xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"

Part XN.I. Christmas bonus for pensioners

144 Entitlement of pensioners to Christmas bonus.N.I.

(1)Any person who in any year—

(a)is present or ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom or any other member State at any time during the relevant week; and

(b)is entitled to a payment of a qualifying benefit in respect of a period which includes a day in that week or is to be treated as entitled to a payment of a qualifying benefit in respect of such a period,

shall, subject to the following provisions of this Part of this Act and to section 1 of the Administration Act, be entitled to payment under this subsection in respect of that year.

(2)Subject to the following provisions of this Part of this Act, any person who is a member of a couple and is entitled to a payment under subsection (1) above in respect of a year shall also be entitled to payment under this subsection in respect of that year if—

(a)both members have attained pensionable age not later than the end of the relevant week; and

(b)the other member satisfies the condition mentioned in subsection (1)(a) above; and

(c)either—

(i)he is entitled or treated as entitled, in respect of the other member, to an increase in the payment of the qualifying benefit; or

(ii)the only qualifying benefit to which he is entitled is [F1state pension credit].

[F2(2A)In a case falling within paragraph (c)(ii) of subsection (2) above, paragraph (a) of that subsection has effect with the substitution of “qualifying age for state pension credit” for “pensionable age”.]

(3)A payment under subsection (1) or (2) above—

(a)is to be made by the Department; and

(b)is to be of £10 or such larger sum as the Department may by order specify.

(4)F3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(5)Only one sum shall be payable in respect of any person.

Textual Amendments

F1Words in s. 144(2)(c)(ii) substituted (2.12.2002 for certain purposes, 6.10.2003 in so far as not already in force) by State Pension Credit Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 (c. 14(N.I.)), ss. 14, 21(2), Sch. 2 para. 5(a); S.R. 2002/366, art. 2(1)(l) ; S.R. 2003/373, art. 2

F2S. 144(2A) inserted (2.12.2002 for certain purposes, 6.10.2003 in so far as not already in force) by State Pension Credit Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 (c. 14(N.I.)), ss. 14, 21(2), Sch. 2 para. 5(b); S.R. 2002/366, art. 2(1)(l) ; S.R. 2003/373, art. 2

F3S. 144(4) omitted (2.12.2002 for certain purposes, and repealed 6.10.2003 in so far as not already in force) by State Pension Credit Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 (c. 14(N.I.)), ss. 14, 21(2), Sch. 2 para. 5(c), Sch. 3; S.R. 2002/366, art. 2(1)(l) ; S.R. 2003/373, art. 2

145 Provisions supplementary to s. 144.N.I.

(1)For the purposes of section 144 above the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and Gibraltar shall be treated as though they were part of the United Kingdom.

(2)A person shall be treated for the purposes of section 144(1)(b) above as entitled to a payment of a qualifying benefit if he would be so entitled—

(a)in the case of a qualifying benefit [F4other than state pension credit], but for the fact that he or, if he is a member of a couple, the other member is entitled to receive some other payment out of public funds;

(b)in the case of [F5state pension credit], but for the fact that his income or, if he is a member of a couple, the income of the other member was exceptionally of an amount which resulted in his having ceased to be entitled to [F5state pension credit].

(3)A person shall be treated for the purposes of section 144(2)(c)(i) above as entitled in respect of the other member of the couple to an increase in a payment of a qualifying benefit if he would be so entitled—

(a)but for the fact that he or the other member is entitled to receive some other payment out of public funds;

(b)but for the operation of any provision of section 83(2) or (3)above or paragraph 6(4) of Schedule 7 to this Act or any regulations made under paragraph 6(3) of that Schedule whereby entitlement to benefit is affected by the amount of a person’s earnings in a given period.

(4)For the purposes of section 144 above a person shall be taken not to be entitled to a payment of a war disablement pension unless not later than the end of the relevant week he has attained the age of [F665].

(5)A sum payable under section 144 above shall not be treated as benefit for the purposes of any enactment or instrument under which entitlement to the relevant qualifying benefit arises or is to be treated as arising.

(6)A payment and the right to receive a payment—

(a)under section 144 above or any enactment corresponding to it in Great Britain; or

(b)under regulations relating to widows which are made by the Secretary of State under any enactment relating to police and which contain a statement that the regulations provide for payments corresponding to payments under that section,

shall be disregarded for all purposes of income tax and for the purposes of any enactment or instrument under which regard is had to a person’s means.

Textual Amendments

F4Words in s. 145(2)(a) substituted (2.12.2002 for certain purposes, 6.10.2003 in so far as not already in force) by State Pension Credit Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 (c. 14 (N.I.)), ss. 14, 21(2), Sch. 2 para. 6(a); S.R. 2002/366, art. 2(1)(l); S.R. 2003/373, art. 2

F5Words in s. 145(2)(b) substituted (2.12.2002 for certain purposes, 6.10.2003 in so far as not already in force) by State Pension Credit Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 (c. 14 (N.I.)), ss. 14, 21(2), Sch. 2 para. 6(b); S.R. 2002/366, art. 2(1)(l); S.R. 2003/373, art. 2

F6Words in s. 145(4) substituted (16.12.1995) by S.I. 1995/3213 (N.I. 22), arts. 1(3), 123, Sch. 2 Pt. II para. 8

146 Interpretation of Part X.N.I.

(1)In this Part of this Act “qualifying benefit” means—

(a)a retirement pension;

[F7(b)long-term incapacity benefit;]

(c)a widowed mother’s allowance [F8, widowed parent’s allowance] or widow’s pension;

F9(d). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(e)[F10a carer’s allowance];

(f)industrial death benefit;

(g)an attendance allowance;

(h)an unemployability supplement or allowance;

(i)a war disablement pension;

(j)a war widow’s pension;

(k)[F11state pension credit].

