National Assistance Act 1948

52 False statements.

(1) If any person—

(a) for the purpose of obtaining, either for himself or for another person, any benefit under Part II or Part III of this Act; or

(b) for the purpose of avoiding or reducing any liability under this Act,

makes any statement or representation which he knows to be false, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both such imprisonment and such fine.

(2) Notwithstanding anything in any enactment, proceedings for an offence under this section may be begun at any time within three months from the date on which evidence sufficient in the opinion of the Board or the local authority concerned to justify a prosecution for the offence comes to the knowledge of the Board or local authority, or within twelve months from the commission of the offence, whichever period is the longer.

(3) For the purposes of the last foregoing subsection, a certificate of the Board or of the local authority as to the date on which such evidence as aforesaid came to the knowledge of the Board or the local authority, as the case may be, shall be conclusive proof thereof.

(4) In the application of this section to Scotland, for the references to evidence sufficient to justify a prosecution there shall be substituted references to evidence sufficient to justify a report to the Lord Advocate with a view to consideration of the question of prosecution.