The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2018

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order, which corresponds to an Order (S.I. 2018/281) made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions under sections 150, 150A, 151 and 151A of the Social Security Administration Act 1992, alters the rates and amounts of certain social security benefits and other sums.

Part 2 relates to social security benefits, pensions and allowances.

Article 3 and Schedule 1 alter the rates of benefits and increases of benefit (except those referred to in Article 3(2)) specified in Parts I, III, IV and V of Schedule 4 to the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (“the Contributions and Benefits Act”).

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

Article 5 increases the sums payable as part of a Category A or Category B retirement pension under sections 11(1) and 13(2) and (3) of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993 (“the Pension Schemes Act”) on account of increases in guaranteed minimum pensions.

Article 6 increases the rates and amounts relating to the state pension under Part 1 of the Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 (“the Pensions Act”) including the full rate, amounts exceeding the full rate, the rate of increments and inherited increments.

Article 7 specifies the dates from which the sums specified for rates or amounts of benefits in Articles 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13 and 14 are altered.

Article 8 specifies earnings limits for child dependency increases.

Article 9 increases the rate of statutory sick pay.

Article 10 increases the rate of statutory maternity pay.

Article 11 increases the rates of statutory paternity pay, statutory adoption pay and statutory shared parental pay.

Article 12 increases the rate of graduated retirement benefit.

Article 13 increases the amount of a Category C retirement pension.

Article 14 increases the prescribed maximum additional pension for the purposes of section 52(3) of the Contributions and Benefits Act.

Article 15 increases the rates of disability living allowance.

Article 16 increases the rates of personal independence payment.

Article 17 increases the rates of age addition and the rates referred to in Article 17(2) for claimants entitled to long-term incapacity benefit in so far as they correspond to a claimant in Great Britain who was subject to regulation 2(3) of the Employment and Support Allowance (Up-rating Modification) (Transitional) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/3270).

Article 18 increases the rates of transitional invalidity allowance and the rates referred to in Article 18(2) for claimants entitled to long-term incapacity benefit in so far as they correspond to a claimant in Great Britain who was subject to regulation 2(3) of the Employment and Support Allowance (Up-rating Modification) (Transitional) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/3270).

Article 19 increases the rates of widowed mother’s allowance, widow’s pension and widowed parent’s allowance.

Article 20 specifies the rates of bereavement support payment.

Part 3 relates to income support and housing benefit.

Article 21 sets out the sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of income support. Article 21(3) and Schedule 2 sets out the personal allowances and Article 21(4) and (5) and Schedule 3 sets out the premiums.

Article 22 provides for the percentage increase of sums payable by way of special transitional additions to income support.

Article 23 sets out the sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of housing benefit. Article 23(5) and Schedule 4 set out the personal allowances and Article 23(7) and Schedule 5 set out the premiums.

Article 24 sets out the sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of housing benefit for persons over the qualifying age for state pension credit. Article 24(5) and Schedule 6 set out the personal allowances and Article 24(6) and (7) and Schedule 7 set out the premiums.

Part 4 relates to jobseeker’s allowance.

Article 25 sets out the sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of income-based jobseeker’s allowance. Article 25(3) and Schedule 8 set out the personal allowances; Article 25(4) and (5) and Schedule 9 set out the premiums; Article 25(6) and Schedule 10 set out the amounts of premiums relevant to joint-claim couples.

Part 5 relates to state pension credit.

Article 26 specifies sums relevant to state pension credit.

Part 6 relates to employment and support allowance.

Article 27 sets out the sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of employment and support allowance under the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008. Article 27(2) and Schedule 11 set out the premiums; Article 27(3) increases the support component and Article 27(4) and (5) sets out other miscellaneous amounts.

Article 28 increases the support component for employment and support allowance under the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016.

Part 7 relates to universal credit.

Article 29 and Schedule 12 specify the amounts relevant to universal credit.

Article 30 revokes the Social Security (2017 Benefits Up-rating) Order (Northern Ireland) 2018 (S.R. 2018 No. 56). That Order revoked the Social Security Benefits Up-rating (No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2017 (S.R. 2017 No. 187).