s 105 Offences relating to false information and deception
(1) It is an offence for a person— (a) to make a statement which the person knows to be false, or (b) recklessly to make a statement which is false, in the circumstances mentioned in subsection (2). (2) Those circumstances are where the statement is made— (a) in purported compliance with any requirement to provide information imposed by or under any of the relevant statutory provisions, or (b) for the purposes of obtaining the issue of a document under any of the relevant statutory provisions (whether for the person making the statement or anyone else). (3) It is an offence for a person— (a) intentionally to make a false entry in a relevant document, or (b) with intent to deceive, to make use of any such entry which the person knows to be false. (4) In subsection (3) “ relevant document ” means any register, record, notice or other document which is required to be kept or given by or under any of the relevant statutory provisions. (5) It is an offence for a person, with intent to deceive— (a) to use a relevant document, (b) to make or have possession of a document so closely resembling a relevant document as to be calculated to deceive. (6) In subsection (5) “ relevant document ” means a document— (a) issued or authorised to be issued under any of the relevant statutory provisions, or (b) required for the purpose of any of those provisions. (7) A person who commits an offence under this section is liable— (a) on summary conviction— (i) to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months (in England and Wales or Scotland) or 6 months (in Northern Ireland), (ii) to a fine (in England and Wales) or a fine not exceeding £20,000 (in Scotland or Northern Ireland), or (iii) to both; (b) on conviction on indictment— (i) to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years, (ii) to a fine, or (iii) to both. (8) In the application of this section in England and Wales, the reference in subsection (7)(a)(i) to 12 months is to be read as a reference to the general limit in a magistrates’ court (or to 6 months in relation to an offence committed before 2 May 2022).