Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland
Social Security
Made
4th March 2016
Coming into operation
11th April 2016
The Department for Social Development makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 113(1)(a) and 171(1), (3) and (4) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992(1) and sections 135(3) and 165(1), (4) and (5) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992(2) and now vested in it(3).
1.-(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 and shall come into operation on 11th April 2016.
(2) In these Regulations "the Up-rating Order" means the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2016(d).
2. Section 135(3) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (effect of alteration of rates of benefit under Parts II to V of the Contributions and Benefits Act) shall not apply if a question arises as to either-
(a)the weekly rate at which the benefit is payable by virtue of the Up-rating Order; or
(b)whether the conditions for receipt of the benefit at the altered rate are satisfied,
until that question has been determined in accordance with the provisions of the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1998(6).
3. Regulation 5 of the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1978(7) (application of disqualification in respect of up-rating of benefit) shall apply to any additional benefit payable by virtue of the Up-rating Order.
4. Regulations 2 and 3 of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015(8) are revoked.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Social Development on 4th March 2016
(L.S.)
Anne McCleary
A senior officer of the Department for Social Development
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations contain only provisions made in consequence of an order under section 132A of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 and accordingly, by virtue of section 149(3) of, and paragraph 3 of Schedule 5 to, that Act, are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.
Regulation 2 provides that where a question has arisen about the effect of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 ("the Up-rating Order") on a benefit already in payment, the altered rates will not apply until that question is determined.
Regulation 3 applies the provisions of regulation 5 of the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1978 so as to restrict the application of the increases specified in the Up-rating Order in cases where the beneficiary is not ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland.
Regulation 4 revokes regulations 2 and 3 of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015.
1992 c. 7; section 113(1) was amended by paragraph 92 of Schedule 24 to the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (c. 33) and section 171(1) was amended by paragraph 5 of Schedule 4 to the Tax Credits Act 2002 (c. 21)
1992 c. 8; section 165(1) was amended by paragraph 49(2) of Schedule 3 to the Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/671) and section 18(5) of the National Insurance Contributions Act 2014 (c. 7)
See Article 8(b) of S.R. 1999 No. 481
Section 132A was inserted by section 5(1) of the Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 (c. 1 (N.I.))
S.R. 1978 No. 114; relevant amending Regulations are S.R. 1979 No. 392, S.R. 1989 No. 373, S.R. 1990 No. 123, S.R. 1992 No. 330, S.R. 1994 No. 269, S.R. 2001 No. 108, S.R. 2005 Nos. 299 and 536 and S.R. 2010 No. 110