Section 14: Maternity allowance and carer’s allowance
This section repeals sections 82 and 90 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 which make provision for Adult Dependency Increases (ADIs) to be paid with maternity allowance and carer’s allowance respectively, in circumstances where the claimant has an adult dependant.
The section will abolish the payment of ADIs for all new claims to maternity allowance and carer’s allowance at the same time as they cease to be available on new claims to state pensions in 2010.
ADIs in payment with carer’s allowance at the time of change will be phased out between 2010 and 2020. This will be in line with the arrangements for phasing out the existing ADIs paid with the state pension. Phasing out will not apply to maternity allowance as this is a short-term benefit paid for 39 weeks. Payment of ADIs for existing maternity allowance claims will therefore cease when the maternity allowance entitlement ends.