Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Act 1983

22 Arrears of contributions charged on interest in land in England and Wales

(1) Subject to subsection (2) below, where a person who avails himself of Part III accommodation provided by a local authority in England, Wales or Scotland—

(a) fails to pay any sum assessed as due to be paid by him for the accommodation ; and

(b) has a beneficial interest in land in England or Wales,

the local authority may create a charge in their favour on his interest in the land.

(2) In the case of a person who has interests in more than one parcel of land the charge under this section shall be upon his interest in such one of the parcels as the local authority may determine.

(3) Any interest in the proceeds of sale of land held upon trust for sale is to be treated, subject to subsection (8) below, as an interest in land for the purposes of this section.

(4) Subject to subsection (5) below, a charge under this section shall be in respect of any amount assessed as due to be paid which is outstanding from time to time.

(5) The charge on the interest of a joint tenant in the proceeds of sale of land held upon trust for sale shall be in respect of an amount not exceeding the value of the interest that he would enjoy in those proceeds if the joint tenancy were severed but the creation of such a charge shall not sever the joint tenancy.

(6) On the death of a joint tenant in the proceeds of sale of land held upon trust for sale whose interest in the proceeds is subject to a charge under this section—

(a) if there are surviving joint tenants, their interests in the proceeds; and

(b) if the land vests in one person, or one person is entitled to have it vested in him, his interest in it,

shall become subject to a charge for an amount not exceeding the amount of the charge to which the interest of the deceased joint tenant was subject by virtue of subsection (5) above.

(7) A charge under this section shall be created by a declaration in writing made by the local authority.

(8) Any such charge, other than a charge on an interest in the proceeds of sale of land, shall in the case of unregistered land be a land charge of Class B within the meaning of section 2 of the [1972 c. 61.] Land Charges Act 1972 and in the case of registered land be a registrable charge taking effect as a charge by way of legal mortgage.