Pensions (No. 2) Act (Northern Ireland) 2008

Terminal illness lump sum: eligibility

12.—(1) This paragraph applies where all of the following conditions are met—

(a) the transferee is terminally ill;

(b) if the transferee lived to the relevant age, he or she would become entitled on attaining that age to compensation under paragraph 6 in respect of the pension compensation credit;

(c) the transferee has not yet become entitled to any compensation under this Chapter in respect of the pension compensation credit;

(d) the whole or any part of the transferee’s lifetime allowance is available.

(2) The transferee may make an application to the Board to commute the future entitlement mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(b) for a lump sum (“a terminal illness lump sum”) payable on the granting of the application.

(3) For the purposes of this Chapter a person is “terminally ill” at any time if at that time the person suffers from a progressive disease and the person’s death in consequence of that disease can reasonably be expected within six months.

(4) In this paragraph—

“lifetime allowance”, in relation to a person, has the same meaning as in Part 4 of the Finance Act 2004 (c. 12) (pension schemes etc.) (see section 218 of that Act);

“relevant age”, in relation to a person, means—

(a)

in relation to compensation entitlement to which has been accelerated or deferred under regulations under paragraph 10 or (as the case may be) 11, the age at which the person becomes entitled to the compensation in accordance with the regulations;

(b)

in relation to compensation entitlement to which has not been so accelerated or deferred, pension compensation age.