PART 2SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS AND PENSIONS

Rates or amounts of certain benefits under the Contributions and Benefits Act3.

(1)

The sums specified in paragraph (2) shall be increased so that Schedule 4 to the Contributions and Benefits Act (rates of benefits, etc.), except paragraph 5 of Part III (guardian’s allowance) of that Schedule, has effect as set out in Schedule 1 to this Order.

(2)

The sums mentioned in paragraph (1) are the sums specified in Parts I, III, IV and V of Schedule 4 to the Contributions and Benefits Act except, in—

(a)

Part III, the sum specified for age addition to a pension of any category, and otherwise under section 79 of that Act;

(b)

Part IV, the sums specified in column (2) (increase for qualifying child); and

(c)

Part V18, the sums specified for the increase in disablement pension for dependent children and death benefit allowance in respect of children and qualifying young persons.

Rates or amounts of certain pensions and allowances under the Contributions and Benefits Act4.

(1)

The sums falling to be calculated under paragraph 13(4) of Schedule 7 to the Contributions and Benefits Act (calculation of weekly rate of a beneficiary’s retirement allowance) shall be increased by 1∙0 per cent.

(2)

In section 44(4) of the Contributions and Benefits Act19 (basic pension of Category A retirement pension)—

(a)

for “£101∙10” substitute “£102∙10”; and

(b)

for “£119∙30” substitute “£122∙30”.

(3)

It is directed that the sums which are—

(a)

the additional pensions in long-term benefits calculated by reference to any final relevant year earlier than the tax year 2016-17;

(b)

the increases in the rates of retirement pensions under Schedule 5 to the Contributions and Benefits Act20 (pension increase or lump sum where entitlement to retirement pension is deferred);

(c)

lump sums to which surviving spouses or civil partners will become entitled under paragraph 7A of that Schedule on becoming entitled to a Category A or Category B retirement pension (entitlement to lump sum where pensioner’s deceased spouse or civil partner has deferred entitlement); and

(d)

payable to a pensioner as part of their Category A or Category B retirement pension by virtue of an order made under section 120 of the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Act 197521, Article 64 of the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 198622 or section 132 of the Administration Act,

shall in each case be increased by 1∙0 per cent.

(4)

The sums which are shared additional pensions under section 55A and 55AA of the Contributions and Benefits Act23, and the sums which are increases in the rates of such pensions under paragraph 2 of Schedule 5A to that Act24, shall in each case be increased by 1∙0 per cent.

Rates or amounts of certain benefits under the Pension Schemes Act5.

It is directed that sums which are payable by virtue of section 11(1) of the Pension Schemes Act (increase of guaranteed minimum where commencement of guaranteed minimum pension postponed) to a person who is also entitled to a Category A or Category B retirement pension (including sums payable by virtue of section 13(2) and (3) of that Act25) shall be increased by 1∙0 per cent. where the increase under section 11(1) is attributable to earnings factors for the tax year 1987-88 and earlier tax years26.

Rates or amounts of certain pensions under Part 1 of the Pensions Act6.

(1)

In regulation 1A of the State Pension Regulations (Northern Ireland) 201527 (full rate of state pension) for “£155∙65” substitute “£159∙55”.

(2)

It is directed that the sums which are increases under section 17 of the Pensions Act in the rates of state pensions under Part 1 of that Act shall be increased by 1∙0 per cent.

(3)

The amounts which, under—

(a)

section 9 of the Pensions Act, are survivor’s pensions based on inheritance of deferred old state pension;

(b)

paragraph 4(3) of Schedule 2 to the Pensions Act, are the amounts of state pensions under Part 1 of the Pensions Act at the transitional rate which exceed the full rate for those who reached pensionable age before 10th April 2017;

(c)

paragraphs 5(3) and 6 of Schedule 4 to the Pensions Act, are the amounts of survivor’s pensions which either alone or in combination with certain other pensions under that Act exceed the full rate; and

(d)

paragraphs 5(3) and 6 of Schedule 9 to the Pensions Act, are the amounts of shared state pensions under Part 1 of the Pensions Act which either alone or in combination with certain other pensions under that Act exceed the full rate,

shall in each case be increased by 1∙0 per cent.

(4)

For the purpose of this Article, “old state pension” has the same meaning as in section 22 of the Pensions Act.

Earnings limits7.

In section 80(4) of the Contributions and Benefits Act28 (earnings limits in respect of child dependency increases)—

(a)

in both places, the sum of £230 remains the same; and

(b)

the sum of £30 remains the same.

Statutory sick pay8.

In section 153(1) of the Contributions and Benefits Act29 (rate of payment) for “£88∙45” substitute “£89∙35”.

Statutory maternity pay9.

In regulation 6 of the Statutory Maternity Pay (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 198730 (prescribed rate of statutory maternity pay) for “£139∙58” substitute “£140∙98”.

Statutory paternity pay, statutory adoption pay and statutory shared parental pay10.

