2.—(1) The Claims and Payments Regulations shall be amended in accordance with the following paragraphs of this regulation.
(2) In regulation 4 M1 (making a claim for benefit)—
(a)at the beginning of paragraph (6) insert “ Subject to paragraphs (6A) to (6D), ”;
(b)after paragraph (6) insert the following paragraphs—
“(6A) Paragraphs (6B) and (6C) apply in relation to a person—
(a)who has attained the qualifying age and makes a claim for—
(i)an attendance allowance, a bereavement benefit, a carer’s allowance, a disability living allowance or incapacity benefit; or
(ii)a retirement pension of any category for which a claim is required or a winter fuel payment for which a claim is required under regulation 3(1)(b) of the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2000 M2;
(b)who has not yet attained the qualifying age and makes a claim for a retirement pension in advance in accordance with regulation 15(1); or
(c)who has attained the qualifying age and makes a claim for income support in respect of a period before 6th October 2003.
(6B) A person to whom paragraph (6A) applies may make a claim by sending or delivering it to, or by making it in person at—
(a)an office designated by the Secretary of State for accepting such claims; or
(b)the offices of—
(i)a local authority administering housing benefit or council tax benefit;
(ii)a person providing to such an authority services relating to housing benefit or council tax benefit; or
(iii)a person authorised to exercise any function of a local authority relating to housing benefit or council tax benefit,
if the Secretary of State has arranged with the local authority or person specified in head (ii) or (iii) for them to receive claims in accordance with this sub-paragraph,
provided that the claim is made on a form which is approved by the Secretary of State for the purpose.
(6C) Where a person to whom paragraph (6A) applies makes a claim in accordance with paragraph (6B)(b), on receipt of the claim the local authority or other person specified in that sub-paragraph—
(a)shall forward the claim to the Secretary of State as soon as reasonably practicable;
(b)may receive information or evidence relating to the claim supplied by—
(i)the person making, or who has made, the claim; or
(ii)other persons in connection with the claim,
and shall forward it to the Secretary of State as soon as reasonably practicable;
(c)may obtain information or evidence relating to the claim from the person who has made the claim, but not any medical information or evidence except for that which the claimant must provide in accordance with instructions on the form, and shall forward the information or evidence to the Secretary of State as soon as reasonably practicable;
(d)may record information or evidence relating to the claim supplied or obtained in accordance with sub-paragraphs (b) or (c) and may hold the information or evidence (whether as supplied or obtained or as recorded) for the purpose of forwarding it to the Secretary of State; and
(e)may give information and advice with respect to the claim to the person who makes, or who has made, the claim.
(6D) The benefits specified in paragraph (6A) are relevant benefits for the purposes of section 7A of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 M3.”; and
(c)in paragraph (7) after “when it is received” insert “ in an appropriate office, or other office specified in paragraph (6B) where that paragraph applies, ”.
(3) In regulation 4D M4 (making a claim for state pension credit)—
(a)in paragraph (4)—
(i)in sub-paragraph (b) for “services to such an authority” substitute “ to such an authority services relating to housing benefit or council tax benefit ”; and
(ii)after sub-paragraph (c) add—
“if the Secretary of State has arranged with the local authority or person specified in sub-paragraph (b) or (c) for them to receive claims in accordance with this paragraph”; and
(b)in paragraph (11)(b) after “appropriate office” insert “ or other office specified in regulation 4F(3) ”.
(4) In regulation 4F M5 (making a claim after attaining qualifying age: date of claim)—
(a)in paragraph (3)(a) after “an appropriate office” insert “ , or other office designated by the Secretary of State for accepting claims for state pension credit or the office of a person specified in regulation 4D(4), ”; and
(b)in paragraph (3) for “the appropriate office” substitute “ an office specified in sub-paragraph (a) ”.
(5) In regulation 6 M6 (date of claim)—
(a)after paragraph (1) insert the following paragraph—
“((1ZA)) In the case of a claim made in accordance with regulation 4(6B)—
(a)paragraph (1) shall apply in relation to a claim received at an office specified in that regulation as it applies in relation to a claim received at an appropriate office; and
(b)paragraph (1A) shall apply in relation to an office specified in that regulation as it applies in relation to an appropriate office.”;
(b)in paragraph (8) M7 for “paragraph (8A)” substitute “ paragraphs (8A) and (8B) ”;
(c)after paragraph (8A) M8 insert the following paragraph—
“(8B) In the case of a claim for disability living allowance or attendance allowance made in accordance with regulation 4(6B), paragraphs (8) and (8A) shall apply in relation to an office specified in that regulation as they apply in relation to an appropriate office.”.
(6) In regulation 32 M9 (information to be given and changes to be notified) paragraph (1A) inserted by the Social Security (Claims and Information) Regulations 1999 M10 shall be renumbered paragraph “(1C)”.
Marginal Citations
M1Relevant amending instruments are S.I. 1992/247, 1996/1460, 1997/793, 1999/2572, 2000/1982 and 2002/3019.
M3Section 7A was inserted by the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (c. 30), section 71.
M4Regulation 4D was inserted by S.I. 2002/3019.
M5Regulation 4F was inserted by S.I. 2002/3019.
M6In regulation 6, paragraph (l) was amended by S.I. 1990/725, 1997/793, 2000/897 and 2001/567 and paragraph (1A) was inserted by S.I. 1997/793.
M7Paragraph (8) was added by S.I. 1991/2741 and amended by S.I. 1993/2113.
M8Paragraph (8A) was inserted by S.I. 1993/2113.
M9Relevant amendments to regulation 32 were made by S.I. 1999/3108 and 2003/1050.
M10S.I. 1999/3108; paragraph (1A) was inserted by paragraph 2(8) of Schedule 3.