The Social Security and Child Support (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations 1999

Income support and social fund determinations on incomplete evidence

13.—(1) Where, for the purpose of a decision under section 8 or 10—

(a) a determination falls to be made by the Secretary of State as to what housing costs are to be included in a claimant’s applicable amount by virtue of regulation 17(1)(e) or 18(1)(f) of, and Schedule 3 to, the Income Support Regulations; and

(b) it appears to the Secretary of State that he is not in possession of all of the evidence or information which is relevant for the purposes of such a determination,

he shall make the determination on the assumption that the housing costs to be included in the claimant’s applicable amount are those that can be immediately determined.

(2) Where, for the purpose of a decision under section 8 or 10—

(a) a determination falls to be made by the Secretary of State as to whether—

(i) in relation to any person, the applicable amount falls to be reduced or disregarded to any extent by virtue of section 126(3) of the Contributions and Benefits Act (persons affected by trade disputes);

(ii) for the purposes of regulation 12 of the Income Support Regulations, a person is by virtue of that regulation to be treated as receiving relevant education; or

(iii) in relation to any claimant, the applicable amount includes severe disability premium by virtue of regulation 17(1)(d) or 18(1)(e), and paragraph 13 of Schedule 2 to, the Income Support Regulations; and

(b) it appears to the Secretary of State that he is not in possession of all of the evidence or information which is relevant for the purposes of such a determination,

he shall make the determination on the assumption that the relevant evidence or information which is not in his possession is adverse to the claimant.