The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 1997

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order.)

This Order, which corresponds to an Order (S.I. 1997/543) made by the Secretary of State for Social Security under section 150 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992, increases the rates and amounts of certain social security benefits and other sums.

Part I relates to the citation, commencement and interpretation.

Part II relates to non income-related benefits other than jobseeker’s allowance.

Article 3 and Schedule 1 increase the rates of benefits and increases of benefit (except over 80 age addition) specified in Parts I, III, IV and V of Schedule 4 to the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (“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 under sections 11(1) and 13(2) and (3) of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993 (“the Pension Schemes Act”) on account of increases in guaranteed minimum pensions.

Article 6 specifies the dates from which the sums specified for rates or amounts of benefit under the Contributions and Benefits Act or the Pension Schemes Act are increased.

Article 7 increases the rate of certain workmen’s compensation in respect of employment before 5th July 1948.

Article 8 specifies earnings limits for child dependency increases.

Article 9 increases the rate of statutory sick pay.

Article 10 increases the lower rate of statutory maternity pay.

Article 11 increases the rate of graduated retirement benefit.

Article 12 increases the rates of disability living allowance.

Article 13 increases the rates of child benefit except the rate payable in respect of an only, elder or eldest child of a lone parent.

Article 14 increases the rates of age addition to long-term incapacity benefit.

Article 15 increases the rates of transitional invalidity allowance to long-term incapacity benefit cases.

Part III relates to income-related benefits.

Article 16 and Schedule 2 specify the applicable amount for family credit and the amount of the credits for an adult, child or young person which determines a family’s maximum family credit and other miscellaneous amounts.

Article 17 and Schedule 3 specify the applicable amount for disability working allowance and the amount of the allowance for a claimant, child or young person which determines the appropriate maximum disability working allowance and other miscellaneous amounts.

Article 18 sets out the amount of sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of income support. Article 18(3) and Schedule 4 set out the personal allowances; Article 18(5) and (6) and Schedule 5 set out the premiums; Article 18(9) and Schedule 6 set out the amounts relevant to beneficiaries in homes for persons in need and nursing homes; Article 18(10) and Schedule 7 set out the amounts relevant to special cases; and Article 18(11) and Schedule 8 set out other miscellaneous amounts.

Article 19 provides for the percentage increase of sums payable by way of special transitional additions to income support.

Article 20 increases the sum by which any income support of a person involved in a trade dispute is reduced.

Article 21 sets out various sums relevant to the calculation of housing benefit.

Part IV relates to jobseeker’s allowance.

Article 22 increases the age-related amounts of contribution-based jobseeker’s allowance.

Article 23 sets out the amount of sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of income-based jobseeker’s allowance. Article 23(3) and Schedule 9 set out the personal allowances; Article 23(5) and (6) and Schedule 10 set out the premiums; Article 23(9) and Schedule 11 set out the amounts relevant to beneficiaries in homes for persons in need and nursing homes; Article 23(10) and Schedule 12 set out the amounts relevant to special cases; and Article 23(11) and Schedule 13 set out other miscellaneous amounts.

Article 24 specifies the sum by which any income-based jobseeker’s allowance of a person involved in a trade dispute is reduced.

Part V relates to transitional provisions and revocations.

Article 25 contains transitional provisions for family credit and disability working allowance.

Article 26 partially revokes the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 1996.