These Regulations amend the Social Security (General Benefit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1984 (“the General Benefit Regulations”), the Social Security (Incapacity Benefit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994 (“the Incapacity Benefit Regulations”) and the Social Security (Incapacity for Work) (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995 (“the Incapacity for Work Regulations”).

Regulation 2 amends regulation 14 of the General Benefit Regulations to increase the prescribed amount of earnings in a year, for the purpose of paragraph 2(3) of Schedule 7 to the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (earnings level for unemployability supplement), from £4,602·00 to £4,784·00.

Regulation 3 amends regulation 7 of the Incapacity Benefit Regulations to increase the prescribed amount for the purposes of section 30E(1) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (limit of earnings from councillor’s allowance) from £88∙50 to £92∙00. It also amends regulation 20 so that payments under Article 14(1)(b) or 21(1)(a) of the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) Order 2005 and pension payments under section 639(2) of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 are disregarded when calculating the amount of incapacity benefit due.

Regulation 4 amends regulation 17 of the Incapacity for Work Regulations to increase the exempt work earnings limits in paragraphs (3) and (4) from £88∙50 to £92∙00 and so that members of the Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board and members of an appeal tribunal who have a disability qualification are able to work for one day or two half days a week while receiving benefits because of incapacity for work.

Regulation 5 makes consequential revocations.

These Regulations make in relation to Northern Ireland only provision corresponding to provision contained in Regulations made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in relation to Great Britain and accordingly, by virtue of section 149(3) of, and paragraph 10 of Schedule 5 and paragraph 7 of Schedule 5A to, the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 8), are not subject to the requirement of subsection (2) or, as the case may be, (2A) of that section for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee or the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council.