Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992

4 (1) The contribution condition for a widow’s payment is that—

(a) the contributor concerned must in respect of any one relevant year have actually paid contributions of a relevant class; and

(b) the earnings factor derived as mentioned in sub-paragraph (2) below must be not less than that year’s lower earnings limit multiplied by 25.

(2) The earnings factor referred to in paragraph (b) of sub-paragraph (1) above is that which is derived—

(a) if the year in question is 1987-88 or any subsequent year, from earnings upon which primary Class 1 contributions have been paid or treated as paid and from Class 2 and Class 3 contributions, or

(b) if the year in question is an earlier year, from the contributions referred to in paragraph (a) of that sub-paragraph.

(3) For the purposes of this condition a relevant year is any year ending before the date on which the contributor concerned attained pensionable age or died under that age.