National Insurance Act 1965

Preliminary.

17 Descriptions of benefit.

Benefit shall be of the following descriptions, namely—

(a) unemployment benefit;

(b) sickness benefit;

(c) maternity benefit, which shall include—

(i) maternity grant;

(ii) maternity allowance;

(d) widow's benefit, which shall include:—

(i) widow's allowance;

(ii) widowed mother's allowance ;

(iii) widow's pension;

(e) guardian's allowance;

(f) retirement pension;

(g) graduated retirement benefit;

(h) child's special allowance ;

(i) death grant.

18 Appropriate classes and yearly average of contributions.

(1) Subject to subsection (4) of this section—

(a) references in this Act to contributions of the appropriate class in relation to benefit of a particular description shall be construed—

(i) in relation to unemployment benefit, as references to contributions as an employed person;

(ii) in relation to sickness benefit and maternity allowance, as references to contributions as an employed or self-employed person ;

(iii) in relation to any other description of benefit, as references to contributions as an insured person of any class;

(b) for the purposes of any reference in this Act to contributions of the appropriate class or their equivalent, there shall be treated as equivalent to a contribution of the appropriate class such number of contributions not of that class as may be prescribed.

(2) Subject to the provisions of this Act, and in particular to section 9(b), paragraph 18(2) of Schedule 11 and subsections (3) and (4) of this section, any reference in this Act to the yearly average of the contributions paid by or credited to any person shall be construed as referring to contributions as an insured person only, and to that average (calculated in the prescribed manner) over the period—

(a) beginning with the beginning of the contribution year in which he attained school leaving age; and

(b) ending with the end of the last complete contribution year before the date as at which the average is to be ascertained.

(3) For the purpose of calculating the yearly average of the contributions paid by or credited to a person who entered into insurance over the age of sixteen having attained that age after 5th July 1948, he shall not be deemed to have attained school leaving age before the date on which he attained the age of sixteen.

(4) For the purposes of any such reference as is mentioned in subsection (1) or (2) of this section, there shall be left out of account any graduated contribution.