Social Security Fraud Act 2001

7 Loss of benefit for [F1 second or subsequent conviction of benefit offence] U.K.

(1) If—

(a) a person (“the offender”) is convicted of one or more benefit offences in each of two separate sets of proceedings,

(b) the benefit offence, or one of the benefit offences, of which he is convicted in the later proceedings is one committed within the period of [F2 five years] after the date, or any of the dates, on which he was convicted of a benefit offence in the earlier proceedings,

(c) the later set of proceedings has not been taken into account for the purposes of any previous application of this section or section 8 or 9 in relation to the offender or any person who was then a member of his family,

(d) the earlier set of proceedings has not been taken into account as the earlier set of proceedings for the purposes of any previous application of this section or either of those sections in relation to the offender or any person who was then a member of his family, and

(e) the offender is a person with respect to whom the conditions for an entitlement to a sanctionable benefit are or become satisfied at any time within the disqualification period,

then, even though those conditions are satisfied, the following restrictions shall apply in relation to the payment of that benefit in the offender’s case.

(2) Subject to subsections (3) to (5), the sanctionable benefit shall not be payable in the offender’s case for any period comprised in the disqualification period.

[F3 (2A) The Secretary of State may by regulations provide that, where the sanctionable benefit is universal credit, the benefit shall be payable, during the whole or a part of any period comprised in the disqualification period, as if one or more of the following applied—

(a) the amount payable were reduced in such manner as may be prescribed;

(b) the benefit were payable only if there is compliance by the offender with such obligations with respect to the provision of information as may be imposed by the regulations;

(c) the benefit were payable only if the circumstances are otherwise such as may be prescribed;

(d) any amount of the benefit payable in prescribed circumstances were recoverable by the Secretary of State.]

(3) Where the sanctionable benefit is income support, the benefit shall be payable in the offender’s case for any period comprised in the disqualification period as if the applicable amount used for the determination under section 124(4) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (c. 4) of the amount of the offender’s entitlement for that period were reduced in such manner as may be prescribed.

(4) The Secretary of State may by regulations provide that, where the sanctionable benefit is jobseeker’s allowance, any income-based jobseeker’s allowance shall be payable, during the whole or a part of any period comprised in the disqualification period, as if one or more of the following applied—

(a) the rate of the allowance were such reduced rate as may be prescribed;

(b) the allowance were payable only if there is compliance by the offender with such obligations with respect to the provision of information as may be imposed by the regulations;

(c) the allowance were payable only if the circumstances are otherwise such as may be prescribed.

[F4 (4A) The Secretary of State may by regulations provide that, where the sanctionable benefit is state pension credit, the benefit shall be payable in the offender’s case for any period comprised in the disqualification period as if the rate of the benefit were reduced in such manner as may be prescribed.]

[F5 (4B) The Secretary of State may by regulations provide that, where the sanctionable benefit is employment and support allowance, any income-related allowance shall be payable, during the whole or a part of any period comprised in the disqualification period, as if one or more of the following applied—

(a) the rate of the allowance were such reduced rate as may be prescribed;

(b) the allowance were payable only if there is compliance by the offender with such obligations with respect to the provision of information as may be imposed by the regulations;

(c) the allowance were payable only if the circumstances are otherwise such as may be prescribed.]

(5) The Secretary of State may by regulations provide that, where the sanctionable benefit is housing benefit or council tax benefit, the benefit shall be payable, during the whole or a part of any period comprised in the disqualification period, as if one or both of the following applied—

(a) the rate of the benefit were reduced in such manner as may be prescribed;

(b) the benefit were payable only if the circumstances are such as may be prescribed.

(6) For the purposes of this section the disqualification period, in relation to the conviction of a person of one or more benefit offences in each of two separate sets of proceedings, means the period of thirteen weeks beginning with such date, falling after the date of the conviction in the later set of proceedings, as may be determined by or in accordance with regulations made by the Secretary of State.

(7) Where—

(a) the conviction of any person of any offence is taken into account for the purposes of the application of this section in relation to that person, and

(b) that conviction is subsequently quashed,

all such payments and other adjustments shall be made as would be necessary if no restriction had been imposed by or under this section that could not have been imposed if the conviction had not taken place.

(8) In this section—

• “benefit offence” means—

  (a)

  any post-commencement offence in connection with a claim for a disqualifying benefit;

  (b)

  any post-commencement offence in connection with the receipt or payment of any amount by way of such a benefit;

  (c)

  any post-commencement offence committed for the purpose of facilitating the commission (whether or not by the same person) of a benefit offence;

  (d)

  any post-commencement offence consisting in an attempt or conspiracy to commit a benefit offence;

• [F6 “ post-commencement offence ” means an offence committed on or after 1 April 2002 (the day on which this section came into force). ]

• F7 ...

