These Regulations prescribe the rate of bereavement benefits which are provided for under Part 2 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (“the 1992 Act”).

Regulation 2 prescribes the amount of widowed mother’s allowance and widow’s pension for the purposes of section 39(2A) of the 1992 Act.

Regulation 3 prescribes the amount of widowed parent’s allowance and bereavement allowance for the purposes of section 39C(1A) of the 1992 Act.

The amounts prescribed are, in accordance with section 6(4) of the Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2008, equal to the amount of the basic pension before the coming into operation of the first provision made under section 132A of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 uprating the amount of the basic pension.

These Regulations make in relation to Northern Ireland only provision corresponding to provision contained in Regulations made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in relation to Great Britain and accordingly, by virtue of section 149(3) of, and paragraph 10 of Schedule 5 to, the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992, are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.