The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) Order 2005

Review – ignorance or mistake

49.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), any decision of the Secretary of State may be reviewed by him at any time (including on the application of the claimant) if he is satisfied that the decision was given in ignorance of, or was based on, a mistake as to a material fact or of a mistake as to the law.

(2) This article only applies—

(a) if the material fact was knowable at the time the decision was made and was disclosed to the Secretary of State at that time;

(b) if the ignorance or mistake is the ignorance or mistake of the Secretary of State;

(c) where the ignorance or mistake relates to the diagnosis of an injury, where the correct diagnosis was knowable given the state of medical knowledge existing at the time the diagnosis was made.

(3) On a review under this article, the Secretary of State may—

(a) revise—

(i) a decision given under article 43,

(ii) a decision revised under article 45, 47 or 48, or

(iii) a decision revised under this article

in each case by increasing or reducing the amount of the award or so as to cancel an award of benefit;

(b) make an award of benefit where no award has been made before; or

(c) confirm the decision referred to in subparagraph (a).

(4) The decision of the Secretary of State on an application for review under this article and the reasons for the decision shall be in writing and shall be given or sent to the claimant who shall, at the same time, be informed of his right—

(a) to a reconsideration of the decision under article 45; and

(b) to appeal to a Pension Appeal Tribunal under section 5A(1) of the Pensions Appeal Tribunals Act 1943.