Section 7B | Use of social security information ^F1

(1)A relevant authority may use for a relevant purpose any social security information which it holds.

(2)Regulations may make provision as to the procedure to be followed by a relevant authority for the purposes of any function it has relating to the administration of a specified benefit if the authority holds social security information which—

(a)is relevant for the purposes of anything which may or must be done by the authority in connection with a claim for or an award of the benefit, and

(b)was used by another relevant authority in connection with a claim for or an award of a different specified benefit or was verified by that other authority in accordance with regulations under section 7A(2)(e) above.

(3)A relevant purpose is anything which is done in relation to a claim which is made or which could be made for a specified benefit if it is done for the purpose of—

(a)identifying persons who may be entitled to such a benefit;

(b)encouraging or assisting a person to make such a claim;

(c)advising a person in relation to such a claim.

(4)Social security information means—

(a)information relating to social security, child support or war pensions;

(b)evidence obtained in connection with a claim for or an award of a specified benefit.

(5)A specified benefit is a benefit which is specified in regulations for the purposes of this section.

(6)Expressions used in this section and in section 7A have the same meaning in this section as in that section.

(7)This section does not affect any power which exists apart from this section to use for one purpose social security information obtained in connection with another purpose.