Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992

Increase of pension where pensioner’s entitlement is deferred

1 Where a person’s entitlement to a Category A or Category B retirement pension is deferred, the rate of his Category A or Category B retirement pension shall be increased by an amount equal to the aggregate of the increments to which he is entitled under paragraph 2 below, but only if that amount is enough to increase the rate of the pension by at least 1 per cent.

2 (1) Subject to paragraph 3 below, a person is entitled to an increment under this paragraph for each complete incremental period in his period of enhancement.

(2) In this Schedule—

• “incremental period” means any period of six days which are treated by regulations as days of increment for the purposes of this Schedule in relation to the person and the pension in question; and

• “the period of enhancement”, in relation to that person and that pension, means the period which—

  (a)

  begins on the same day as the period of deferment in question; and

  (b)

  ends on the same day as that period or, if earlier, on the day before the 5th anniversary of the beginning of that period.

(3) Subject to paragraph 3 below, the amount of the increment for any such incremental period shall be 1/7th per cent. of the weekly rate of the Category A or Category B retirement pension to which that person would have been entitled for the period if his entitlement had not been deferred.

(4) Where an amount is required to be calculated in accordance with the provisions of sub-paragraph (3) above—

(a) the amount so calculated shall be rounded to the nearest penny, taking any 1/2p as nearest to the next whole penny above; and

(b) where the amount so calculated would, apart from this sub-paragraph, be a sum less than 1/2p, that amount shall be taken to be zero, notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Pensions Order or the Administration Act.

(5) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (3) above the weekly rate of pension for any period shall be taken—

(a) to include any increase under section 47(1) above and any increase under paragraph 4, 5 or 6 below, but

(b) not to include any increase under section 80, 83 or 85 above or any graduated retirement benefit.

(6) The reference in sub-paragraph (5) above to any increase under subsection (1) of section 47 above shall be taken as a reference to any increase that would take place under that subsection if subsection (2) of that section and Article 31B(2) of the Pensions Order were disregarded.

(7) Where one or more orders have come into force under section 132 of the Administration Act during the period of enhancement the rate for any incremental period shall be determined as if the order or orders had come into force before the beginning of the period of enhancement.

(8) Where a pensioner’s rights premium is paid in respect of a person who is, or if his entitlement had not been deferred would be, entitled to a Category A or Category B retirement pension, then, in calculating any increment under this paragraph which falls to be paid to him in respect of such a pension after the date on which the premium is paid there shall be disregarded any guaranteed minimum pension to which the pensioner was entitled in connection with the employment to which the premium relates.

3 (1) Regulations may provide that sub-paragraphs (1) to (3) of paragraph 2 above shall have effect with such additions, omissions and amendments as are prescribed in relation to a person during whose period of enhancement there has been a change, other than a change made by such an order as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (7) of that paragraph, in the rate of the Category A or Category B retirement pension to which he would have been entitled if his entitlement to the pension had commenced on attaining pensionable age.

(2) Any regulations under this paragraph may make such consequential additions, omissions and amendments in paragraph 8(3) below as the Department considers are appropriate in consequence of any changes made by virtue of this paragraph in paragraph 2 above.