Office of Public Sector Information

74 Mobility component for certain persons eligible for invalid carriages

(1) Regulations may provide for the issue, variation and cancellation of certificates in respect of prescribed categories of persons to whom this section applies; and a person in respect of whom such a certificate is issued shall, during any period while the certificate is in force, be deemed for the purposes of section 73 above to satisfy the condition mentioned in subsection (1)(a) of that section and to fall within paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (9) by virtue of having satisfied or being likely to satisfy that condition throughout both the periods mentioned in those paragraphs.

(2) This section applies to any person whom the Secretary of State considers—

(a) was on 1st January 1976 in possession of an invalid carriage or other vehicle provided in pursuance of section 33 of the [1968 c. 46.] Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 (which related to vehicles for persons suffering from physical defect or disability) or receiving payments in pursuance of subsection (3) of that section; or

(b) had at that date, or at a later date specified by the Secretary of State, made an application which the Secretary of State approved for such a carriage or vehicle or for such payments; or

(c) was, both at some time during a prescribed period before that date and at some time during a prescribed period after that date, in possession of such a carriage or vehicle or receiving such payments; or

(d) would have been, by virtue of any of the preceding paragraphs, a person to whom this section applies but for some error or delay for which in the opinion of the Secretary of State the person was not responsible and which was brought to the attention of the Secretary of State within the [1977 c. 5.] period of one year beginning with 30th March 1977 (the date of the passing of the Social Security (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1977, section 13 of which made provision corresponding to the provision made by this section).

75 Persons 65 or over

(1) Except to the extent to which regulations provide otherwise, no person shall be entitled to either component of a disability living allowance for any period after he attains the age of 65 otherwise than by virtue of an award made before he attains that age.

(2) Regulations may provide in relation to persons who are entitled to a component of a disability living allowance by virtue of subsection (1) above that any provision of this Act which relates to disability living allowance, other than section 74 above, so far as it so relates, and any provision of the Administration Act which is relevant to disability living allowance—

(a) shall have effect subject to modifications, additions or amendments; or

(b) shall not have effect.

76 Disability living allowance - supplementary

(1) Subject to subsection (2) below, a person shall not be entitled to a disability living allowance for any period preceding the date on which a claim for it is made or treated as made by him or on his behalf.

(2) Notwithstanding anything in subsection (1) above, provision may be made by regulations for a person to be entitled to a component of a disability living allowance for a period preceding the date on which a claim for such an allowance is made or treated as made by him or on his behalf if he has previously been entitled to that component.

(3) For the purposes of sections 72(5) and 73(12) above where—

(a) a person purports to make a claim for a disability living allowance on behalf of another; and

(b) the claim is made expressly on the ground that the person on whose behalf it purports to be made is terminally ill,

that person shall be regarded as making the claim notwithstanding that it is made without his knowledge or authority.

Guardian’s allowance

77 Guardian’s allowance

(1) A person shall be entitled to a guardian’s allowance in respect of a child if—

(a) he is entitled to child benefit in respect of that child, and

(b) the circumstances are any of those specified in subsection (2) below;

but this subsection is subject, in particular, to section 81 below.

(2) The circumstances referred to in subsection (1)(b) above are—

(a) that both of the child’s parents are dead; or

(b) that one of the child’s parents is dead and the person claiming a guardian’s allowance shows that he was at the date of the death unaware of, and has failed after all reasonable efforts to discover, the whereabouts of the other parent; or

(c) that one of the child’s parents is dead and the other is in prison.

(3) There shall be no entitlement to a guardian’s allowance in respect of a child unless at least one of the child’s parents satisfies, or immediately before his death satisfied, such conditions as may be prescribed as to nationality, residence, place of birth or other matters.

(4) Where, apart from this subsection, a person is entitled to receive, in respect of a particular child, payment of an amount by way of a guardian’s allowance, that amount shall not be payable unless one of the conditions specified in subsection (5) below is satisfied.

(5) Those conditions are—

(a) that the beneficiary would be treated for the purposes of Part IX of this Act as having the child living with him; or

(b) that the requisite contributions are being made to the cost of providing for the child.

(6) The condition specified in subsection (5)(b) above is to be treated as satisfied if, but only if—

(a) such contributions are being made at a weekly rate not less than the amount referred to in subsection (4) above—

(i) by the beneficiary; or

(ii) where the beneficiary is one of two spouses residing together, by them together; and

(b) except in prescribed cases, the contributions are over and above those required for the purpose of satisfying section 143(1)(b) below.

