Social Security Administration Act 1992

191 Interpretation - general

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

• “the 1975 Act” means the [1975 c. 14.] Social Security Act 1975;

• “the 1986 Act” means the [1986 c. 50.] Social Security Act 1986;

• “benefit” means benefit under the Contributions and Benefits Act;

• “chargeable financial year” and “charging authority” have the same meanings as in the [1988 c. 41.] Local Government Finance Act 1988;

• “Christmas bonus” means a payment under Part X of the Contributions and Benefits Act;

• “claim” is to be construed in accordance with “claimant”;

• “claimant” (in relation to contributions under Part I and to benefit under Parts II to IV of the Contributions and Benefits Act) means—

  (a)

  a person whose right to be excepted from liability to pay, or to have his liability deferred for, or to be credited with, a contribution, is in question;

  (b)

  and includes, in relation to an award or decision a beneficiary under the award or affected by the decision;

• “claimant” (in relation to industrial injuries benefit) means a person who has claimed such a benefit and includes—

  (a)

  an applicant for a declaration under section 44 above that an accident was or was not an industrial accident; and

  (b)

  in relation to an award or decision, a beneficiary under the award or affected by the decision;

• “Commissioner” means the Chief Social Security Commissioner or any other Social Security Commissioner and includes a tribunal of 3 Commissioners constituted under section 57 above;

• “compensation payment” and “compensator” have the meanings assigned to them respectively by sections 81 and 82 above;

• “the Consequential Provisions Act” means the [1992 c. 6.] Social Security (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992;

• “contribution card” has the meaning assigned to it by section 114(6) above;

• “the Contributions and Benefits Act” means the [1992 c. 4.] Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992;

• “disablement benefit” is to be construed in accordance with section 94(2)(a) of the Contributions and Benefits Act;

• “the disablement questions” is to be construed in accordance with section 45 above;

• “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;

• “5 year general qualification” is to be construed in accordance with section 71 of the [1990 c. 41.] Courts and Legal Services Act 1990;

• “housing authority” means a local authority, a new town corporation, Scottish Homes or the Development Board for Rural Wales;

• “housing benefit scheme” is to be construed in accordance with section 134(1) above;

• “income-related benefit” means—

  (a)

  income support;

  (b)

  family credit;

  (c)

  disability working allowance;

  (d)

  housing benefit; and

  (e)

  community charge benefits;

• “industrial injuries benefit” means benefit under Part V of the Contributions and Benefits Act, other than under Schedule 8;

• “invalidity benefit” has the meaning assigned to it by section 20(1)(c) of that Act;

• “levying authority” has the same meaning as in the [1987 c. 47.] Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987;

• “local authority” means—

  (a)

  in relation to England and Wales, the council of a district or London borough, the Common Council of the City of London or the Council of the Isles of Scilly; and

  (b)

  in relation to Scotland, an islands or district council;

• “medical examination” includes bacteriological and radiographical tests and similar investigations, and “medically examined” has a corresponding meaning;

• “medical practitioner” means—

  (a)

  a registered medical practitioner; or

  (b)

  a person outside the United Kingdom who is not a registered medical practitioner, but has qualifications corresponding (in the Secretary of State’s opinion) to those of a registered medical practitioner;

• “medical treatment” means medical, surgical or rehabilitative treatment (including any course of diet or other regimen), and references to a person receiving or submitting himself to medical treatment are to be construed accordingly;

• “new town corporation” means—

  (a)

  in relation to England and Wales, a development corporation established under the [1981 c. 64.] New Towns Act 1981 or the Commission for the New Towns; and

  (b)

  in relation to Scotland, a development corporation established under the [1968 c. 16.] New Towns (Scotland) Act 1968;

• “the Northern Ireland Department” means the Department of Health and Social Services for Northern Ireland;

• “the Northern Ireland Administration Act” means the [1992 c. 8.] Social Security (Northern Ireland) Administration Act 1992;

• “occupational pension scheme” has the same meaning as in section 66(1) of the Pensions Act;

• “the Old Cases Act” means the [1975 c. 16.] Industrial Injuries and Diseases (Old Cases) Act 1975;

• “Old Cases payments” means payments under Part I of Schedule 8 to the Contributions and Benefits Act;

• “the Pensions Act” means the [1975 c. 60.] Social Security Pensions Act 1975;

• “personal pension scheme” has the meaning assigned to it by section 84(1) of the 1986 Act;

• “prescribe” means prescribe by regulations;

• “President” means the President of social security appeal tribunals, disability appeal tribunals and medical appeal tribunals;

• “rate rebate”, “rent rebate” and “rent allowance” shall be construed in accordance with section 134 above;

• “rates”, in relation to England and Wales, has the same meaning as in the [1967 c. 9.] General Rate Act 1967 and, in relation to Scotland, the meaning given to “rate” by section 26(2)(a) of the [1987 c. 47.] Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987;

• “rating authority”, in relation to England and Wales, has the same meaning as in the the General Rate Act 1967 and, in relation to Scotland, the meaning given by section 109 of the [1973 c. 65.] Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973;

• “tax year” means the 12 months beginning with 6th April in any year;

• “10 year general qualification” is to be construed in accordance with section 71 of the [1990 c. 41.] Courts and Legal Services Act 1990; and

• “widow’s benefit” has the meaning assigned to it by section 20(1)(e) of the Contributions and Benefits Act.