F7 ...

(9) For the purposes of this section—

(a) the date of a person’s conviction in any proceedings of a benefit offence shall be taken to be the date on which he was found guilty of that offence in those proceedings (whenever he was sentenced) [F8 or in the case mentioned in paragraph (b)(ii) the date of the order for absolute discharge]; and

[F9 (b) references to a conviction include references to—

(i) a conviction in relation to which the court makes an order for absolute or conditional discharge F10 ...,

(ii) an order for absolute discharge made by a court of summary jurisdiction in Scotland under section 246(3) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 without proceeding to a conviction, and

(iii) a conviction in Northern Ireland.

(10) In this section references to any previous application of this section or section 8 or 9—

(a) include references to any previous application of a provision having an effect in Northern Ireland corresponding to provision made by this section, or either of those sections; but

(b) do not include references to any previous application of this section, or of either of those sections, the effect of which was to impose a restriction for a period comprised in the same disqualification period.

F11 ( 11 ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 7 heading substituted (12.1.2010 for specified purposes) by Welfare Reform Act 2009 (c. 24) , s. 61(3) , Sch. 4 para. 2(5) ; S.I. 2010/45 , art. 2(1)

F2 Words in s. 7(1)(b) substituted (1.4.2008) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5) , ss. 49(1) , 70(2) (with s. 49(2) ); S.I. 2008/787 , art. 2(2)

F3 S. 7(2A) inserted (25.2.2013) by Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5), s. 150(3), Sch. 2 para. 59(3); S.I. 2013/358, art. 6(1)(2)(b)

F4 S. 7(4A) inserted (2.7.2002 for the purpose of making regulations, 6.10.2003 in so far as not already in force) by 2002 c. 16 , s. 14 , Sch. 2 Pt. 3 para. 45(2) ; S.I. 2002/1691 , art. 2 ; S.I. 2003/1766 , art. 2(a)

F5 S. 7(4B) inserted (18.3.2008 for specified purposes, 27.10.2008 in so far as not already in force) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5) , s. 70(2) , Sch. 3 para. 23(2) ; S.I. 2008/787 , art. 2(1) (4)(f) , Sch.

F6 Words in s. 7(8) inserted (12.1.2010 for specified purposes) by Welfare Reform Act 2009 (c. 24) , s. 61(3) , Sch. 4 para. 2(2)(a) ; S.I. 2010/45 , art. 2(1)

F7 Words in s. 7(8) repealed (12.1.2010 for specified purposes) by Welfare Reform Act 2009 (c. 24) , s. 61(3) , Sch. 4 para. 2(2)(b) , 7 Pt. 4 ; S.I. 2010/45 , art. 2(1)

F8 Words in s. 7(9)(a) inserted (12.1.2010 for specified purposes) by Welfare Reform Act 2009 (c. 24) , s. 61(3) , Sch. 4 para. 2(3)(a) ; S.I. 2010/45 , art. 2(1)

F9 S. 7(9)(b) substituted (12.1.2010 for specified purposes) by Welfare Reform Act 2009 (c. 24) , s. 61(3) , Sch. 4 para. 2(3)(b) ; S.I. 2010/45 , art. 2(1)

F10 Words in s. 7(9)(b) repealed (S.) (13.12.2010) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), s. 206(1), Sch. 2 para. 45(3); S.S.I. 2010/413, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3(1)) and repealed (E.W.N.I.) (16.9.2011) by The Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2298), art. 1, Sch. para. 13(3) (with art. 4(4)

F11 S. 7(11) repealed (12.1.2010 for specified purposes) by Welfare Reform Act 2009 (c. 24) , s. 61(3) , Sch. 4 para. 2(4) , 7 Pt. 4 ; S.I. 2010/45 , art. 2(1)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 7 restricted (1.4.2002) by S.I. 2001/4022 , reg. 20

C2 S. 7(2) excluded (1.4.2002) by S.I. 2001/4022 , regs. 6(2) , 7(2)

C3 S. 7(9) applied (1.4.2002) by S.I. 2001/4022 , reg. 2(2)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 7 wholly in force at 1.4.2002; s. 7 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 20; s. 7 in force for specified purposes at 17.11.2001 and wholly in force at 1.4.2002 by S.I. 2001/3689 , art. 2(1)(a)(b)