Part 4Lump sum payments: mesothelioma etc.

Recovery of mesothelioma and other lump sum payments

I154Amendment of Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997

After section 1 of the Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997 (c. 27) insert—

1ALump sum payments: regulation-making power

1

The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision about the recovery of the amount of a payment to which subsection (2) applies (a “lump sum payment”) where—

a

a compensation payment in consequence of a disease is made to or in respect of a person (“P”) to whom, or in respect of whom, a lump sum payment has been, or is likely to be, made, and

b

the compensation payment is made in consequence of the same disease as the lump sum payment.

2

This subsection applies to—

a

a payment made in accordance with the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers' Compensation) Act 1979 (“the 1979 Act”),

b

a payment made in accordance with Part 4 of the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008, and

c

an extra-statutory payment (within the meaning given by subsection (5)(d) below).

3

Regulations under this section may, in particular—

a

make provision about the recovery of the amount of a lump sum payment made to or in respect of a dependant of P;

b

make provision enabling the recovery of the amount of a lump sum payment from a compensation payment (including provision enabling the recovery of an amount which reduces the compensation payment to nil);

c

enable the amount of a lump sum payment made before commencement to be recovered from a compensation payment made after commencement;

d

make provision about certificates in respect of lump sum payments;

e

apply any provision of this Act, with or without modifications.

4

References in subsection (1) to a payment made in consequence of a disease—

a

are references to a payment made by or on behalf of a person who is, or is alleged to be, liable to any extent in respect of the disease, but

b

do not include references to a payment mentioned in Part 1 of Schedule 1.

5

In this section—

a

commencement” means the date on which this section comes into force,

b

compensation payment” means a payment within section 1(1)(a) above,

c

dependant” has the meaning given by section 3 of the 1979 Act, and

d

extra-statutory payment” means a payment made by the Secretary of State to or in respect of a person following the rejection by the Secretary of State of a claim under the 1979 Act.