The Social Security (Claims and Information) Regulations 1999

Additional functions of local authorities

4.—(1) A local authority to whom Part I of Schedule I to these Regulations applies may conduct a work-focused interview with, or provide assistance to, a person to whom paragraphs (2) and (3) apply, where the interview or assistance is requested or consented to by that person.

(2) This paragraph applies to a person who resides in a postcode district identified in Part I of Schedule 2 to these Regulations.

(3) This paragraph applies to any person making a claim for, or entitled to, any benefit specified in paragraph (4) and applies whether or not a person has had an interview in accordance with regulations made under section 2A of the Administration Act(1).

(4) The benefits specified in this paragraph are—

(a) income support;

(b) housing benefit;

(c) council tax benefit;

(d) widow’s benefit;

(e) bereavement benefits;

(f) incapacity benefit;

(g) severe disablement allowance;

(h) invalid care allowance;

(i) a jobseeker’s allowance;

(j) disability living allowance.

(5) For the purposes of paragraph (1), the request or consent may be made or given to —

(a) the local authority conducting the interview or giving the assistance;

(b) any person who, or authority which, may be specified as a designated authority for the purposes of section 2A(8) of the Administration Act; or

(c) a person designated an employment officer for the purposes of section 9 of the Jobseekers Act 1995(2).

(6) For the purposes of carrying out functions under paragraph (1), a local authority may in particular—

(a) obtain and receive information or evidence for the purpose of any work-focused interview to be conducted with that person;

(b) arrange for the work-focused interview to be conducted by one of the following —

(i) the Secretary of State;

(ii) a person providing services to the Secretary of State; or

(iii) a person providing services to, or authorised to exercise any function of, the local authority;

(c) forward information supplied for the purpose of a work-focused interview to any person or authority conducting that interview;

(d) take steps to identify potential employment or training opportunities for persons taking part in work-focused interviews;

(e) conduct a work-focused interview;

(f) take steps to identify—

(i) obstacles which may hinder a person in taking up employment or training opportunities;

(ii) educational opportunities which may assist in reducing or removing such obstacles; and

(g) record information supplied at a work-focused interview.

(1)

Section 2A was inserted by section 57 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999.

(2)

1995 c. 18.