The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2005

PART IINTRODUCTION

Citation, commencement and effect

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2005 and, subject to paragraph (2), shall come into operation for the purposes of –

(a)Articles 1, 2 and 6 on 1st April 2005;

(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 2005 and, for the purpose of this sub-paragraph, “benefit week” has the same meaning as in the Computation of Earnings Regulations;

(c)Article 10 on 3rd April 2005, except for the purpose of determining the rate of maternity allowance in accordance with section 35A(1) of the Contributions and Benefits Act(1) for which purpose it shall come into operation on 11th April 2005;

(d)Article 11 on 3rd April 2005;

(e)Article 9 on 6th April 2005;

(f)Articles 3 to 5, 7, 12, 13 and 24 on 11th April 2005;

(g)Articles 14, 15 and 25 on 14th April 2005;

(h)Articles 16 to 18, 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 11th April 2005 and, for the purpose of this sub-paragraph, “benefit week” has the same meaning as in the Income Support Regulations;

(i)Articles 19 and 20, in relation to a case where rent is payable at intervals of a week or any multiple thereof, on 4th April 2005, and in relation to any other case, on 1st April 2005; and

(j)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 11th April 2005 and, for the purpose of this sub-paragraph, “benefit week” has the same meaning as in the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations.

(2) 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.  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)

Section 35A was inserted by Article 50(3) of the Welfare Reform and Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/3147 (N.I. 11)) and subsection (1) was substituted by section 4(1)(a) of the Social Security Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 (c. 10 (N.I.))

(8)

S.R. 2003 No. 28; relevant amending rules are S.R. 2003 Nos. 261 and 421 and S.R. 2004 Nos. 82 and 461