Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992

65 Determination of questions

(1) A determination by the competent authority that a person is entitled or not entitled to payment of a qualifying benefit in respect of a period which includes a day in the relevant week shall be conclusive for the purposes of section 144 of the Contributions and Benefits Act; and in this subsection “competent authority” means, in relation to a payment of any description of a qualifying benefit, an authority that ordinarily determines whether a person is entitled to such a payment.

(2) Any question arising under that section other than one determined or falling to be determined under subsection (1) above shall be determined by the Department whose decision shall, except as provided by subsection (3) below, be final.

(3) The Department may reverse a decision under subsection (2) above on new facts being brought to its notice or if it is satisfied that the decision was given in ignorance of, or was based on a mistake as to, some material fact.

(4) Expressions used in this section to which a meaning is assigned by section 146 of the Contributions and Benefits Act have that meaning in this section.