(1)

In the Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Adoption Pay (Weekly Rates) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 200231—

(a)

in regulation 2(a) (weekly rate of payment of statutory paternity pay) for “£139∙58” substitute “£140∙98”; and

(b)

in regulation 3(a) (weekly rate of payment of statutory adoption pay) for “£139∙58” substitute “£140∙98”.

(2)

In regulation 40(1)(a) of the Statutory Shared Parental Pay (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 201532 (weekly rate of payment of statutory shared parental pay) for “£139∙58” substitute “£140∙98”.

Graduated retirement benefit11.

(1)

In section 35(1) of the National Insurance Act (Northern Ireland) 196633 (graduated retirement benefit)—

(a)

the sum of 13∙30 pence shall be increased by 1∙0 per cent.; and

(b)

the reference in that provision to that sum shall have effect as a reference to 13∙43 pence.

(2)

The sums which are the increases of graduated retirement benefit under Schedule 2 to the Social Security (Graduated Retirement Benefit) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 197834 (increases for deferred entitlement to a Category A or Category B retirement pension) shall be increased by 1∙0 per cent.

(3)

The sums which are lump sums to which surviving spouses or civil partners will become entitled under Schedule 1 to the Social Security (Graduated Retirement Benefit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 200535 (increases of graduated retirement benefit and lump sums) shall be increased by 1∙0 per cent.

(4)

The sums which are the additions under section 36(1) of the National Insurance Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 (special provision as to graduated retirement benefit for widows and widowers) shall be increased by 1∙0 per cent.

Amount of Category C retirement pension under the Social Security (Widow’s Benefit and Retirement Pensions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 197912.

In regulation 11(3) of the Social Security (Widow’s Benefit and Retirement Pensions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 197936 (Category C retirement pension for widows of men over pensionable age on 5th July 1948) for “£71∙50” substitute “£73∙30”.

Maximum additional pension13.

In regulation 2A of the Social Security (Maximum Additional Pension) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 201037 (prescribed maximum additional pension for survivors who become entitled on or after 6th April 2016) for “£165∙60” substitute “£167∙26”.

Disability living allowance14.

In regulation 4 of the Social Security (Disability Living Allowance) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 199238 (rate of benefit)—

(a)

in paragraph (1)(a) for “£82∙30” substitute “£83∙10”;

(b)

in paragraph (1)(b) for “£55∙10” substitute “£55∙65”;

(c)

in paragraph (1)(c) for “£21∙80” substitute “£22∙00”;

(d)

in paragraph (2)(a) for “£57∙45” substitute “£58∙00”; and

(e)

in paragraph (2)(b) for “£21∙80” substitute “£22∙00”.

Personal independence payment15.

In regulation 24 of the Personal Independence Payment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 201639 (rate of personal independence payment)—

(a)

in paragraph (1)(a) for “£55∙10” substitute “£55∙65”;

(b)

in paragraph (1)(b) for “£82∙30” substitute “£83∙10”;

(c)

in paragraph (2)(a) for “£21∙80” substitute “£22∙00”; and

(d)

in paragraph (2)(b) for “£57∙45” substitute “£58∙00”.

Age addition to long-term incapacity benefit16.

(1)

Subject to paragraph (2), in regulation 9(2) of the Social Security (Incapacity Benefit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 199440 (increase in rate of incapacity benefit where beneficiary is under prescribed age on the qualifying date)—

(a)

in sub-paragraph (a) for “£21∙50” substitute “£21∙70”; and

(b)

in sub-paragraph (b) for “£10∙80” substitute “£10∙90”.

(2)

In the case of a claimant entitled to long-term incapacity benefit the sums specified in regulation 9(2)(a) and (b) of those Regulations shall be increased to £11∙25 and £6∙25 respectively.

Transitional invalidity allowance in long-term incapacity benefit cases17.

(1)

Subject to paragraph (2), in regulation 18(2) of the Social Security (Incapacity Benefit) (Transitional) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 199541 (rate of long-term incapacity benefit in transitional cases)—

(a)

in sub-paragraph (a) for “£21∙50” substitute “£21∙70”;

(b)

in sub-paragraph (b) for “£13∙90” substitute “£14∙00”; and

(c)

in sub-paragraph (c) for “£6∙95” substitute “£7∙00”.

(2)

In the case of a claimant entitled to long-term incapacity benefit the sums specified in regulation 18(2)(a), (b) and (c) of those Regulations shall be increased to £11∙25, £6∙25 and £6∙25 respectively.

Bereavement benefits18.

In the Rate of Bereavement Benefits Regulations (Northern Ireland) 201042—

(a)

in regulation 2 (rate of widowed mother’s allowance and widow’s pension) for “£112∙55” substitute “£113∙70”; and

(b)

in regulation 3 (rate of widowed parent’s allowance and bereavement allowance) for “£112∙55” substitute “£113∙70”.