Civil Partnership Act 2004

Provisions applying where pension benefits taken into account in decision to make Part 1 order N.I.

20 (1) This paragraph applies if, having regard to any benefits under a pension arrangement, the court decides to make an order under Part 1. N.I.

(2) To the extent to which the Part 1 order is made having regard to any benefits under a pension arrangement, it may require the person responsible for the pension arrangement, if at any time any payment in respect of any benefits under the arrangement becomes due to the civil partner with pension rights, to make a payment for the benefit of the other civil partner.

(3) The Part 1 order must express the amount of any payment required to be made by virtue of sub-paragraph (2) as a percentage of the payment which becomes due to the civil partner with pension rights.

(4) Any such payment by the person responsible for the arrangement—

(a) discharges so much of his liability to the civil partner with pension rights as corresponds to the amount of the payment, and

(b) is to be treated for all purposes as a payment made by the civil partner with pension rights in or towards the discharge of that civil partner’s liability under the order.

(5) If the civil partner with pension rights has a right of commutation under the arrangement, the Part 1 order may require that civil partner to exercise it to any extent.

(6) This paragraph applies to any payment due in consequence of commutation in pursuance of the Part 1 order as it applies to other payments in respect of benefits under the arrangement.

(7) The power conferred by sub-paragraph (5) may not be exercised for the purpose of commuting a benefit payable to the civil partner with pension rights to a benefit payable to the other civil partner.

(8) The powers conferred by sub-paragraphs (2) and (5) may not be exercised in relation to a pension arrangement which—

(a) is the subject of a pension sharing order in relation to the civil partnership, or

(b) has been the subject of pension sharing between the civil partners.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Sch. 15 para. 20 modified (14.8.2006) by The Dissolution etc. (Pension Protection Fund) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. 2006/311), reg. 4(2)(b)

C2 Sch. 15 para. 20(4) modified (14.8.2006) by The Dissolution etc. (Pension Protection Fund) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. 2006/311), reg. 2