Part 3Social security administration: general

Benefit fraud

48Local authority functions relating to benefit: information

F11

Section 122C of the Administration Act (supply of information to authorities administering benefit) is amended as follows—

a

in subsection (2) at the end insert “ or for the purposes of anything the authority is permitted to do in relation to any other benefit by virtue of section 110A or 116A above ”;

b

in subsection (3)(a) for “offences relating to housing benefit or council tax benefit” substitute “ benefit offences (within the meaning of Part 6 above) ”.

F12

Section 122D of that Act (supply of information by authorities administering benefit) is amended as follows—

a

in subsection (1), for “benefit administration information” substitute “ relevant benefit information ”;

b

in subsection (2A), after “subsection (2)” insert “ , in addition to any other purpose for which the information may be used, ”;

c

for subsection (4) substitute—

4

In subsection (1) “relevant benefit information”, in relation to an authority or other person, means any information which is relevant to the exercise of any function relating to a relevant social security benefit by the authority or other person.

d

in subsection (5), in each place where it occurs for “housing benefit or council tax benefit” substitute “ any relevant social security benefit ”;

e

in subsection (6), after the definition of “private pensions policy” insert—

“relevant social security benefit” has the same meaning as in section 121DA above;

F13

Section 122E of that Act (supply of information between authorities administering benefit) is amended as follows—

a

in subsection (1) for “benefit administration information” substitute “ relevant benefit information ”;

b

in subsection (2)(a) for “offences relating to housing benefit or council tax benefit” substitute “ benefit offences (within the meaning of Part 6 above) ”;

c

for subsection (6) substitute—

6

In this section “relevant benefit information”, in relation to an authority or other person, means any information which is relevant to the exercise of any function relating to a relevant social security benefit (within the meaning of section 121DA above) by the authority or other person.

4

In section 126A of that Act (power to require information from landlords and agents), in subsection (8) for “benefit administration information” substitute “ relevant benefit information ”.