Further interpretationE+W+S
3.—(1) Any reference to the claimant's family or, as the case may be, to a member of the claimant's family, is to be construed for the purposes of these Regulations as if it included, in relation to a polygamous marriage, a reference to any partner and to any child or young person who is treated by the Secretary of State as the responsibility of the claimant or their partner, where that child or young person is a member of the claimant's household.
(2) In such cases and subject to such conditions or requirements as the Secretary of State may specify by means of a direction, any requirement imposed under these Regulations for a signature may be satisfied by means of an electronic signature (within the meaning given in section 7(2) of the Electronic Communications Act 2000 M1).
(3) A person of a prescribed description for the purposes of the definition of “family” in section 35(1) of the Act M2 is a young person.
(4) For the purposes of paragraph (d) of the definition of “couple” in section 35(1) of the Act, two persons of the same sex are to be regarded as living together as if they were civil partners only if they would be regarded as living together as husband and wife were they instead two persons of the opposite sex.
(5) In this regulation, “polygamous marriage” means any marriage during the subsistence of which a party to it is married to more than one person and the ceremony of marriage took place under the law of a country which permits polygamy.
(6) References in these Regulations to a person participating as a service user are toF1...—
(a)a person who is being consulted by or on behalf of—
(i)a body which has a statutory duty to provide services in the field of health, social care or social housing; or
(ii)a body which conducts research or undertakes monitoring for the purpose of planning or improving such services,
in the person's capacity as a user, potential user, carer of a user or person otherwise affected by the provision of those services; or
[F2(ab)a person who is being consulted by or on behalf of—
(i)the Secretary of State in relation to any of the Secretary of State’s functions in the field of social security or child support or under section 2 of the Employment and Training Act 1973; or
(ii)a body which conducts research or undertakes monitoring for the purpose of planning or improving such functions,
in their capacity as a person affected or potentially affected by the exercise of those functions or the carer of such a person;]
(b)the carer of a person consulted under [F3sub-paragraphs (a) or (ab)].
(7) In these Regulations, references to obtaining paid work includes obtaining more paid work or obtaining better-paid work.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in reg. 3(6) omitted (23.2.2015) by virtue of The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/67), regs. 1, 2(3)
F2Reg. 3(6)(ab) inserted (23.2.2015) by The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/67), regs. 1, 2(1)(2)(a)
F3Words in reg. 3(6)(b) substituted (23.2.2015) by The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/67), regs. 1, 2(1)(2)(b)
Marginal Citations
M2The definition of “family” was amended by paragraph 124 of Schedule 24 of the Civil Partnerships Act 2004 (c.33).