Part VIIIncome-Related Benefits

General

123Income-related benefits

(1)Prescribed schemes shall provide for the following benefits (in this Act referred to as “income-related benefits”)—

(a)income support;

(b)family credit;

(c)disability working allowance;

(d)housing benefit; and

(e)community charge benefits.

(2)The Secretary of State shall make copies of schemes prescribed under subsection (1)(a), (b) or (c) above available for public inspection at local offices of the Department of Social Security at all reasonable hours without payment.

(3)Every authority granting housing benefit—

(a)shall take such steps as appear to them appropriate for the purpose of securing that persons who may be entitled to housing benefit from the authority become aware that they may be entitled to it; and

(b)shall make copies of the housing benefit scheme, with any modifications adopted by them under the Administration Act, available for public inspection at their principal office at all reasonable hours without payment.

(4)Each charging authority shall take such steps as appear to it appropriate for the purpose of securing that any person who may be entitled to a community charge benefit as regards a personal or collective community charge of the authority becomes aware that he may be entitled to it.

(5)Each levying authority shall take such steps as appear to it appropriate for the purpose of securing that any person who may be entitled to a community charge benefit in respect of a personal community charge payable to the authority becomes aware that he may be entitled to it.

(6)Each charging authority and each levying authority shall make copies of the community charge benefits scheme, with any modifications adopted by it under the Administration Act, available for public inspection at its principal office at all reasonable hours without payment.