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Welfare Reform Act 2012
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- Original: King's Printer Version
- Revised Version 31/3/2019
- Revised Version 30/11/2018
- Revised Version 28/2/2018
- Revised Version 31/8/2017
- Revised Version 31/3/2017
- Revised Version 31/5/2016
- Revised Version 31/8/2015
- Revised Version 28/2/2015
- Revised Version 30/11/2014
- Correction Slip - 01/07/2013
- Correction Slip - 07/06/2013
Changes over time for: Section 132
Changes to legislation:
Welfare Reform Act 2012, Section 132 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 19 April 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 132:
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/1511 by S.I. 2017/57 art. 5 13 14 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/2657 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 4-6 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/2657 by S.I. 2017/57 art. 13 15 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/2846 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 3 4 7 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/983 by S.I. 2018/138 art. 3
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/983 by S.I. 2019/10 reg. 3(1)
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/983 by S.I. 2019/167 art. 5(2)
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/983, art. 5A(1), 6(1) by S.I. 2017/483 art. 2
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/1583 by S.I. 2017/664 art. 5 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/209 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 3 4 8 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/209 by S.I. 2017/57 art. 10 16 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/2321 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 5 9 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/2321 by S.I. 2016/963 art. 3 7 8 13 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/2321 by S.I. 2017/584 art. 5 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/2321 by S.I. 2017/664 art. 5 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 3-5 10 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2016/963 art. 4 6-12 14 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2017/57 art. 3-9 11 12 17 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2017/584 art. 3 4 6-9 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2017/664 art. 3-5 7-9 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 3 4 11 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2016/963 art. 3-12 15 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2017/57 art. 3-7 9 12 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2017/584 art. 3 4 6-9 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2017/664 art. 3-9 Sch.
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/33 by S.I. 2018/138 art. 6
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/33 by S.I. 2019/10 reg. 3(2)
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/33 by S.I. 2019/167 art. 5(3)
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/33 by S.I. 2019/37 art. 5
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/33, art. 6(11) by S.I. 2017/483 art. 3
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634 by S.I. 2018/138 art. 6
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634 by S.I. 2019/10 reg. 3(3)
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634 by S.I. 2019/167 art. 5(4)
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634 by S.I. 2019/37 art. 5
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634, art. 7(2) by S.I. 2017/376 reg. 4
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2016/596 by S.I. 2016/963 art. 17
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2019/37 by S.I. 2019/935 art. 2
- specified provision(s) modification of earlier commencing S.I. 2014/1583 by S.I. 2018/532 art. 3 Sch.
- specified provision(s) modification of earlier commencing S.I. 2014/2321 by S.I. 2018/532 art. 3 Sch.
- specified provision(s) modification of earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2018/532 art. 3 Sch.
- specified provision(s) modification of earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2018/532 art. 3 Sch.
- specified provision(s) modification of earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634 by S.I. 2018/532 art. 5
132Unlawful disclosure of information supplied under section 131E+W+S
This section has no associated Explanatory Notes
(1)A person to whom subsection (2) applies is guilty of an offence if the person discloses without lawful authority any information—
(a)which comes to the person by virtue of section 131(1), (3) or (4), and
(b)which relates to a particular person.
(2)This subsection applies to—
(a)a person mentioned in section 131(11) (a) to (c);
(b)a person who provides qualifying welfare services (within the meaning of section 131);
(c)a person who is or has been a director, member of the committee of management, manager, secretary or other similar officer of a person mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b);
(d)a person who is or has been an employee of a person mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b).
(3)A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—
(a)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine or both, or
(b)on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding [F1the general limit in a magistrates’ court] or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or both.
(4)It is not an offence under this section—
(a)to disclose information in the form of a summary or collection of information so framed as not to enable information relating to any particular person to be ascertained from it;
(b)to disclose information which has previously been disclosed to the public with lawful authority.
(5)It is a defence for a person (“D”) charged with an offence under this section to prove that at the time of the alleged offence—
(a)D believed that D was making the disclosure in question with lawful authority and had no reasonable cause to believe otherwise, or
(b)D believed that the information in question had previously been disclosed to the public with lawful authority and had no reasonable cause to believe otherwise.
(6)A disclosure is made with lawful authority if it is so made for the purposes of section 123 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992.
(7)This section does not affect that section.
(8)Regulations under section 131(11) (g) may include provision for applying the provisions of this section to—
(a)a person who is a qualifying person within the meaning of section 131 by virtue of the regulations, or
(b)a person associated with such a qualifying person by reason of the person's office or employment or otherwise.
(9)In relation to an offence under this section committed in England and Wales before [F22 May 2022] the reference in subsection (3) (b) to [F3the general limit in a magistrates’ court] must be taken to be a reference to six months.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 132(3)(b) substituted (7.2.2023 at 12.00 p.m.) by The Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 (Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Powers) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/149), regs. 1(2), 2(1), Sch. Pt. 1
F2Words in s. 132(9) substituted (28.4.2022) by The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Commencement No. 33) and Sentencing Act 2020 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/500), regs. 1(2), 5(1), Sch. Pt. 1
F3Words in s. 132(9) substituted (7.2.2023 at 12.00 p.m.) by The Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 (Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Powers) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/149), regs. 1(2), 2(1), Sch. Pt. 1
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 132 applied (2.7.2012) by The Social Security (Information-sharing in relation to Welfare Services etc.) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/1483), regs. 1, 10(2)
C2S. 132 applied by S.I. 2012/1483, reg. 10(2) (as substituted (1.4.2013) by The Social Security (Information-sharing in relation to Welfare Services etc.) Amendment and Prescribed Bodies Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/454), regs. 1(2), 3(10))
C3S. 132 applied (E.) (1.4.2015) by The Social Security (Information-sharing) (NHS Payments and Remission of Charges etc.) (England) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/124), regs. 1(1), 8
Commencement Information
I1S. 132(1)-(7) (9) in force at 8.5.2012 by S.I. 2012/863, art. 2(3)(f)
I2S. 132(8) in force at 20.3.2012 by S.I. 2012/863, art. 2(1)(h)
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