Social Security Administration Act 1992

191 Interpretation—general U.K.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

• “the 1975 Act” means the M1 Social Security Act 1975;

• “the 1986 Act” means the “ M2 Social Security Act 1986”;

• “benefit” means benefit under the Contributions and Benefits Act [F1 and includes [F2 universal credit,] a jobseeker's allowance] [F3 state pension credit, an employment and support allowance and personal independence payment];

• [F4 [F5 “billing authority” has the same meaning as in Part I of the M3 Local Government Finance Act 1992;]]

• “Christmas bonus” means a payment under Part X of the Contributions and Benefits Act;

• “claim” is to be construed in accordance with “claimant”;

• “claimant” (in relation to contributions under Part I and to benefit under Parts II to IV of the Contributions and Benefits Act) means—

  (a)

  a person whose right to be excepted from liability to pay, or to have his liability deferred for, or to be credited with, a contribution, is in question;

  (b)

  a person who has claimed benefit;

  and includes, in relation to an award or decision a beneficiary under the award or affected by the decision;

• “claimant” (in relation to industrial injuries benefit) means a person who has claimed such a benefit and includes—

  (a)

  an applicant for a declaration under [F6 section 29 of the Social Security Act 1998] that an accident was or was not an industrial accident; and

  (b)

  in relation to an award or decision, a beneficiary under the award or affected by the decision;

• F7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• F8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• “the Consequential Provisions Act” means the M4 Social Security (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992;

• [F9 “contribution” means a contribution under Part I of the Contributions and Benefit Act;]

• [F10 “contribution-based jobseeker's allowance” has the same meaning as in the Jobseekers Act 1995;]

• “contributions card” has the meaning assigned to it by section 114(6) above;

• “the Contributions and Benefits Act” means the M5 Social Security (Contributions and Benefits) Act 1992;

• [F11 “contributory employment and support allowance” means a contributory allowance under Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2007 (employment and support allowance);]

• [F4 [F12 “council tax benefit Scheme” shall be construed in accordance with section 139(1) above;]]

• “disablement benefit” is to be construed in accordance with section 94(2)(a) of the Contributions and Benefits Act;

• F13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• “dwelling” means any residential accommodation, whether or not consisting of the whole or part of a building and whether or not comprising separate and self-contained premises;

• [F14 “financial year” has the same meaning as in the Local Government Finance Act 1992;]

• F13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• “housing authority” means a local authority [F15 or a new town corporation];

• “housing benefit scheme” is to be construed in accordance with section 134(1) above;

• [F16 “income-based jobseeker's allowance” has the same meaning as in the Jobseekers Act 1995;]

• “income-related benefit” means—

  (a)

  income support;

  (b)

  F17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  (c)

  F17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  (d)

  housing benefit; and

  (e)

  [F18 council tax benefit];

• [F19 “income-related employment and support allowance” means an income-related allowance under Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2007 (employment and support allowance);]

• “industrial injuries benefit” means benefit under Part V of the Contributions and Benefits Act, other than under Schedule 8;

• [F20 “Inland Revenue” means the Commissioners of Inland Revenue]

• F21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• F22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• “local authority” means—

  (a)

  in relation to England F23 ... , the council of a district or London borough, the Common Council of the City of London or the Council of the Isles of Scilly;

  (aa)

  [F24 in relation to Wales, the council of a county or county borough;] and

  (b)

  in relation to Scotland [F25 a council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994];

  “medical examination” includes bacteriological and radiographical tests and similar investigations, and “medically examined” has a corresponding meaning; “medical practitioner” means—

  (a)

  a registered medical practitioner; or

  (b)

  a person outside the United Kingdom who is not a registered medical practitioner, but has qualifications corresponding (in the Secretary of State's opinion) to those of a registered medical practitioner;

• “medical treatment” means medical, surgical or rehabilitative treatment (including any course of diet or other regimen), and references to a person receiving or submitting himself to medical treatment are to be construed accordingly;

• [F26 “money purchase contracted-out scheme” is to be construed in accordance with section 181A of the Pensions Act;]

• “new town corporation” means—

  (a)

  [F27 in relation to England—

  (i)

  a development corporation established under the New Towns Act 1981; or

  (ii)

  the Homes and Communities Agency so far as exercising functions in relation to anything transferred (or to be transferred) to it as mentioned in section 52(1)(a) to (d) of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008;

  (iii)

  [F28 the Greater London Authority so far as exercising its new towns and urban development functions;]

  (ab)

  in relation to Wales—

  (i)

  a development corporation established under the New Towns Act 1981; and

  (ii)

  the Welsh Ministers so far as exercising functions in relation to anything transferred (or to be transferred) to them as mentioned in section 36(1)(a)(i) to (iii) of that Act;] and

  (b)

  in relation to Scotland, a development corporation established under the M6 New Towns (Scotland) Act 1968;

• [F29 “the Northern Ireland Department” means the Department for Social Development but—

  (a)

  in section 122 and sections 122B to 122E also includes the Department of Finance and Personnel; and

  (b)

  in sections 121E, 121F, 122, 122ZA, 122C and 122D also includes the Department for Employment and Learning;]

