Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act (Northern Ireland) 2000

Suspension in prescribed circumstances N.I.

13.—(1) Regulations may provide for— N.I.

(a) suspending, in whole or in part, any payments of housing benefit;

(b) the subsequent making, or restoring, in prescribed circumstances of any or all of the payments so suspended.

(2) Regulations made under sub-paragraph (1) may, in particular, make provision for any case where, in relation to a claim for housing benefit—

(a) it appears to the relevant authority that an issue arises whether the conditions for entitlement to such a benefit are or were fulfilled;

(b) it appears to the relevant authority that an issue arises whether a decision as to an award of such a benefit should be revised (under paragraph 3) or superseded (under paragraph 4);

(c) an appeal is pending against a decision of an appeal tribunal, a Commissioner or a court; or

(d) it appears to the relevant authority, where an appeal is pending against the decision given by a Commissioner or a court in a different case, that if the appeal were to be determined in a particular way an issue would arise whether the award of housing benefit in the case itself ought to be revised or superseded.

(3) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2), an appeal against a decision is pending if—

(a) an appeal against the decision has been brought but not determined;

(b) an application for leave to appeal against the decision has been made but not determined; or

(c) the time within which—

(i) an application for leave to appeal may be made; or

(ii) an appeal against the decision may be brought,

has not expired and the circumstances are such as may be prescribed.

(4) In sub-paragraph (2)(d) the reference to a different case—

(a) includes a reference to a case involving a different relevant authority; but

(b) does not include a reference to a case relating to a different benefit.