Legislation – Welfare Reform Act 2012
Changes to legislation:
Welfare Reform Act 2012, Section 29 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 02 April 2026. 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.
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Part 1Universal credit
CHAPTER 2Claimant responsibilities
Administration
29Delegation and contracting out
(1)
The functions of the Secretary of State under sections 13 to 25 may be exercised by, or by the employees of, such person as the Secretary of State may authorise for the purpose (an “authorised person”).
(2)
An authorisation given by virtue of this section may authorise the exercise of a function—
(a)
wholly or to a limited extent;
(b)
generally or in particular cases or areas;
(c)
unconditionally or subject to conditions.
(3)
An authorisation under this section—
(a)
may specify its duration;
(b)
may be varied or revoked at any time by the Secretary of State;
(c)
does not prevent the Secretary of State or another person from exercising the function to which the authorisation relates.
(4)
Anything done or omitted to be done by or in relation to an authorised person (or an employee of that person) in, or in connection with, the exercise or purported exercise of the function concerned is to be treated for all purposes as done or omitted to be done by or in relation to the Secretary of State or (as the case may be) an officer of the Secretary of State.
(5)
Subsection (4) does not apply—
(a)
for the purposes of so much of any contract made between the authorised person and the Secretary of State as relates to the exercise of the function, or
(b)
for the purposes of any criminal proceedings brought in respect of anything done or omitted to be done by the authorised person (or an employee of that person).
(6)
Where—
(a)
the authorisation of an authorised person is revoked, and
(b)
at the time of the revocation so much of any contract made between the authorised person and the Secretary of State as relates to the exercise of the function is subsisting,
the authorised person is entitled to treat the contract as repudiated by the Secretary of State (and not as frustrated by reason of the revocation).