The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2013

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order is made as a consequence of a review under section 150 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (“the Administration Act”) and includes details of the sums mentioned in that section.

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(1)(b) and (2)) specified in Parts I, III, IV and V of Schedule 4 to the Social Security Contributions and Benefits 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 by virtue of sections 15(1) and 17(2) and (3) of the Pension Schemes 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 benefits under the Contributions and Benefits Act or the Pension Schemes Act are altered.

Article 7 specifies earnings limits for child dependency increases.

Article 8 increases the weekly rate of statutory sick pay.

Article 9 increases the weekly rate of statutory maternity pay.

Article 10 increases the weekly rates of ordinary and additional statutory paternity pay and of statutory adoption pay.

Article 11 increases the rate of graduated retirement benefit.

Article 12 increases the rate of disability living allowance.

Article 13 increases the weekly rates of age addition excepting those referred to in article 13(2) for claimants entitled to long-term incapacity benefit, which are reduced if on the qualifying date the beneficiary was under the age of 35 and increased if on the qualifying date the beneficiary had attained the age of 35 but was under the age of 45.

Article 14 increases the weekly rates of transitional invalidity allowance excepting those referred to in article 14(2) for claimants entitled to long-term incapacity benefit, which are reduced for higher rate cases and increased for middle and lower rate cases.

Article 15 increases the rates of widowed mother’s allowance, widow’s pension, widowed parent’s allowance and bereavement allowance.

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

Article 16 states the amount of sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of income support. Article 16(3) and Schedule 2 set out the personal allowances; article 16(4) and (5) and Schedule 3 set out the premiums and article 16(7) and Schedule 4 set out other miscellaneous amounts.

Article 17 provides for the percentage increase of sums payable by way of special transitional additions to income support.

Article 18 states the sum by which any income support of a person involved in a trade dispute is reduced.

Article 19 states the amount of the sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of housing benefit. Article 19(6) and Schedule 5 set out the personal allowances and article 19(8) and Schedule 6 set out the premiums.

Article 20 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 20(6) and Schedule 7 set out the personal allowances and article 20(7) and (8) and Schedule 8 set out the premiums.

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

Article 21 increases the age-related amounts for contribution-based jobseeker’s allowance.

Article 22 states the amount of sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of income-based jobseeker’s allowance. Article 22(3) and Schedule 9 set out the personal allowances; article 22(4) and (5) and Schedule 10 set out the premiums; article 22(6) and Schedule 11 set out the premiums for joint-claim couples and article 22(8) and Schedule 12 set out other miscellaneous amounts.

Article 23 states the sum by which any jobseeker’s allowance of a person involved in a trade dispute is reduced.

Part 5 of the Order relates to state pension credit.

Article 24 and Schedule 13 specify the amounts relevant to state pension credit.

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

Article 25 states the amount of sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of employment and support allowance. Article 25(2) and Schedule 14 set out the prescribed amounts; article 25(3) and Schedule 15 set out the premiums and article 25(6) and Schedule 16 set out other miscellaneous amounts.

Part 7 of the Order provides for the revocation of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/870).

In accordance with sections 150(8) and 150A(5) and (9) 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 been prepared and is published alongside the Explanatory Memorandum on www.legislation.gov.uk.