); S.I. 1999/527, art. 2(b), Sch. 2 (with arts. 3-6)

F4 Words in s. 8(3) repealed (6.4.2000) by Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (c. 30), s. 89(3)(c), Sch. 13 Pt. VI; S.I. 1999/3420, art. 4(c)(e)

F5 S. 8(3)(aa) inserted (25.2.2013 for specified purposes, 29.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5), s. 150(3), Sch. 2 para. 45(a); S.I. 2013/358, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 21; S.I. 2013/983, art. 3(1)(b)(iii)

F6 S. 8(3)(ab) inserted (6.4.2016) by Pensions Act 2014 (c. 19), s. 56(4), Sch. 12 para. 33(a)

F7 S. 8(3)(ac) inserted (6.4.2017) by Pensions Act 2014 (c. 19), s. 56(1), Sch. 16 para. 39(2); S.I. 2017/297, art. 3(2) (with arts. 4, 5)

F8 S. 8(3)(ba) inserted (18.3.2008 for specified purposes, 27.7.2008 in so far as not already in force) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), s. 70(2), Sch. 3 para. 17(3)(a); S.I. 2008/787, art. 2(1)(3)(a), Sch.

F9 S. 8(3)(baa) inserted (25.2.2013 for specified purposes, 8.4.2013 for specified purposes, 10.6.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5), s. 150(3), Sch. 9 para. 39(a); S.I. 2013/358, arts. 2(1), 7(1)(2)(k), Sch. 1 para. 23, Sch. 3; S.I. 2013/1250, art. 2

F10 S. 8(3)(bb) inserted (2.7.2002 for specified purposes, 7.4.2003 in so far as not already in force) by State Pension Credit Act 2002 (c. 16), s. 22(3), Sch. 1 para. 6(2); S.I. 2002/1691, art. 2(i); S.I. 2003/966, art. 2(a)

F11 S. 8(3)(bc) inserted (27.7.2017) by Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 (c. 7), ss. 20(4)(a), 36(6); S.I. 2017/802, reg. 2

F12 S. 8(3)(d)(e) repealed (8.4.2003) by Tax Credits Act 2002 (c. 21), s. 61, Sch. 6; S.I. 2003/962, art. 2(4)(e), Sch. 2

F13 Words in s. 8(4) substituted (2.7.2002 for specified purposes, 7.4.2003 in so far as not already in force) by State Pension Credit Act 2002 (c. 16), s. 22(3), Sch. 1 para. 6(3); S.I. 2002/1691, art. 2(i); S.I. 2003/966, art. 2(a)

F14 Words in s. 8(4) substituted (18.3.2008 for specified purposes, 27.7.2008 in so far as not already in force) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), s. 70(2), Sch. 3 para. 17(3)(b); S.I. 2008/787, art. 2(1)(3)(a), Sch.

F15 Words in s. 8(4) substituted (25.2.2013 for specified purposes, 29.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5), s. 150(3), Sch. 2 para. 45(b); S.I. 2013/358, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 21; S.I. 2013/983, art. 3(1)(b)(iii)

F16 Words in s. 8(4) substituted (6.4.2016) by Pensions Act 2014 (c. 19), s. 56(4), Sch. 12 para. 33(b)

F17 Words in s. 8(4) substituted (27.7.2017) by Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 (c. 7), ss. 20(4)(b), 36(6); S.I. 2017/802, reg. 2

F18 S. 8(5) substituted (1.4.1999) by Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 (c. 2), s. 28(3), Sch. 7 para. 22(3) (with Sch. 8); S.I. 1999/527, art. 2(b), Sch. 2 (with arts. 3-6)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 8 modified (E.W.S.) (1.6.1999 for specified purposes, 5.7.1999 for specified purposes, 6.9.1999 for specified purposes, 5.10.1999 for specified purposes, 18.10.1999 for specified purposes, 29.11.1999 so far as not already in force) by The Social Security and Child Support (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/991), regs. 1(2), 15

C2 S. 8 applied (N.I.) (10.4.2006) by The Guardian's Allowance Up-rating Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1034), regs. 1(1), 2

C3 S. 8 applied (6.4.2020) by The Guardian’s Allowance Up-rating Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/302), regs. 1(1), 2

C4 S. 8(1) modified by the Social Security (Incapacity Benefit) (Transitional) Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1995/310), regs. 11(6), 17(5) (as added by S.I. 1999/2422, art. 3(16)(a)(b) (added (16.10.2006) by S.I. 2006/2540, arts. 1(2), 2(3)(b)))

C5 S. 8(1)(a)(c): transfer of functions (5.10.1999) by Tax Credits Act 1999 (c. 10), ss. 2(1)(b), 20(2), Sch. 2 para. 5(b)(i) (with s. 19)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 8 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. 8(1)(a)(c)(2)(3)(a)(g)(4)(5) 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)

I3 S. 8(1)(a)(c)(2)(3)(a)(4)(5) in force at 6.9.1999 for specified purposes by S.I. 1999/2422, art. 2(c), Sch. 1 (with art. 4, Sch. 14)

I4 S. 8(1)(a)(c)(2)(3)(d)(e)(4)(5) in force at 5.10.1999 for specified purposes by S.I. 1999/2739, art. 2, Sch. 1 (with art. 3, Sch. 2)

I5 S. 8(1)(a)(c)(2)(3)(a)(b)(4)(5) 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)