Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992

139 Effect of alteration in the component rates of income support

(1) Subject to such exceptions and conditions as may be prescribed, where—

(a) an award of income support is in force in favour of any person (“the recipient”); and

(b) there is an alteration in any of the relevant amounts, that is to say—

(i) any of the component rates of income support;

(ii) any of the other sums specified in regulations under Part VII of the Contributions and Benefits Act; or

(iii) the recipient’s benefit income; and

(c) the alteration affects the computation of the amount of income support to which the recipient is entitled,

then subsection (2) or (3) below (as the case may be) shall have effect.

(2) Where, in consequence of the alteration in question, the recipient becomes entitled to an increased or reduced amount of income support (“the new amount”), then, as from the commencing date, the amount of income support payable to or for the recipient under the award shall be the new amount, without any further decision of an adjudication officer, and the award shall have effect accordingly.

(3) Where, notwithstanding the alteration in question, the recipient continues on and after the commencing date to be entitled to the same amount of income support as before, the award shall continue in force accordingly.

(4) In any case where—

(a) there is an alteration in any of the relevant amounts; and

(b) before the commencing date (but after that date is fixed) an award of income support is made in favour of a person,

the award either may provide for income support to be paid as from the commencing date, in which case the amount shall be determined by reference to the relevant amounts which will be in force on that date, or may provide for an amount determined by reference to the amounts in force at the date of the award.

(5) In this section—

• “alteration” means—

  (a)

  in relation to—

  (b)

  the component rates of income support; or

  (ii)

  any other sums specified in regulations under Part VII of the Contributions and Benefits Act,

their alteration by or under any statutory provision whether or not contained in that Part; and

(b) in relation to a person’s benefit income, the alteration of any of the applicable sums—

(i) by any statutory provision; or

(ii) by an order under section 132 or 133 above,

to the extent that any such alteration affects the amount of his benefit income;

• “applicable sums” means sums to which an order made under section 132 above corresponding to an order made under section 150 of the Great Britain Administration Act by virtue of subsection (1) of that section may apply;

• “benefit income”, in relation to any person, means so much of his income as consists of—

  (a)

  benefit under the Contributions and Benefits Act, other than income support; or

  (b)

  a war disablement pension or war widow’s pension;

• “the commencing date”, in relation to an alteration, means the date on which the alteration comes into force in the case of the person in question;

• “component rate”, in relation to income support, means the amount of—

  (a)

  the sum referred to in section 125(5)(b)(i) and (ii) of the Contributions and Benefits Act; or

  (b)

  any of the sums specified in regulations under section 131(1) of that Act;

• “relevant amounts” has the meaning given by subsection (1)(b) above.