Supplementary Benefits Act 1976

3 (1) This paragraph applies to reception centres (in this paragraph referred to as " designated reception centres ") designated by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this paragraph on the application of the Commission.

(2) Where a person seeks lodging in a designated reception centre and it appears to the Commission, or, if the centre is being provided by a local authority, to the local authority, that he persistently resorts to reception centres when capable of maintaining himself, the Commission or local authority may direct that he shall only be received into the centre subject to the conditions specified in sub-paragraph (5) below.

(3) On a direction given under sub-paragraph (2) above the person to whom it relates may require that the matter shall be referred to the Appeal Tribunal and, if he so requires, the direction shall not have effect until the matter has been determined by the tribunal.

(4) On any such reference the tribunal may either quash the direction or order that, during such period as may be specified in the order, the person to whom the direction relates shall only be admitted to a designated reception centre subject to the conditions specified in sub-paragraph (5) below.

(5) The conditions hereinbefore referred to are—

(a) that the person in question shall remain at the centre for at least such period from the time he entered it, not exceeding forty-eight hours, as the Commission or the local authority providing the centre may require; and

(b) that, while the person in question is at the centre, he shall do such suitable work within the curtilage thereof as the Commission or local authority may require.

(6) A person received into a centre subject to the conditions specified in sub-paragraph (5) above shall, if he fails to comply with those conditions, be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £10 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month.