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

Suspension and termination for failure to submit to medical examination

19.—(1) Except where regulation 8 of the Social Security (Incapacity for Work) (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995 applies, the Department may require a person to submit to a medical examination by a medical practitioner where that person is in receipt of a relevant benefit, and either—

(a) the Department considers it necessary to satisfy itself as to the correctness of the award of the benefit, or of the rate at which it was awarded; or

(b) that person applies for a revision or supersession of the award and the Department considers that the examination is necessary for the purpose of making its decision.

(2) The Department may suspend payment of a relevant benefit, in whole or in part, to a person who fails, without good cause, on two consecutive occasions to submit to a medical examination in accordance with requirements under paragraph (1) except where entitlement to benefit is suspended on an earlier date other than under this regulation.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), the Department may determine that entitlement to a relevant benefit of a person, in respect of whom payment of such a benefit has been suspended under paragraph (2), shall cease from a date not earlier than the date on which payment was suspended except where entitlement to benefit ceases on an earlier date other than under this regulation.

(4) Paragraph (3) shall not apply where not more than one month has elapsed since the first payment was suspended under paragraph (2).