The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2003

PART I INTRODUCTION

Citation, commencement and effect

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2003 and, subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), shall come into operation for the purposes of–

(a) Articles 1, 2 and 6 on 1st April 2003;

(b) Article 8, in so far as it relates to a particular beneficiary, on the first day of the first benefit week to commence for that beneficiary on or after 1st April 2003 and, for the purpose of this sub-paragraph, “benefit week” has the same meaning as in the Computation of Earnings Regulations;

(c) Articles 9 to 11 on 6th April 2003;

(d) Articles 3 to 5, 7, 12 to 14 and 24 on 7th April 2003;

(e) Articles 15, 16 and 25 on 10th April 2003;

(f) Articles 17 to 19, in so far as they relate to a particular beneficiary, on the first day of the first benefit week to commence for that beneficiary on or after 7th April 2003 and, for the purpose of this sub-paragraph, “benefit week” has the same meaning as in the Income Support Regulations;

(g) Article 20, in relation to a case where rent is payable at intervals of a week or any multiple thereof, on 7th April 2003, and in relation to any other case, on 1st April 2003; and

(h) Articles 21 to 23, in so far as they relate to a particular beneficiary, on the first day of the first benefit week to commence for that beneficiary on or after 7th April 2003 and, for the purpose of this sub-paragraph, “benefit week” has the same meaning as in the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations.

(2) Where, so far as it relates to any particular beneficiary, Article 10 comes into operation in accordance with paragraph (1)(c) on 6th April 2003, it shall come into operation immediately after the coming into operation of regulation 2(3) of the Social Security, Statutory Maternity Pay and Statutory Sick Pay (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002(1).

(3) The increases made–

(a) in the sums specified for rates or amounts of benefit under the Contributions and Benefits Act or the Pension Schemes Act; and

(b) by Article 21(c), in so far as it is relevant for the purposes referred to in Article 6(11),

shall take effect for each case on the date specified in relation to that case in Article 6.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In this Order–

“the Administration Act” means the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992;

“the Contributions and Benefits Act” means the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992(2);

“the Pension Schemes Act” means the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993(3);

“the Computation of Earnings Regulations” means the Social Security Benefit (Computation of Earnings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996(4);

“the Housing Benefit Regulations” means the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987(5);

“the Income Support Regulations” means the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987(6);

“the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations” means the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996(7);

“the State Pension Credit Regulations” means the State Pension Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003(8).

(2) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(9) shall apply to this Order as it applies to an Act of the Assembly.

(1)

S.R. 2002 No. 354

(2)

1992 c. 7

(3)

1993 c. 49

(4)

S.R. 1996 No. 520

(5)

S.R. 1987 No. 461; relevant amending rules are S.R. 1988 No. 314, S.R. 1992 No. 549, S.R. 1994 No. 88, S.R. 1997 Nos. 3, 4 and 22, S.R. 1998 Nos. 73 and 112, S.R. 1999 No. 382, S.R. 2000 Nos. 260 and 367 and S.R. 2002 Nos. 99, 267 and 323

(6)

S.R. 1987 No. 459; relevant amending rules are S.R. 1988 Nos. 146, 318 and 431, S.R. 1989 Nos. 139 and 249, S.R. 1990 Nos. 131, 213 and 346, S.R. 1993 No. 149, S.R. 1994 No. 77, S.R. 1995 Nos. 86, 301 and 434, S.R. 1996 Nos. 199, 288 and 476, S.R. 1997 Nos. 3 and 165, S.R. 1998 Nos. 81 and 112, S.R. 1999 Nos. 371(C. 28), 382 and 472 (C. 36), S.R. 2000 Nos. 4, 71, 260 and 367, S.R. 2001 No. 406 and S.R. 2002 Nos. 58, 99, 132, 267 and 323

(7)

S.R. 1996 No. 198; relevant amending rules are S.R. 1996 Nos. 288, 356, 358 and 476, S.R. 1997 No. 3, S.R. 1998 No. 112, S.R. 1999 No. 382, S.R. 2000 Nos. 71, 260, 350 and 367, S.R. 2001 Nos. 120 and 406 and S.R. 2002 Nos. 99, 267 and 323

(8)

S.R. 2003 No. 28

(9)

1954 c. 33 (N.I.)