This Order may be cited as the Age-Related Payments (Northern Ireland) Order 2004.

This Order shall come into operation on the expiration of one week from the day on which it is made.

The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 (c. 33) applies to this Order as it applies to an Act of the Assembly.

In this Order—

“couple” means a man and a woman who share a household and who are, or who live as, husband and wife;

“the Department” means the Department for Social Development;

“qualifying individual” has the meaning given by Article 3;

“the relevant week” has the meaning given by Article 3;

“single”, in relation to an individual, means not part of a couple;

“state pension credit” has the meaning given by section 1(1) of the State Pension Credit Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 (c. 14); and

“statutory provision” has the meaning given by section 1(f) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954.

The provisions of this Order shall apply, with any necessary modifications, to the parties to a polygamous marriage as if they together formed one couple.