43.—(1) The Department may suspend, in whole or in part, payment of any benefit to a person (“P”) in the circumstances described in paragraph (2).
(2) The circumstances are where—
(a)it appears to the Department that—
(i)an issue arises whether the conditions for entitlement to the benefit are or were fulfilled,
(ii)an issue arises whether a decision relating to an award of the benefit should be revised under Article 10 of the 1998 Order or superseded under Article 11 of that Order,
(iii)an issue arises whether any amount of benefit paid to P is recoverable under or by virtue of section 69ZB, 69ZG or 69ZH of the Administration Act(1),
(iv)the last address of P notified to the Department is not the address at which P resides;
(b)an appeal is pending in P’s case against a decision of an appeal tribunal, a Commissioner or a court; or
(c)an appeal is pending against a decision given by a Commissioner or a court in a different case and it appears to the Department that, if the appeal were to be decided in a particular way, an issue would arise as to whether the award of any benefit to P (whether the same benefit or not) ought to be revised or superseded.
(3) For the purposes of Article 21(2)(c) of the 1998 Order (suspension in prescribed circumstances), where an appeal against the decision has not been brought or an application for leave to appeal against the decision has not been made but the time for doing so has not yet expired, an appeal is pending in the circumstances described in paragraph (4).
(4) The circumstances are where a decision of an appeal tribunal, a Commissioner or a court has been made and the Department—
(a)is awaiting receipt of that decision;
(b)in the case of a decision of an appeal tribunal, is considering whether to apply for a statement of reasons for the decision or has applied for such a statement and is awaiting receipt; or
(c)has received that decision or, if it is a decision of an appeal tribunal has received the statement of reasons for it, and is considering whether to apply for leave to appeal, or where leave to appeal has been granted, is considering whether to appeal.
(5) Where payment of any benefit is suspended as the result of paragraph (2)(b) or (c), the Department must, as soon as reasonably practicable, give written notice to P of any proposal to—
(a)request a statement of the reasons for a tribunal’s decision;
(b)apply for leave to appeal; or
(c)make an appeal.
Sections 69ZB, 69ZG and 69ZH are inserted by Article 109(1) of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) 2015.