The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 1993

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order.)

This order, which corresponds to an order (S.I. 19931349) made by the Secretary of State for Social Security under section 150 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992, increases the rates and amounts of certain social security benefits and other sums.

Part I relates to the citation, commencement and interpretation.

Part II relates to non-income related benefits. Article 3 and Schedule 1 increase the rates of benefits and increases of benefit (except age addition) specified in Parts I, III, IV and V of Schedule 4 to the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (“the 1992 Act”).

Article 4 increases the rates and amounts of certain pensions and allowances under the 1992 Act.

Article 5 increases the sums payable as part of a Category A or Category B retirement pension under Articles 37(6) and 38(3) of the Social Security Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1975 (“the Pensions Order”) on account of increases in guaranteed minimum pensions.

Article 6 specifies the dates from which the sums specified for rates or amounts of benefit under the 1992 Act or the Pensions Order are increased.

Article 7 increases the rate of certain workmen’s compensation in respect of employment before 5th July 1948.

Article 8 specifies earnings limits for child dependency increases.

Article 9 specifies the weekly rates of statutory sick pay.

Article 10 increases the lower rate of statutory maternity pay.

Article 11 increases the rate of graduated retirement benefit under the National Insurance Act (Northern Ireland) 1966.

Article 12 specifies the increases in the weekly rates of disability living allowance.

Article 13 specifies the increases in the weekly rate of child benefit and one-parent benefit.

Part III of the order relates to family credit, disability working allowance, income support and housing benefit. Article 14 and Schedule 2 specify the applicable amount for family credit and the amount of the credits for an adult, child or young person which determines a family’s maximum family credit and other miscellaneous amounts.

Article 15 and Schedule 3 specify the applicable amount for disability working allowance and the amount of the credits for an adult, child or young person which determines the appropriate maximum disability working allowance.

Article 16 states the amount of sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of income support. Article 16(3) and Schedule 4 set out the personal allowances; Article 16(5) and (6) and Schedule 5 set out the premiums; Article 16(g), 10 and 11 and Schedule 6 set out the amounts relevant to the beneficiaries in residential care and nursing homes; Article 16(12) and (13) and Schedule 7 set out the amounts relevant to special cases; and Article 16(14) and Schedule 8 set out other miscellaneous amounts.

Article 17 provides for the percentage increase of sums payable by way of special transitional additions to income support.

Article 18 states the sum by which any income support of a person involved in a trade dispute is reduced.

Article 19 increases various sums relevant to the calculation of housing benefit.

Article 20 contains transitional provisions for family credit and disability working allowance.

Article 21 revokes the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 1991 (in so far as not previously revoked) and the whole of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 1992.