(1)Subject to subsection (2) of this section and to paragraph 5(2) of Schedule 11 to this Act, it shall be a condition of any person's right to any benefit that he makes a claim therefor in the prescribed manner.
(2)Any claim for any benefit under this Act may be treated—
(a)for the purposes of this section as a claim, in the alternative, for such other benefit thereunder as may be prescribed; or
(b)for the purposes of the Industrial Injuries Act as a claim, in the alternative, for such benefit under that Act as may be prescribed; or
(c)for the purposes of the Family Allowances Act (in any prescribed cases) as a claim, in the alternative, for a payment under that Act;
and any claim for benefit under the Industrial Injuries Act or a payment under the Family Allowances Act may be treated for the purposes of this section as a claim, in the alternative, for such benefit under this Act as may be prescribed.
(3)For the purposes of this Part of this Act any claim or notice made or sent by post shall be deemed to have been made or given on the day on which it was posted.
(1)Except where regulations otherwise provide, a person shall be disqualified for receiving any benefit, and an increase of benefit shall not be payable in respect of any person as the beneficiary's wife or husband, for any period during which that person—
(a)is absent from Great Britain; or
(b)is undergoing, imprisonment or detention in legal custody.
(2)Regulations may provide for the suspension of payment to or in respect of any person during any such period as aforesaid of benefit which is excepted from the operation of subsection (1) of this section or which is payable otherwise than in respect of that period.
(3)Regulations may provide for disqualifying a person—
(a)subject to paragraph 5(2) of Schedule 11 to this Act, for the receipt of any benefit if he fails to make his claim therefor within the prescribed time; and
(b)for the receipt of sickness benefit if he fails, on becoming or again becoming incapable of work, to give the prescribed notice of that fact within the prescribed time:
Provided that any such regulations shall provide for extending, subject to any prescribed conditions, the time within which the claim may be made or notice may be given in cases where good cause is shown for delay.
(4)Notwithstanding any regulations made by virtue of the proviso to subsection (3) of this section, no sum shall be paid to any person—
(a)on account of maternity grant in respect of a confinement occurring more than six months before the date on which the claim for the grant is made ;
(b)on account of death grant in any case where the prescribed time for making a claim falls to be extended by virtue of the said proviso by more than six months ;
(c)subject to paragraph 5(2) of Schedule 11 to this Act, on account of any other benefit in respect of any period more than six months before the date on which the claim for the benefit is made;
but regulations made by virtue of subsection (3)(a) of this section may vary or revoke the provisions of this subsection with respect to any benefit.
(5)Subject to subsection (6) of this section, where it appears to the Minister that a question has arisen whether—
(a)the conditions for the receipt of benefit payable under an award are or were fulfilled ; or
(b)an award of benefit ought to be revised in accordance with Part IV of this Act,
he may direct that payment of the benefit shall be suspended in whole or in part until that question has been determined:
Provided that this subsection shall not apply in any case where the question has arisen as to whether the claimant has ceased to be entitled to receive unemployment benefit by reason of any of the provisions of section 22(2)(b) to (e) of this Act.
(6)Regulations may provide that subsection (5) of this section shall cease to apply to any case, or to cases of any specified description, to which it would otherwise apply, or shall apply to cases of any specified description to which it would not otherwise apply.
(1)Without prejudice to paragraph 11 of Schedule 11 to this Act, regulations may provide—
(a)for adjusting benefit payable to or in respect of any person, or the conditions for the receipt thereof, where—
(i)any pension or allowance payable out of public funds (excluding an allowance under the Family Allowances Act, but including any other benefit under this Act whether of the same or a different description) is payable to or in respect of that person or that person's wife or husband ; or
(ii)that person is undergoing medical or other treatment as an in-patient in a hospital or similar institution;
(b)for suspending payment of benefit to a person during any period during which he is undergoing medical or other treatment as aforesaid.
(2)Where but for regulations made by virtue of subsection (1)(a) of this section two persons would both be entitled to an increase of benefit in respect of a third person, regulations may make provision as to their priority.
Regulations may provide that a person who would be entitled to any benefit but for the operation of section 49 or 50 of, or paragraph 11 of Schedule 11 to, this Act or of any provision of this Act disqualifying him for receipt of that benefit shall be treated as if entitled thereto for the purpose of any rights or obligations under this Part of this Act (whether of himself or any other person) which depend on his being so entitled, other than the right to payment of that benefit:
Provided that regulations under this section shall not provide that a person disqualified for receiving unemployment benefit or sickness benefit by reason only of a delay or failure to make a claim or give a notice shall be treated as having been entitled thereto for the purpose of ascertaining whether his right to that benefit has been exhausted.
(1)Provision may be made by regulations as to the time and manner of payment of benefit, and as to the information and evidence to be furnished by beneficiaries when applying for payment, and regulations made jointly by the Minister and the Postmaster General may provide for payment through the Post Office.
(2)Regulations made under this section as to the time of payment of benefit may provide—
(a)notwithstanding anything in this Act, for adjusting the commencement and termination of benefit, or of changes in the rate of benefit, so that, except in the case of unemployment benefit and sickness benefit, payments shall not be made in respect of periods less than a week or at different rates for different parts of a week;
(b)for extinguishing the right to any sum payable by way of benefit where payment thereof is not obtained within six months or such shorter period as may be prescribed from the time at which that sum is receivable in accordance with the regulations.
(3)Regulations may also provide—
(a)for enabling a person to be appointed to exercise, on behalf of a claimant or beneficiary who is a child or who may be or become unable for the time being to act, any right or power which the claimant or beneficiary may be entitled to exercise under this Act, and for authorising a person so appointed to receive and deal with any sum payable by way of benefit on behalf of the claimant or beneficiary ;
(b)in connection with the death of any person, for enabling a claim for benefit to be made or proceeded with in his name, for authorising payment or distribution of benefit to or amongst persons claiming as his personal representatives, legatees, next of kin or creditors (or, in cases of illegitimacy of deceased persons, to or amongst others) and for dispensing with strict proof of the title of persons so claiming.
(4)Regulations under paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of this section may make provision with respect to claims for, and the payment of, death grant as if it were a benefit due to the deceased at his death and as if the references in that paragraph to creditors included a reference to any person who gives an undertaking in writing to pay the whole or part of the deceased's funeral expenses; and for the purposes of the said paragraph (b) the expression " next of kin" shall be construed as referring—
(a)in England and Wales, to persons who would take beneficially on an intestacy under the provisions of Part IV of the [1925 c. 23.] Administration of Estates Act 1925 ;
(b)in Scotland, to the persons entitled to the moveable estate of the deceased on intestacy.
Subject to the provisions of this Act, every assignment of, or charge on, benefit, and every agreement to assign or charge benefit, shall be void, and, on the bankruptcy, or, in Scotland, on the sequestration of the estate, of a beneficiary, the benefit shall not pass to any trustee or other person acting on behalf of his creditors.