2001 No. 3252
The Social Security (Notification of Change of Circumstances) Regulations 2001
Made
Laid before Parliament
Coming into force
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 111A(1A), (1B), (1D) and (1E), 112(1A) to (1D), 189(1), (3) and (4) and 191 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992M1 and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, and after consultation in respect of provisions of these Regulations relating to housing benefit and council tax benefit with organisations appearing to him to be representative of the authorities concernedM2, by this Instrument, which is made before the end of the period of 6 months from the coming into force of section 16 of the Social Security Fraud Act 2001M3, hereby makes the following Regulations:
See section 176(1)(a) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992.
See section 173(5)(a) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992.
Citation and commencement1
These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security (Notification of Change of Circumstances) Regulations 2001 and shall come into force on 18th October 2001.
Notification for purposes of sections 111A and 112 of the Social Security Administration Act 19922
Regulations 3 to 5 below prescribe the person to whom, and manner in which, a change of circumstances must be notified for the purposes of sections 111A(1A) to (1G) and 112(1A) to (1F) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (offences relating to failure to notify a change of circumstances).
Change affecting jobseeker’s allowance3
1
Where the benefit affected by the change of circumstances is a jobseeker’s allowance, notice must be given or sent to the Secretary of State in writing (except where he determines in any particular case that he will accept a notice other than in writing) at the office that the claimant is required to attend in accordance with a notification given to him under regulation 23 of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996 M4.
2
In this regulation “Secretary of State” includes a person designated as an employment officer by an order made by the Secretary of State under section 8(3) of the Jobseekers Act 1995 M5.
Change affecting housing benefit or council tax benefit4
1
Where the benefit affected by the change of circumstances is housing benefit or council tax benefit, notice must be given or sent in writing to the relevant authority at—
a
the designated office; or
2
In this regulation “designated office” and “relevant authority” have the same meaning as in the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987 and the Council Tax Benefit (General) Regulations 1992.
Change affecting other benefit payment or advantageC15
1
Where the benefit or other payment or advantage affected by the change of circumstances is not a jobseeker’s allowance, housing benefit or council tax benefit, notice must be given or sent to the Secretary of State in writing (except where he determines in any particular case that he will accept a notice other than in writing) at the appropriate office.
F21ZA
Where this paragraph applies, where the notice in writing referred to in paragraph (1) is given or sent by an electronic communication that notice must be given or sent in accordance with the provisions set out in Schedule 9ZC to the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 (electronic communication).
1ZB
Paragraph (1ZA) applies in relation to carer’s allowance.
F11A
The reference in paragraph (1) to notice “in writing” includes where that notice relates to child benefit, notice given or sent in accordance with Schedule 9C to the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 (electronic communication).
2
In this regulation “the appropriate office” has the same meaning as in the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 M8.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
1992 c. 5 Subsections (1A) to (1G) of section 111A and subsections (1A) to (1F) of section 112 were substituted by section 16 of the Social Security Fraud Act 2001 (c. 11). Section 191 is cited for the meaning given to “prescribe”.