[F12(l)a mobility supplement]

(2)In this Part of this Act—

and each of the following expressions, namely “attendance allowance”, “unemployability supplement or allowance”, “war disablement pension” and “war widow’s pension”, includes any payment which the Department accepts as being analogous to it.

(3)References in this Part of this Act to a “couple” are references to a married or unmarried couple; and for this purpose “married couple” and “unmarried couple” are to be construed in accordance with Part VII of this Act and any regulations made under it.

(4)In this Part of this Act “the relevant week”, in relation to any year, means the week beginning with the first Monday in December or such other week as may be specified in an order made by the Department.

Textual Amendments

F8Words in s. 146(1)(c) inserted (24.4.2000 for specified purposes and 9.4.2001 otherwise) by S.I. 1999/3147 (N.I. 11), art. 67, Sch. 8 para. 11; S.R. 2000/133, art. 2(3)(a), Sch. Pt. I

F9S. 146(1)(d) repealed (3.11.2000 for specified purposes and 6.4.2001 otherwise) by S.I. 1999/3147 (N.I. 11), art. 76, Sch. 10 Pt. IV; S.R. 2000/332, art. 2(3)(g)(4)(5)

F10Words in s. 146(1)(e) substituted (21.10.2002 for certain purposes and 1.4.2003 otherwise) by The Deregulation (Carer's Allowance) Order (Northern Ireland) 2002 (S.R. 2002/321), arts. 1, 2(2)(a)(v)

F11Words in s. 146(1)(k) substituted (2.12.2002 for certain purposes, 6.10.2003 in so far as not already in force) by State Pension Credit Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 (c. 14 (N.I.)), ss. 14, 21(2), Sch. 2 para. 7(a); S.R. 2002/366, art. 2(1)(l); S.R. 2003/373, art. 2

F12S. 146(1)(l) inserted (16.12.1995) by S.I. 1995/3213 (N.I. 22), arts. 1(3), 129(2)

F13Definition in s. 146(2) inserted (16.12.1995) by S.I. 1995/3213 (N.I. 22), arts. 1(3), 129(3)(a)

F14Definition in s. 146(2) substituted (16.12.1995) by S.I. 1995/3213 (N.I. 22), arts. 1(3), 123, Sch. 2 Pt. III para. 9(b)

F15S. 146(2): definition of "the qualifying age for state pension credit" inserted (2.12.2002 for certain purposes, 6.10.2003 in so far as not already in force) by State Pension Credit Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 (c. 14 (N.I.)), ss. 14, 21(2), Sch. 2 para. 7(b); S.R. 2002/366, art. 2(1)(l); S.R. 2003/373, art. 2

F16Words in definition in s. 146(2) repealed (16.12.1995) by S.I. 1995/3213 (N.I. 22), arts. 1(3), 129(3)(b), 168, Sch. 5 Pt. II

F17S. 146(2): definition of "state pension credit" inserted (2.12.2002 for certain purposes, 6.10.2003 in so far as not already in force) by State Pension Credit Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 (c. 14 (N.I.)), ss. 14, 21(2), Sch. 2 para. 7(b); S.R. 2002/366, art. 2(1)(l) ; S.R. 2003/373, art. 2

F18Words in s. 146(2) substituted (with effect in accordance with s. 723(1)(a)(b) of the amending Act) by Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (c. 1), s. 723, Sch. 6 para. 201(2)(a) (with Sch. 7)

F19S. 146(2): word in definition in sub-para.(b) repealed (16.12.1995) by S.I. 1995/3213 (N.I. 22), arts. 1(3), 168, Sch. 5 Pt. II

F20S. 146(2): word and sub-para.(v) inserted (16.12.1995) in para.(b) of the definition of "unemployability supplement or allowance" by S.I. 1995/3213 (N.I. 22), arts. 1(3), 129(3)(c)

F21Words in s. 146(2) repealed (with effect in accordance with s. 723(1)(a)(b) of the amending Act) by Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (c. 1), s. 723, Sch. 6 para. 201(2)(b), Sch. 8 Pt. 1 (with Sch. 7)

F22Words in s. 146(2) substituted (with effect in accordance with s. 723(1)(a)(b) of the amending Act) by Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (c. 1), s. 723, Sch. 6 para. 201(3) (with Sch. 7)

F23Words in s. 146(2) substituted (with effect in accordance with s. 723(1)(a)(b) of the amending Act) by Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (c. 1), s. 723, Sch. 6 para. 201(4) (with Sch. 7)

Marginal Citations