National Insurance Act 1965

Retirement pensions.

30 Retirement pension by virtue of own insurance.

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, a person shall be entitled to a retirement pension at the appropriate weekly rate specified in relation thereto in column 2 of Schedule 3 to this Act if—

(a) he is over pensionable age and has retired from regular employment; and

(b) he satisfies the contribution conditions set out in paragraph 4(1) of Schedule 2 to this Act.

(2) For the purposes of this Act, a person may, subject to subsection (3) of this section, be treated as having retired from regular employment at any time after he has attained pensionable age—

(a) whether or not he has previously been engaged in a gainful occupation;

(b) notwithstanding that he is engaged or intends to engage in a gainful occupation, if he is engaged or intends to engage therein only occasionally or to an inconsiderable extent or otherwise in circumstances not inconsistent with retirement, or if his earnings can be expected not to exceed, or only occasionally to exceed, the amount any excess over which would, under subsection (7) of this section, involve a reduction of the weekly rate of any retirement pension awarded to him.

(3) For the purposes of this Act, but subject to subsection (4) of this section, a person shall not be treated as having retired from regular employment unless he has complied with the prescribed requirements as to notice of the date of his retirement and—

(a) where the date of retirement specified in the notice falls before the date when the notice is given, that person shall not be treated as having so retired earlier than on the date of commencement of the prescribed period before the giving of the notice;

(b) where the date of retirement specified in the notice falls after the date when the notice is given, an award of a retirement pension as from the date of retirement so specified may be made before that date but shall be conditional on that person's having retired on or before that date.

(4) For the purposes of this Act a person who has not previously retired from regular employment shall be deemed so to retire on the expiration of five years from his attaining pensionable age.

(5) References in this Act to the date of a person's retirement shall be construed in accordance with subsections (2) to (4) of this section.

(6) Subject to the provisions of this Act, a retirement pension shall commence from the date of retirement and shall be payable for life.

(7) Subject to any regulations under section 44(a) of this Act, where the earnings of a beneficiary who is less than five years over pensionable age have exceeded five pounds for the calendar week ending last before any week for which he is entitled to a retirement pension, the weekly rate of his pension shall for the last-mentioned week be reduced by sixpence for each complete shilling of the excess and a further sixpence for each complete shilling by which the earnings exceed six pounds:

Provided that this subsection shall not affect the rate of the pension for the first week after the date of the beneficiary's retirement.

31 Increase of pension under s. 30 for contributions after pensionable age.

(1) Subject to section 30(7) of this Act, paragraphs 7 and 9 of Schedule 11 thereto and any regulations under subsection (2) of this section, the weekly rate of a retirement pension under the said section 30 shall be increased by one shilling for every twelve contributions (not being graduated contributions) as an employed or self-employed person paid by the beneficiary in respect of the period after his attaining pensionable age.

(2) Regulations may provide that, in such cases and subject to such exceptions as may be prescribed, a contribution paid by a woman over pensionable age in respect of any contribution week for the whole of which—

(a) she is entitled to widow's benefit or to a retirement pension by virtue of her husband's insurance ; or

(b) her husband is entitled in respect of her to an increase of the weekly rate of any benefit,

shall be disregarded for the purposes of subsection (1) of this section.

32 Retirement pension by virtue of husband's insurance.

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, and in particular to paragraph 5 of Schedule 11 thereto, a woman over pensionable age shall be entitled to a retirement pension by virtue of her husband's insurance at the appropriate weekly rate specified in relation thereto in column 2 of Schedule 3 to this Act if there are satisfied—

(a) one of the conditions specified in subsection (2) of this section; and

(b) the conditions specified in subsection (3) thereof.

(2) The conditions referred to in subsection (1)(a) of this section are—

(a) that the woman is married to the husband at the time when she attains pensionable age ; or

(b) that she has married the husband after attaining that age.

(3) The conditions referred to in subsection (1)(b) of this section are—

(a) that either—

(i) the husband is over pensionable age and both he and the woman have retired from regular employment; or

(ii) the husband is dead ; and

(b) that the husband satisfies the contribution conditions set out in paragraph 4(1) of Schedule 2 to this Act; and

(c) in a case where the woman has married the husband after attaining pensionable age, such further conditions as may be prescribed.

