Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016

11 Freeze of certain social security benefits for four tax years

(1) For each of the tax years ending with 5 April 2017, 5 April 2018, 5 April 2019 and 5 April 2020, the amount of each of the relevant sums is to remain the same as it was in the tax year ending with 5 April 2016.

(2) For each of the tax years ending with 5 April 2017, 5 April 2018, 5 April 2019 and 5 April 2020, the rates of child benefit are to remain the same as they were in the tax year ending with 5 April 2016.

(3) A review under section 150(1) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (review of whether certain benefits have retained their value) in the tax years ending with 5 April 2016, 5 April 2017, 5 April 2018 and 5 April 2019 need not cover any of the relevant sums or the rates of child benefit.

(4) A draft up-rating order which is laid before Parliament under section 150(2) of that Act in the tax years ending with 5 April 2016, 5 April 2017, 5 April 2018 and 5 April 2019 need not cover any of the relevant sums or the rates of child benefit.

(5) In each of the tax years ending with 5 April 2016, 5 April 2017, 5 April 2018 and 5 April 2019, the Secretary of State must lay before Parliament a copy of a report by the Government Actuary or the Deputy Government Actuary giving that Actuary’s opinion on the likely effect of the provision in subsection (1) on the National Insurance Fund in the following tax year, so far as that provision relates to any sums payable out of the Fund.

(6) In this section—

• “child benefit”—

  (a)

  in relation to England and Wales and Scotland, has the same meaning as in Part 9 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992;

  (b)

  in relation to Northern Ireland, has the same meaning as in Part 9 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992;

• “the relevant sums” means the sums described in paragraph 1 of Schedule 1;

• “tax year” means a period beginning with 6 April in one year and ending with 5 April in the next.