Recovery of mesothelioma and other lump sum payments
54Amendment of Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997
After section 1 of the Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997 (c. 27) insert—
“1ALump sum payments: regulation-making power
(1)The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision about the recovery of the amount of a payment to which subsection (2) applies (a “lump sum payment”) where—
(a)a compensation payment in consequence of a disease is made to or in respect of a person (“P”) to whom, or in respect of whom, a lump sum payment has been, or is likely to be, made, and
(b)the compensation payment is made in consequence of the same disease as the lump sum payment.
(2)This subsection applies to—
(a)a payment made in accordance with the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers' Compensation) Act 1979 (“the 1979 Act”),
(b)a payment made in accordance with Part 4 of the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008, and
(c)an extra-statutory payment (within the meaning given by subsection (5)(d) below).
(3)Regulations under this section may, in particular—
(a)make provision about the recovery of the amount of a lump sum payment made to or in respect of a dependant of P;
(b)make provision enabling the recovery of the amount of a lump sum payment from a compensation payment (including provision enabling the recovery of an amount which reduces the compensation payment to nil);
(c)enable the amount of a lump sum payment made before commencement to be recovered from a compensation payment made after commencement;
(d)make provision about certificates in respect of lump sum payments;
(e)apply any provision of this Act, with or without modifications.
(4)References in subsection (1) to a payment made in consequence of a disease—
(a)are references to a payment made by or on behalf of a person who is, or is alleged to be, liable to any extent in respect of the disease, but
(b)do not include references to a payment mentioned in Part 1 of Schedule 1.
(5)In this section—
(a)“commencement” means the date on which this section comes into force,
(b)“compensation payment” means a payment within section 1(1)(a) above,
(c)“dependant” has the meaning given by section 3 of the 1979 Act, and
(d)“extra-statutory payment” means a payment made by the Secretary of State to or in respect of a person following the rejection by the Secretary of State of a claim under the 1979 Act.”