The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2018

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order is made as a consequence of a review under sections 150 and 151A of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (c. 5) (“the Administration Act”) and includes details of the sums mentioned in those sections. The Order does not deal with the benefits which were frozen by the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 (c. 7).

The Order is also made as a consequence of a review under section 150A of the Administration Act and includes details of the sums mentioned in that section.

Part 2 of the Order relates to social security benefits, pensions and allowances.

Article 3 and Schedule 1 increase the benefits and increases of benefits (excepting those referred to in article 3(2)) specified in Parts I, III, IV and V of Schedule 4 to the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (c. 4) (“the Contributions and Benefits Act”).

Article 4 increases the rates and amounts of certain pensions and allowances under the Contributions and Benefits Act.

Article 5 increases the sums payable as part of a Category A or Category B retirement pension by virtue of sections 15(1) and 17(2) and (3) of the Pension Schemes Act 1993 (c. 48) on account of increases in guaranteed minimum pensions.

Article 6 increases the rates and amounts relating to the state pension under Part 1 of the Pensions Act 2014 (c. 19) including the full rate, amounts exceeding the full rate, the rate of increments and inherited increments.

Article 7 specifies the dates from which the sums specified for rates or amounts of benefits in articles 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13 and 14 are altered.

Article 8 specifies earnings limits for child dependency increases.

Article 9 increases the weekly rate of statutory sick pay.

Article 10 increases the weekly rate of statutory maternity pay.

Article 11 increases the weekly rates of statutory paternity pay, statutory adoption pay and statutory shared parental pay.

Article 12 increases the rate of graduated retirement benefit.

Article 13 increases the amount of a Category C retirement pension.

Article 14 increases the prescribed maximum additional pension for the purposes of section 52(3) of the Contributions and Benefits Act.

Article 15 increases the rate of disability living allowance.

Article 16 increases the rate of personal independence payment.

Article 17 increases the weekly rates of age addition, and the rates referred to in article 17(2) for claimants entitled to long-term incapacity benefit who were subject to regulation 2(3) of the Employment and Support Allowance (Up-rating Modification) (Transitional) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/3270).

Article 18 increases the weekly rates of transitional invalidity allowance, and the rates referred to in article 18(2) for claimants entitled to long-term incapacity benefit who were subject to regulation 2(3) of the Employment and Support Allowance (Up-rating Modification) (Transitional) Regulations 2008.

Article 19 increases the rates of widowed mother’s allowance, widow’s pension and widowed parent’s allowance.

Article 20 specifies the rates of bereavement support payment.

Part 3 of the Order relates to income support and housing benefit.

Article 21 states the amount of sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of income support. Article 21(3) and Schedule 2 set out certain personal allowances and article 21(4) and (5) and Schedule 3 set out the premiums.

Article 22 provides for the percentage increase of sums payable by way of special transitional additions to income support.

Article 23 states the amount of the sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of housing benefit and the appropriate maximum housing benefit. Article 23(6) and Schedule 4 set out certain personal allowances and article 23(8) and Schedule 5 set out the premiums.

Article 24 states the amount of the sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of housing benefit for certain persons over the qualifying age for state pension credit. Article 24(6) and Schedule 6 set out the personal allowances and article 24(7) and (8) and Schedule 7 set out the premiums.

Part 4 of the Order relates to jobseeker’s allowance.

Article 25 states the amount of sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of income-based jobseeker’s allowance. Article 25(3) and Schedule 8 set out certain personal allowances, article 25(4) and (5) and Schedule 9 set out the premiums and article 25(6) and Schedule 10 set out the premiums for joint-claim couples.

Part 5 of the Order relates to state pension credit.

Article 26 specifies the amounts relevant to state pension credit.

Part 6 of the Order relates to employment and support allowance.

Article 27 states the amount of sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of employment and support allowance under the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/794). Article 27(2) and Schedule 11 set out the premiums and article 27(3) increases the support component.

Article 28 increases the support component for employment and support allowance under the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/379).

Part 7 of the Order relates to universal credit.

Article 29 and Schedule 12 specify the amounts relevant to universal credit.

Article 30 provides for the revocation of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/260) save for article 29(a) which, in turn provides for the revocation of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/457) save for articles 16, 17(10)(a) and 20. Articles 16 and 20 of that S.I. respectively state the sum by which any income support or jobseeker’s allowance of a person involved in a trade dispute is reduced and article17(10)(a) states the amount of the work-related activity component of housing benefit. That amount remains frozen under section 11 of, and paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to, the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016.

In accordance with sections 150(8), 150A(5) and (9) and 151A(6) and (7) of the Administration Act, a copy of the report of the Government Actuary giving his opinion on the likely effect on the National Insurance Fund of the making of this Order was laid before Parliament with the draft Order.

An Impact Assessment has not been published for this instrument as it has no new impact on business or civil society organisations.