Welfare Reform Act 2012

Social Security Fraud Act 2001 (c. 11)

59 (1) Section 7 (loss of benefit for second or subsequent conviction of benefit offence) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (2), for “(3)” there is substituted “(2A)”.

(3) After subsection (2) there is inserted—

“(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.”

(4) In subsection (4), after paragraph (c) there is inserted—

“(d) any amount of the allowance payable in prescribed circumstances were recoverable by the Secretary of State.”