PART IIN.I.DECISIONS AND APPEALS

CHAPTER IIN.I.SOCIAL SECURITY DECISIONS AND APPEALS

DecisionsN.I.

Decisions by the DepartmentN.I.

F1F2F39.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Chapter, it shall be for the Department—

(a)to decide any claim for a relevant benefit;

(b)to decide any claim for a social fund payment mentioned in section 134(1)(b) of the Contributions and Benefits Act;[F4 and]

(c)subject to paragraph (5), to make any decision that falls to be made under any relevant statutory provision;F4. . .

(2) Where at any time a claim for a relevant benefit is decided by the Department—

(a)the claim shall not be regarded as subsisting after that time; and

(b)accordingly, the claimant shall not (without making a further claim) be entitled to the benefit on the basis of circumstances not obtaining at that time.

(3) In this Chapter “relevant benefit”,F5. . . , means any of the following, namely—

(a)benefit under Parts II to V of the Contributions and Benefits Act;

(b)a jobseeker's allowance;

[F6(bb)state pension credit;]

(c)income support;

(f)a social fund payment mentioned in section 134(1)(a) or (2) of the Contributions and Benefits Act;

(g)child benefit;

(h)such other benefit as may be prescribed.

(4) In this Article “relevant statutory provision” means any statutory provision contained in this Chapter, the Contributions and Benefits Act, the Administration Act, the [1992 c. 9.] Social Security (Consequential Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Act 1992[F7, the Jobseekers Order or the State Pension Credit Act (Northern Ireland) 2002], other than one contained in—

(a)Part VII of the Contributions and Benefits Act so far as relating to housing benefit;

(b)Part VIII of the Administration Act (arrangements for housing benefit).

[F4(5) Paragraph (1)(c) does not include any decision which under Article 7 of the Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.)(Northern Ireland) Order 1999 falls to be made by an officer of the Inland Revenue.]

Revision of decisionsN.I.

10 .F8—F9F10(1) Subject to Article 36(3), any decision of the Department under Article 9 or 11 may be revised by the Department—

(a)either within the prescribed period or in prescribed cases or circumstances; and

(b)either on an application made for the purpose or on the Department's own initiative,

and regulations may prescribe the procedure by which a decision of the Department may be so revised.

(2) In making a decision under paragraph (1), the Department need not consider any issue that is not raised by the application or, as the case may be, did not cause the Department to act on its own initiative.

(3) Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5) and Article 27, a revision under this Article shall take effect as from the date on which the original decision took (or was to take) effect.

(4) Regulations may provide that, in prescribed cases or circumstances, a revision under this Article shall take effect as from such other date as may be prescribed.

(5) Where a decision is revised under this Article, for the purpose of any rule as to the time allowed for bringing an appeal, the decision shall be regarded as made on the date on which it is so revised.

(6) Except in prescribed circumstances, an appeal against a decision of the Department shall lapse if the decision is revised under this Article before the appeal is determined.

Decisions superseding earlier decisionsN.I.

11 .F11—F12F13(1) Subject to[F14 paragraph (3)] and Article 36(3), the following, namely—

(a)any decision of the Department under Article 9 or this Article, whether as originally made or as revised under Article 10; and

(b)any decision under this Chapter of an appeal tribunal or a Commissioner,

may be superseded by a decision made by the Department, either on an application made for the purpose or on the Department's own initiative.

(2) In making a decision under paragraph (1), the Department need not consider any issue that is not raised by the application or, as the case may be, did not cause the Department to act on its own initiative.

(3) Regulations may prescribe the cases and circumstances in which, and the procedure by which, a decision may be made under this Article.

(5) Subject to paragraph (6) and Article 27, a decision under this Article shall take effect as from the date on which it is made or, where applicable, the date on which the application was made.

(6) Regulations may provide that, in prescribed cases or circumstances, a decision under this Article shall take effect as from such other date as may be prescribed.