9.—(1) Where it appears to the Department that a person who is in receipt of a qualifying benefit, or the partner of such a person, has served the waiting period and that, were the conditions of regulation 7 (requirements for a bonus) also to be satisfied, a bonus may be payable to that person, it shall, within a year of the waiting period having been served, provide the person claiming the qualifying benefit with a written statement of the amount it estimates may be payable by way of bonus in his particular case, and shall provide further such statements at intervals of not more than one year as appears to it to be appropriate in the circumstances of the case.
(2) The issue by the Department of a statement under paragraph (1) shall not be binding upon the adjudication officer when he makes his determination on a claim for a bonus as to—
(a)whether the applicant satisfies the conditions of entitlement to the bonus, and
(b)the amount, if any, payable where a bonus is awarded.