Amendment of regulation 18A
91. In regulation 18A (claims for benefits)—
(a)before “A person claiming to be entitled”, insert “(3)”;
(b)before the newly numbered paragraph (3), insert—
“(1) No person shall be entitled to any benefit under these Regulations unless, in addition to any other conditions relating to that benefit being satisfied, that person makes a claim for it—
(a)in writing (or in such manner as the Secretary of State may from time to time accept), and
(b)within—
(i)6 months commencing with the day on which the other conditions relating to the benefit in question are satisfied, or
(ii)such other longer period as the Secretary of State may from time to time accept.
(2) If during the whole or part of the period mentioned in paragraph (1)(b) the person—
(a)lacks capacity (within the meaning of the Mental Capacity Act 2005(1)), or
(b)is prevented by fraud or concealment from discovering the facts entitling that person to apply for a benefit,
a claim may be made at any time before the end of the period of 6 months from the date on which that person no longer lacks capacity or, as the case may be, could with reasonable diligence have discovered those facts.”.