• “the Northern Ireland Administration Act” means the M7 Social Security (Northern Ireland) Administration Act 1992;

• “occupational pension scheme” has the same meaning as in [F30 section 1] of the Pensions Act;

• “the Old Cases Act” means the M8 Industrial Injuries and Diseases (Old Cases) Act 1975;

• “Old Cases payments” means payments under Part I of Schedule 8 to the Contributions and Benefits Act;

• [F31 “pensionable age” has the meaning given by the rules in paragraph 1 of Schedule 4 to the Pensions Act 1995];

• “the Pensions Act” means the [F32 Pension Schemes Act 1993];

• “personal pension scheme” has the meaning assigned to it by [F33 section 1 of the Pensions Act and “appropriate”, in relation to such a scheme, shall be construed in accordance with [F34 section 181A(6)] of that Act]

• “prescribe” means prescribe by regulations [F35 and “prescribed” must be construed accordingly];

• F36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• F37 ... “rent rebate” and “rent allowance” shall be construed in accordance with section 134 above;

• F38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• F38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• [F39 “state pension credit” means state pension credit under the State Pension Credit Act 2002;]

• “tax year” means the 12 months beginning with 6th April in any year;

• F40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• [F41 “universal credit assessment period” means an assessment period for the purposes of Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012;]

• “widow's benefit” has the meaning assigned to it by section 20(1)(e) of the Contributions and Benefits Act.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 191 inserted (22.4.1996) by Jobseekers Act 1995 (c.18), s. 41(2), Sch. 2 para. 73(2); S.I. 1996/1126, art. 2(a)

F2 Words in s. 191 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. 31; S.I. 2013/358, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 21; S.I. 2013/983, art. 3(1)(b)(ii)

F3 Words in s. 191 substituted (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. 32; S.I. 2013/358, arts. 2(1), 7(1)(2)(k), Sch. 1 para. 22, Sch. 3; S.I. 2013/1250, art. 2

F4 Words in s. 191 repealed (1.4.2013 in so far as relate to the abolition of council tax benefit) by Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5), s. 150(3), Sch. 14 Pt. 1; S.I. 2013/358, art. 8(c), Sch. 4 (with arts. 9, 10, Sch. 5)

F5 Words in s. 191 substituted (1.4.1993) by Local Government Finance Act 1992 (c. 14), s. 118(4), Sch. 9 para. 25(a)

F6 Words in s. 191 substituted (5.7.1999 for specified purposes, 29.11.1999 for specified purposes) by Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14), s. 87(2), Sch. 7 para. 111(b); S.I. 1999/1958, art. 2(1)(b), Sch. 1; S.I. 1999/3178, art. 2(1), Sch. 1

F7 Words in s. 191 repealed (29.11.1999 for specified purposes) by Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14), s. 87(2), Sch. 7 para. 111(a), Sch. 8; S.I. 1999/3178, art. 2, Sch. 1

F8 Words in s. 191 omitted (6.10.1997) by virtue of Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997 (c. 27), s. 34(2), Sch. 3 para. 12, Sch. 4; S.I. 1997/2085, art. 2(2)

F9 Words in s. 191 inserted (1.7.1997) by Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997 (c. 47), s 25(1), Sch. 1 para. 12(2); S.I. 1997/1577, art. 2, Sch.

F10 Words in s. 191 inserted (22.4.1996) by Jobseekers Act 1995 (c.18), s. 41(2), Sch. 2 para. 73(3); S.I. 1996/1126, art. 2(a)

F11 Words in s. 191 inserted (18.3.2008 for specified purposes, 27.7.2008 in so far as not already in force, 27.10.2008 in so far as not already in force) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), s. 70(2), Sch. 3 para. 10(32)(b); S.I. 2008/787, art. 2(1)(3)(a)(4)(f), Sch.

F12 Words in s. 191 inserted (1.4.1997) by Housing Act 1996 (c. 52), s. 232(3), Sch. 13 para. 3(6)(a); S.I. 1997/618, art. 2(1) (with Sch.)

F13 Words in s. 191 repealed (29.11.1999 for specified purposes) by Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14), s. 87(2), Sch. 7 para. 111(a), Sch. 8; S.I. 1999/3178, art. 2, Sch. 1

F14 Words in s. 191 substituted (1.4.1993) by Local Government Finance Act 1992 (c. 14), s. 118(4), Sch. 9 para. 25(b)

F15 Words in s. 191 substituted (1.4.2002) by Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 (asp 10), s. 113(1), Sch. 10 para. 17; S.S.I. 2002/168, art. 2, Sch.

F16 Words in s. 191 inserted (22.4.1996) by Jobseekers Act 1995 (c.18), s. 41(2), Sch. 2 para. 73(4); S.I. 1996/1126, art. 2(a)

F17 Words in s. 191 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 (with art. 3)

F18 Words in s. 191 substituted (1.4.1993) by Local Government Finance Act 1992 (c. 14), s. 118(4), Sch. 9 para. 25(c)

F19 Words in s. 191 inserted (18.3.2008 for specified purposes, 27.7.2008 in so far as not already in force, 27.10.2008 in so far as not already in force) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), s. 70(2), Sch. 3 para. 10(32)(c); S.I. 2008/787, art. 2(1)(3)(a)(4)(f), Sch.