(4) Subject to the provisions of this Act, a retirement pension payable to a woman by virtue of subsection (1) of this section shall commence from the date on which the provisions of that subsection are satisfied in relation to the pension and shall be payable for life.

(5) Section 30(7) of this Act shall apply to a retirement pension payable to a woman by virtue of her husband's insurance as it applies to a pension payable by virtue of a person's own insurance.

33 Special provisions as to retirement pensions for women.

(1) A woman shall not be entitled for the same period to more than one retirement pension, but if she would be so entitled but for this subsection may, on such occasion and in such manner as may be prescribed, choose which she shall be entitled to.

(2) Where on attaining pensionable age a woman is married, she shall not be entitled under section 30 of this Act to a retirement pension by virtue of her own insurance unless either—

(a) the number of contributions paid by or credited to her in respect of the period between the date of the marriage and her attaining pensionable age is not less than one half of the number of complete contribution weeks in that period ; or

(b) the said period is less than three years.

(3) Subject to paragraph 6 of Schedule 11 to this Act, where immediately before attaining pensionable age a woman is a widow, she may elect that, in calculating for the purpose of her right under the said section 30 to a retirement pension by virtue of her own insurance the yearly average of the contributions paid by or credited to her, there shall be treated as so paid or credited either—

(a) for each contribution year falling wholly or partly before the death of her husband (being, if she has been married more than once, her last husband); or

(b) for each contribution year falling wholly or partly during the period of their marriage,

a number of contributions equal to the yearly average (ascertained as at the date of his attaining pensionable age or dying under that age) of the contributions paid by or credited to him, instead of the number of contributions actually paid by or credited to her for that year.

(4) Any reference in this section to contributions shall be construed as a reference to contributions other than graduated contributions.

34 Increase in woman's retirement pension in certain cases.

(1) Subject to section 30(7) of this Act and to paragraph 8 of Schedule 11 thereto, in respect of any contributions as an employed or self-employed person paid by a man for any period after his attaining pensionable age—

(a) the weekly rate of any retirement pension under section 32 of this Act payable to his wife or widow by virtue of his insurance shall be increased by sixpence for every twelve contributions other than those paid for a period before she attains pensionable age ; and

(b) the weekly rate of any retirement pension payable to his widow under the said section 32 by virtue of his insurance or under section 30 of this Act by virtue of her own insurance shall be increased by sixpence for every twelve contributions (in addition to the increase, if any, under paragraph (a) of this subsection).

(2) Subject to the said paragraph 8, where by virtue of such an election as is provided for by section 35 of this Act a woman pays or has paid contributions as an employed or self-employed person for a period after her attaining pensionable age, then in relation to a retirement pension under the said section 32 payable to her by virtue of her husband's insurance the contributions so paid by her for any period after his death shall be taken into account under subsection (1) of this section as if they were contributions paid by the husband as mentioned in that subsection.

(3) In relation to a woman married after attaining pensionable age, the foregoing provisions of this section shall have effect subject to any prescribed modifications.

(4) Any reference in this section to contributions shall be construed as a reference to contributions other than graduated contributions.

35 Re-entry into regular employment after retirement.

(1) Regulations may provide that, in the case of a person of such description as may be prescribed who—

(a) has retired from regular employment or has otherwise become entitled to a retirement pension but is, in the case of a woman, under the age of sixty-five or, in the case of a man, under the age of seventy; and

(b) elects, in such manner and in accordance with such conditions as may be prescribed, that the regulations shall apply in his case,

this Act shall have effect as if that person had not retired or become entitled as aforesaid:

Provided that, where a husband and wife have both become entitled to retirement pensions by virtue of the husband's insurance, the husband shall not be entitled to elect as aforesaid without the consent of the wife, unless that consent is unreasonably withheld.

(2) Any such regulations may make such modifications of this Act in its application in a case where a person elects as aforesaid as may appear to the Minister necessary or expedient, and may in particular provide for determining how contributions (other than graduated contributions) paid by that person, whether before or after that person's first retirement or, as the case may be, first becoming entitled to a retirement pension, are to be dealt with for the purposes of section 31(1) of, or paragraph 7 or 8(2) of Schedule 11 to, this Act.