4.—(1) A person claiming to be entitled to benefits under these Regulations (“the claimant”) shall make a claim in writing to the scheme manager.
(2) Pursuant to such a claim, the claimant and, where appropriate, the member’s employing authority (including any previous employing authority of the member) must provide such—
(a)evidence of entitlement.
(b)information required in order to deal with the claim, and
(c)authority or permission as may be necessary for the release by third parties of information in their possession relating to the claimant or member,
as the scheme manager may from time to time require for the purposes of these Regulations.
(3) A claim referred to in sub-paragraph (1) may be made by a person or persons other than the claimant where the scheme manager so provides.
(4) Any claim for benefit required in writing under these Regulations, and any evidence, information, authority or permission given in connection with that claim, may be made or given by means of an electronic communication where such method of communication is approved by the scheme manager from time to time.
(5) In this regulation, “electronic communication” has the same meaning as in section 4(1) of the Electronic Communications Act (Northern Ireland) 2001(1).
2001 c.9. (N.I.); Section 4(1) has been amended by section 406(1) of, and paragraph 170 of Schedule 17 to, the Communications Act 2003 (c.21)