Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992

137 Interpretation of Part VII and supplementary provisions

(1) In this Part of this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

• “charging authority” has the same meaning as in the 1988 Act;

• “child” means a person under the age of 16;

• “contribution period”, in relation to England and Wales, has the same meaning as in section 9 of the 1988 Act;

• “contribution period”, in relation to Scotland, means a continuous period of residence in any premises (which falls in a chargeable financial year) in respect of each day of which a person is liable to pay a collective community charge contribution under section 11(11) of the 1987 Act;

• “dwelling” means any residential accommodation, whether or not consisting of the whole or part of a building and whether or not comprising separate and self-contained premises;

• “family” means—

  (a)

  a married or unmarried couple;

  (b)

  a married or unmarried couple and a member of the same household for whom one of them is or both are responsible and who is a child or a person of a prescribed description;

  (c)

  except in prescribed circumstances, a person who is not a member of a married or unmarried couple and a member of the same household for whom that person is responsible and who is a child or a person of a prescribed description;

• “industrial injuries scheme” means a scheme made under Schedule 8 to this Act or section 159 of the 1975 Act or under the Old Cases Act;

• “levying authority” has the same meaning as in the 1987 Act;

• “married couple” means a man and woman who are married to each other and are members of the same household;

• “the 1987 Act” means the [1987 c. 47.] Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987;

• “the 1988 Act” means the [1988 c. 41.] Local Government Finance Act 1988;

• “prescribed”means specified in or determined in accordance with regulations;

• “unmarried couple” means a man and woman who are not married to each other but are living together as husband and wife otherwise than in prescribed circumstances;

• “war pension scheme” means a scheme under which war pensions (as defined in section 25 of the [1989 c. 24.] Social Security Act 1989) are provided;

• “week”, in relation to community charge benefits, means a period of 7 days beginning with a Monday.

(2) Regulations may make provision for the purposes of this Part of this Act—

(a) as to circumstances in which a person is to be treated as being or not being in Great Britain;

(b) continuing a person’s entitlement to benefit during periods of temporary absence from Great Britain;

(c) as to what is or is not to be treated as remunerative work or as employment;

(d) as to circumstances in which a person is or is not to be treated as—

(i) engaged or normally engaged in remunerative work;

(ii) available for employment; or

(iii) actively seeking employment;

(e) as to what is or is not to be treated as relevant education;

(f) as to circumstances in which a person is or is not to be treated as receiving relevant education;

(g) specifying the descriptions of pension increases under war pension schemes or industrial injuries schemes that are analogous to the benefits mentioned in section 129(2)(b)(i) to (iii) above;

(h) as to circumstances in which a person is or is not to be treated as occupying a dwelling as his home;

(i) for treating any person who is liable to make payments in respect of a dwelling as if he were not so liable;

(j) for treating any person who is not liable to make payments in respect of a dwelling as if he were so liable;

(k) for treating as included in a dwelling any land used for the purposes of the dwelling;

(l) as to circumstances in which persons are to be treated as being or not being members of the same household;

(m) as to circumstances in which one person is to be treated as responsible or not responsible for another.