The Social Security Fraud Act 2001 (Commencement No. 5) Order 2002

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order provides for the coming into force of further provisions of the Social Security Fraud Act 2001 (“the Fraud Act”) on 30th April 2002:

• section 1 (subsections (4) and (9) of which were commenced on 26th February 2002) provides additional powers for obtaining information, while sections 2 and 4 make provision for electronic access to, and for payments in respect of, information;

• section 6 enables the Secretary of State to give directions to local authorities in relation to the supply by them of housing benefit information;

• sections 14 and 15 relate to provision for civil penalties as an alternative to prosecution for benefit offences;

• section 17 removes the time limit for proceedings in Scotland for an offence under section 111A of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (“the 1992 Act”);

• section 18 provides for abbreviated references to the 1992 Act within the Fraud Act; and

• section 19 provides for the repeal of enactments mentioned in the Schedule to the Fraud Act.

This Order does not impose a charge on business.