Search Legislation

The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about opening options

Opening Options

Status:

This is the original version (as it was originally made).

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2014 No. 80

Social Security

The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014

Made

14th March 2014

Coming into operation

7th April 2014

The Department for Social Development makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 90, 113(1)(a) and 171(1) and (3) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992(1) and sections 5(1)(q), 135(3) and 165(1) and (4) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992(2) and now vested in it(3).

These Regulations contain only provisions in consequence of an order(4) under sections 132 and 132A of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992(5).

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 and shall come into operation on 7th April 2014.

(2) In these Regulations “the Up-rating Order” means the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2014(d).

Exceptions relating to payment of additional benefit by virtue of the Up-rating Order

2.  Section 135(3) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (effect of alteration of rates of benefit under Parts II to V of the Contributions and Benefits Act) shall not apply if a question arises as to either—

(a)the weekly rate at which the benefit is payable by virtue of the Up-rating Order; or

(b)whether the conditions for receipt of the benefit at the altered rate are satisfied,

until that question has been determined in accordance with the provisions of the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1998(6).

Persons not ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland

3.  Regulation 5 of the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1978(7) (application of disqualification in respect of up-rating of benefit) shall apply to any additional benefit payable by virtue of the Up-rating Order.

Amendment of the Social Security Benefit (Dependency) Regulations

4.  In paragraph 2B of Schedule 2 to the Social Security Benefit (Dependency) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1977(8) (prescribed circumstances for increase of a carer’s allowance)—

(a)in sub-paragraph (a) for “£220” substitute “£225”; and

(b)in sub-paragraph (b) for “£29” and “£220” substitute “£30” and “£225” respectively.

Amendment of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations

5.  In paragraph 4(2A) of Schedule 8A to the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987(9) (deductions from benefits and direct payment to third parties) for “£23∙50”, in each place, substitute “£23∙75”.

Revocation

6.  The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013(10) are revoked.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Social Development on 14th March 2014

(L.S.)

Anne McCleary

A senior officer of the Department for Social Development

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations contain only provisions in consequence of an order under sections 132 and 132A of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 and accordingly, by virtue of section 149(3) of, and paragraph 3 of Schedule 5 to, that Act, are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.

Regulation 2 provides that where a question has arisen about the effect of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2014 (“the Up-rating Order”) on a benefit already in payment the altered rate will not apply until that question is determined.

Regulation 3 applies the provisions of regulation 5 of the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1978 so as to restrict the application of the increases specified in the Up-rating Order in cases where the beneficiary lives abroad.

Regulation 4 raises from £220 to £225 and £29 to £30 the earnings limits for child dependency increases payable with a carer’s allowance. These increases were abolished by sections 1(3)(e) and 60 of, and Schedule 6 to, the Tax Credits Act 2002 but are saved for transitional cases by virtue of Article 2 of the Tax Credits Act 2002 (Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order (Northern Ireland) 2003.

Regulation 5 increases from £23∙50 to £23∙75 the amount allowed for personal expenses where a person is in accommodation for which part of his benefit is paid direct to the person to whom charges in respect of that accommodation are payable.

Regulation 6 makes a consequential revocation.

(1)

1992 c. 7; section 90 was amended by paragraph 25 of Schedule 8 to the Welfare Reform and Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/3147 (N.I. 11)), Article 2(2) of S.R. 2002 No. 321 and Schedule 6 to the Tax Credits Act 2002 (c. 21) (see also Article 2 of S.R. 2003 No. 212), section 113(1) was amended by paragraph 92 of Schedule 24 to the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (c. 33) and section 171(1) was amended by paragraph 5 of Schedule 4 to the Tax Credits Act 2002

(2)

1992 c. 8; section 165(1) was amended by paragraph 49(2) of Schedule 3 to the Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/671)

(3)

See Article 8(b) of S.R. 1999 No. 481

(5)

Section 132A was inserted by section 5(1) of the Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 (c. 1 (N.I.))

(8)

S.R. 1977 No. 74; relevant amending Regulations are S.R. 1984 No. 382, S.R. 2002 No. 323 and S.R. 2013 No. 70

(9)

S.R. 1987 No. 465; relevant amending Regulations are S.R 1988 No. 67, S.R. 2003 No. 412 and S.R. 2013 No. 70

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

Explanatory Memorandum

Explanatory Memorandum sets out a brief statement of the purpose of a Statutory Rule and provides information about its policy objective and policy implications. They aim to make the Statutory Rule accessible to readers who are not legally qualified and accompany any Northern Ireland Statutory Rule or Draft Northern Ireland Statutory Rule laid before the UK Parliament during the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as made version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources