Up-rating of Universal Credit
7.—(1) The Social Security Administration Act 1992(1) is amended as follows—
(a)in section 150 (annual uprating of benefits)—
(i)at the beginning of subsection (10) insert the words “Subject to subsection (10ZA),”;
(ii)after subsection 10 insert—
“(10ZA) An order under this section shall be framed so that—
(a)any alteration to any of the sums referred to in subsection (1)(n) or otherwise specified in regulations under Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (universal credit) comes into force in relation to a person on the relevant day; and
(b)any other alteration to which the order relates comes into force, for the purposes of determining the amount of universal credit to which a person is entitled, on the relevant day.
(10ZB) In subsection (10ZA) “relevant day”, in relation to a person, means the first day of the first universal credit assessment period in respect of the person which begins on or after—
(a)the Monday of the week specified in subsection (10)(a)(i), or
(b)any earlier date specified under subsection (10)(a)(ii).”;
(b)in section 150A (annual up-rating of basic pension etc. and standard minimum guarantee)—
(i)at the beginning of subsection (7) insert the words “Subject to subsection (7A),”;
(ii)after subsection (7) insert —
“(7A) An order under this section shall be framed so that any alteration to which the order relates comes into force, for the purposes of determining the amount of universal credit to which a person is entitled, on the relevant day.
(7B) In subsection (7A) “relevant day”, in relation to a person, means the first day of the first universal credit assessment period in respect of the person which begins on or after the Monday of the week specified in subsection (7). ”;
(c)In section 191 (interpretation), at the appropriate place insert—
““universal credit assessment period” means an assessment period for the purposes of Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012;”.
(2) The Welfare Benefits Up-rating Act 2013(2) is amended as follows—
(a)in section 1 (up-rating of certain social security benefits for tax years 2014-15 and 2015-16)—
(i)at the beginning of subsection (2) insert the words “Subject to subsection (2A),”;
(ii)after subsection (2) insert—
“(2A) An order under this section shall be framed so that—
(a)any variation of the relevant sums referred to in paragraphs 1(j) to (1) of the Schedule (sums specified under Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012) comes into force in relation to a person on the relevant day; and
(b)any other variation to which the order relates comes into force, for the purposes of determining the amount of universal credit to which a person is entitled, on the relevant day.
(2B) In subsection (2A) “relevant day”, in relation to a person, means the first day of the first universal credit assessment period in respect of the person which begins on or after—
(a)the Monday of the week specified in subsection (2)(a), or
(b)any earlier date specified under subsection (2)(b).
(2C) In subsection (2B) “universal credit assessment period” means an assessment period for the purposes of Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012.”.