Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992

44 Category A retirement pension. N.I.

(1) A person shall be entitled to a Category A retirement pension if—

(a) he is over pensionable age; and

(b) he satisfies the contribution conditions for a Category A retirement pension specified in Schedule 3, Part I, paragraph 5;

and, subject to the provisions of this Act, he shall become so entitled on the day on which he attains pensionable age and his entitlement shall continue throughout his life.

(2) A Category A retirement pension shall not be payable in respect of 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)(l) of the Administration Act.

(3) A Category A retirement pension shall consist of—

(a) a basic pension payable at a weekly rate; and

(b) an additional pension payable where there are one or more surpluses in the pensioner’s earnings factors for the relevant years.

(4) The weekly rate of the basic pension shall be £54.15 except that, so far as the sum is relevant for the purpose of calculating the rate of sickness benefit under section 31(6) above, it shall be £51.95.

(5) For the purposes of this section and section 45 below—

(a) there is a surplus in the pensioner’s earnings factor for a relevant year if that factor exceeds the qualifying earnings factor for the final relevant year; and

(b) the amount of the surplus is the amount of that excess;

and for the purposes of paragraph (a) above the pensioner’s earnings factor for any relevant year shall be taken to be that factor as increased by the last order under section 130 of the Administration Act to come into force before the end of the final relevant year.

(6) [F1 Subject to subsection (7A) below] any reference in this section or section 45 below to the pensioner’s earnings factor for any relevant year is a reference—

(a) where the relevant year is 1987-88 or any subsequent tax year, to the aggregate of—

(i) his earnings factors derived from earnings upon which primary Class 1 contributions were paid or treated as paid in respect of that year, and

(ii) his earnings factors derived from Class 2 and Class 3 contributions actually paid in respect of it; and

(b) where the relevant year is an earlier tax year, to the aggregate of his earnings factors derived from contributions actually paid by him in respect of that year.

(7) In this section—

(a) “relevant year” means 1978-79 or any subsequent tax year in the period between—

(i) (inclusive) the tax year in which the pensioner attained the age of 16, and

(ii) (exclusive) the tax year in which he attained pensionable age;

(b) “final relevant year” means the last tax year which is a relevant year in relation to the pensioner.

[F2 (7A) The Department may prescribe circumstances in which pensioners’ earnings factors for any relevant year may be calculated in such manner as may be prescribed.]

(8) For the purposes of this section any order under Article 23 of the Pensions Order (which made provision corresponding to section 130 of the Administration Act) shall be treated as an order under section 130 (but without prejudice to sections 16 and 17 of the M1 Interpretation Act 1978).

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 44(6) inserted (temp.) (1.7.1992) by Social Security (Consequential Provisions)(Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 9), s. 6, Sch. 4 Pt. I paras. 1,2.

F2 S. 44(7A) inserted (temp.) (1.7.1992) by Social Security (Consequential Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 9), ss. 6, 7(2), Sch. 4 Pt. I paras. 1,3.

Marginal Citations

M1 1978 c. 30.