(7) A guardian’s allowance in respect of a child shall be payable at the weekly rate specified in Schedule 4, Part III, paragraph 5.

(8) Regulations—

(a) may modify subsection (2) or (3) above in relation to cases in which a child has been adopted or is illegitimate, or the marriage of a child’s parents has been terminated by divorce;

(b) shall prescribe the circumstances in which a person is to be treated for the purposes of this section as being in prison (by reference to his undergoing a sentence of imprisonment for life or of a prescribed minimum duration, or to his being in legal custody in prescribed circumstances); and

(c) may, for cases where entitlement to a guardian’s allowance is established by reference to a person being in prison, provide—

(i) for requiring him to pay to the National Insurance Fund sums paid by way of a guardian’s allowance;

(ii) for suspending payment of an allowance where a conviction, sentence or order of a court is subject to appeal, and for matters arising from the decision of an appeal;

(iii) for reducing the rate of an allowance in cases where the person in prison contributes to the cost of providing for the child.

(9) Where a husband and wife are residing together and, apart from this subsection, they would each be entitled to a guardian’s allowance in respect of the same child, only the wife shall be entitled, but payment may be made either to her or to him unless she elects in the prescribed manner that payment is not to be made to him.

(10) Subject to subsection (11) below, no person shall be entitled to a guardian’s allowance in respect of a child of which he or she is the parent.

(11) Where a person—

(a) has adopted a child; and

(b) was entitled to guardian’s allowance in respect of the child immediately before the adoption,

subsection (10) above shall not terminate his entitlement.

Benefits for the aged

78 Category C and Category D retirement pensions and other benefits for the aged

(1) A person who was over pensionable age on 5th July 1948 and who satisfies such conditions as may be prescribed shall be entitled to a Category C retirement pension at the appropriate weekly rate.

(2) If a woman whose husband is entitled to a Category C retirement pension—

(a) is over pensionable age; and

(b) satisfies such other conditions as may be prescribed,

she shall be entitled to a Category C retirement pension at the appropriate weekly rate.

(3) A person who is over the age of 80 and satisfies such conditions as may be prescribed shall be entitled to a Category D retirement pension at the appropriate weekly rate if—

(a) he is not entitled to a Category A, Category B or Category C retirement pension; or

(b) he is entitled to such a pension, but it is payable at a weekly rate which, disregarding those elements specified in subsection (4) below, is less than the appropriate weekly rate.

(4) The elements referred to in subsection (3)(b) above are—

(a) any additional pension;

(b) any increase so far as attributable to—

(i) any additional pension, or

(ii) any increase in a guaranteed minimum pension;

(c) any graduated retirement benefit; and

(d) any increase (for dependants) under section 80, 83 or 85 below.

(5) The appropriate weekly rate of a Category C retirement pension—

(a) shall be the lower rate specified in Schedule 4, Part III, paragraph 6, where—

(i) the pensioner is a married woman, and

(ii) she has not, at any time since she became entitled to her pension, ceased to be a married woman; and

(b) shall be the higher rate so specified in any other case.

(6) The appropriate weekly rate of a Category D retirement pension shall be that specified in Schedule 4, Part III, paragraph 7.

(7) Entitlement to a Category C or Category D retirement pension shall continue throughout the pensioner’s life.

(8) A Category C or Category D retirement pension shall not be payable for any period falling before the day on which the pensioner’s entitlement is to be regarded as commencing for that purpose by virtue of section 5(1)(k) of the Administration Act.

(9) Regulations may provide for the payment—

(a) to a widow whose husband was over pensionable age on 5th July 1948; or

(b) to a woman whose marriage to a husband who was over pensionable age on that date was terminated otherwise than by his death,

of a Category C retirement pension or of benefit corresponding to a widow’s pension or a widowed mother’s allowance; and any such retirement pension or any such benefit shall be at the prescribed rate.

79 Age addition

(1) A person who is over the age of 80 and entitled to a retirement pension of any category shall be entitled to an increase of the pension, to be known as “age addition”.

(2) Where a person is in receipt of a pension or allowance payable by the Secretary of State by virtue of any prescribed enactment or instrument (whether passed or made before or after this Act) and—

(a) he is over the age of 80; and

(b) he fulfils such other conditions as may be prescribed,

he shall be entitled to an increase of that pension or allowance, also known as age addition.

(3) Age addition shall be payable for the life of the person entitled, at the weekly rate specified in Schedule 4, Part III, paragraph 8.