F20 Words in s. 191 inserted (25.2.1999 for specified purposes, 1.4.1999 in so far as not already in force) by Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 (c. 2), s. 28(2)(a), Sch. 1 para. 32; S.I. 1999/527, art. 2(b), Sch. 2

F21 Words in s. 191 omitted (13.4.1995) by virtue of Social Security (Incapacity for Work) Act 1994 (c. 18), s. 16(3), Sch. 1 para. 52, Sch. 2; S.I. 1994/2926, art. 2(4), Sch. Pt. IV

F22 Words in s. 191 repealed (1.4.1996) by Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 (c. 39), s. 184(2), Sch. 13 para. 175(5)(a), Sch. 14; S.I. 1996/323, art. 4(1)(c)(d), Sch. 2

F23 Words in s. 191 omitted (1.4.1996) by virtue of Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 (c. 19), s. 66(3), Sch. 16 para. 94, Sch. 18; S.I. 1996/396, art. 4, Sch. 2

F24 Words in s. 191 inserted (1.4.1996) by Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 (c. 19), s. 66(3), Sch. 16 para. 94; S.I. 1996/396, art. 4, Sch. 2

F25 Words in s. 191 substituted (1.4.1996) by Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 (c. 39), s. 184(2), Sch. 13 para. 175(5)(b); S.I. 1996/323, art. 4(1)(c)

F26 Words in s. 191 substituted (6.4.2012) by The Pensions Act 2007 (Abolition of Contracting-out for Defined Contribution Pension Schemes) (Consequential Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/1724), regs. 1(2), 2(3)(a)

F27 Words in s. 191 substituted (1.12.2008) by Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (c. 17), s. 325(1), Sch. 8 para. 61; S.I. 2008/3068, art. 2(1)(w)(3) (with arts. 6-13)

F28 Words in s. 191 inserted (1.4.2012) by Localism Act 2011 (c. 20), s. 240(2), Sch. 19 para. 31; S.I. 2012/628, art. 6(i) (with arts. 9, 11, 14, 15, 17)

F29 Words in s. 191 substituted (9.9.2002) by Employment Act 2002 (c. 22), s. 55(2), Sch. 7 para. 16; S.I. 2002/2256, art. 2(b)

F30 Words in s. 191 substituted (7.2.1994) by Pension Schemes Act 1993 (c. 48), s. 193(2), Sch. 8 para. 31(b); S.I. 1994/86, art. 2

F31 Words in s. 191 substituted (19.7.1995) by Pensions Act 1995 (c. 26), s. 180(2), Sch. 4 para. 14

F32 Words in s. 191 substituted (7.2.1994) by Pension Schemes Act 1993 (c. 48), s. 193(2), Sch. 8 para. 31(c); S.I. 1994/86, art. 2

F33 Words in s. 191 substituted and added (7.2.1994) by Pension Schemes Act 1993 (c. 48), s. 193(2), Sch. 8 para. 31(d); S.I. 1994/86, art. 2

F34 Words in s. 191 substituted (6.4.2012) by The Pensions Act 2007 (Abolition of Contracting-out for Defined Contribution Pension Schemes) (Consequential Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/1724), regs. 1(2), 2(3)(b)

F35 Words in s. 191 inserted (3.7.2007) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), s. 70(1), Sch. 5 para. 10

F36 Words in s. 191 repealed (29.11.1999 for specified purposes) by Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14), s. 87(2), Sch. 7 para. 111(a), Sch. 8; S.I. 1999/3178, art. 2, Sch. 1

F37 Words in s. 191 omitted (1.4.1997) by virtue of Housing Act 1996 (c. 52), s. 232(3), Sch. 13 para. 3(6)(b); S.I. 1997/618, art. 2(1) (with Sch.)

F38 Words in s. 191 omitted (1.4.1997) by virtue of Housing Act 1996 (c. 52), s. 232(3), Sch. 13 para. 3(6)(c); S.I. 1997/618, art. 2(1) (with Sch.)

F39 Words in s. 191 inserted (2.7.2002 for specified purposes, 6.10.2003 in so far as not already in force) by State Pension Credit Act 2002 (c. 16), s. 22(3), Sch. 2 para. 24(3); S.I. 2002/1691, art. 2(l); S.I. 2003/1766, art. 2(a)

F40 Words in s. 191 repealed (29.11.1999 for specified purposes) by Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14), s. 87(2), Sch. 7 para. 111(a), Sch. 8; S.I. 1999/3178, art. 2, Sch. 1

F41 Words in s. 191 inserted (26.11.2014 with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Universal Credit and Miscellaneous Amendments (No.2) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/2888), regs. 1(1), 7(1)(c)

Marginal Citations

M1 1975 c. 14.

M2 1986 c. 50.

M3 1992 c. 14.

M4 1992 c. 6.

M5 1992 c. 4.

M6 1968 c. 16.

M7 1992 c. 8.

M8 1975 c. 16.