F1Part 2AProhibition of discrimination
8BProhibition of discrimination relating to benefits status
(1)
It is an offence for a relevant person, in relation to a dwelling that is to be the subject of an occupation contract—
(a)
on the basis that a person is or may be a benefits claimant, to prevent the person from—
(i)
enquiring whether the dwelling is available for rent,
(ii)
accessing information about the dwelling,
(iii)
viewing the dwelling in order to consider whether to seek to rent it, or
(iv)
obtaining the grant, renewal or continuance of an occupation contract in respect of the dwelling, or
(b)
to apply a provision, criterion or practice in order to make benefits claimants less likely to obtain the grant, renewal or continuance of an occupation contract in respect of the dwelling than people who are not benefits claimants.
(2)
It is a defence for the relevant person to prove that the prospective landlord of the dwelling, or a person who would be a superior landlord in relation to the dwelling, is insured under a contract of insurance—
(a)
to which section 8H does not apply, and
(b)
which contains a term which requires the insured to prohibit a contract-holder of the dwelling from being a benefits claimant,
and the conduct is a means of preventing the insured from breaching that term.
(3)
A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine.