The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2012

Made: 14th March 2012

Coming into operation in accordance with Article 1

Accordingly, the Department for Social Development makes the following Order:

PART 1 — INTRODUCTION

Citation, commencement and effect

1

• (1) This Order may be cited as the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 and, subject to paragraph (2), shall come into operation for the purposes of—

• (a) this Article and Articles 2 and 6 on 1st April 2012;

• (b) Article 3—

• (i) in so far as it relates to any increase to which Article 6(10)(b) applies, on 1st April 2012, and

• (ii) for all other purposes, on 9th April 2012;

• (c) Articles 4, 5, 7, 12, 13 and 16 on 9th April 2012;

• (d) Article 8, in so far as it relates to a particular beneficiary, on the first day of the first benefit week to commence for that beneficiary on or after 1st April 2012 and, for the purpose of this sub-paragraph, “benefit week” has the same meaning as in regulation 2(1) of the Computation of Earnings Regulations;

• (e) Article 9 on 6th April 2012;

• (f) Article 10 on 1st April 2012, except for the purpose of determining the rate of maternity allowance in accordance with section 35A(1) of the Contributions and Benefits Act[^f00005] for which purpose it shall come into operation on 9th April 2012;

• (g) Article 11 on 1st April 2012;

• (h) Articles 14, 15 and 27 on 12th April 2012;

• (i) Articles 17 to 19, in so far as they relate to a particular beneficiary, on the first day of the first benefit week to commence for that beneficiary on or after 9th April 2012 and, for the purpose of this sub-paragraph, “benefit week” has the same meaning as in the Income Support Regulations;

• (j) Articles 20 and 21, in relation to a case where rent is payable at intervals of a week or any multiple thereof, on 2nd April 2012, and in relation to any other case, on 1st April 2012;

• (k) Articles 22 to 24, in so far as they relate to a particular beneficiary—

• (i) for the purposes of Article 22(c), in so far as it relates to an increase to which Article 6(10)(b) applies, on 1st April 2012, and

• (ii) for all other purposes, on the first day of the first benefit week to commence for that beneficiary on or after 9th April 2012, and for the purposes of this head “benefit week” has the same meaning as in the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations;

• (l) Article 25, in so far as it relates to a particular beneficiary, on the first day of the first benefit week to commence for that beneficiary on or after 9th April 2012 and, for the purpose of this sub-paragraph, “benefit week” has the same meaning as in the State Pension Credit Regulations; and

• (m) Article 26, in so far as it relates to a particular beneficiary, on the first day of the first benefit week to commence for that beneficiary on or after 9th April 2012 and, for the purpose of this sub-paragraph, “benefit week” has the same meaning as in the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations.

• (2) The changes made—

• (a) in the sums specified for rates or amounts of benefit under the Contributions and Benefits Act or the Pension Schemes Act; and

• (b) by Article 22(c), in so far as it is relevant for the purposes referred to in Article 6(10),

shall take effect for each case on the date specified in relation to that case in Article 6.

Interpretation

2

• (1) In this Order—

• “the Administration Act” means the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992;

• “the Contributions and Benefits Act” means the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992[^f00006];

• “the Pension Schemes Act” means the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993[^f00007];

• “the Computation of Earnings Regulations” means the Social Security Benefit (Computation of Earnings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996[^f00008];

• “the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations” means the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008[^f00009];

• “the Housing Benefit Regulations” means the Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006[^f00010];

• “the Housing Benefit (SPC) Regulations” means the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for State Pension Credit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006[^f00011];

• “the Income Support Regulations” means the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987[^f00012];

• “the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations” means the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996[^f00013];

• “the State Pension Credit Regulations” means the State Pension Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003[^f00014].

• (2) Subject to paragraph (3), the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954[^f00015] shall apply to this Order as it applies to an Act of the Assembly.

• (3) For the purposes of this Order and notwithstanding section 39(2) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954, where a period of time is expressed to begin on, or to be reckoned from, a particular day, that day shall be included in the period.

PART 2 — SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS AND PENSIONS

Rates or amounts of certain benefits under the Contributions and Benefits Act

3

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Rates or amounts of certain pensions or allowances under the Contributions and Benefits Act

4

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Rates or amounts of certain benefits under the Pension Schemes Act

5

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Dates on which sums specified for rates or amounts of benefit under the Contributions and Benefits Act or the Pension Schemes Act are changed by this Order

6

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Workmen’s compensation

7

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Earnings limits

8

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Statutory sick pay

9

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Statutory maternity pay

10

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ordinary and additional statutory paternity pay and statutory adoption pay

11

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Graduated retirement benefit

12

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Disability living allowance

13

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Age addition to long-term incapacity benefit

14

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Transitional invalidity allowance in long-term incapacity benefit cases

15

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bereavement benefits

16

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PART 3 — INCOME SUPPORT AND HOUSING BENEFIT

Applicable amounts for income support

17

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Income support transitional protection

18

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Relevant sum for income support

19

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Housing benefit

20

• (1) The sums relevant to the calculation of an applicable amount as specified in the Housing Benefit Regulations shall be the sums set out in this Article and Schedules 5 and 6 to this Order; and for this purpose a reference in this Article to a numbered regulation or Schedule is a reference to the regulation of, or Schedule to, the Housing Benefit Regulations bearing that number.

• (2) In regulation 24(3) (calculation of income on a weekly basis) the sums of £175∙00 and £300∙00 remain the same.

• (3) In regulation 72[^f00047] (non-dependant deductions)—

• (a) in paragraph (1) for “£60∙60”, “£8∙60”, “£9∙40” and “£2∙85” substitute “£73∙85”, “£9∙90”, “£11∙45” and “£3∙30”, respectively; and

• (b) in paragraph (2)—

• (i) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (ii) in sub-paragraph (b) for “£122∙00”, “£180∙00” and “£21∙55” substitute “£124∙00”, “£183∙00” and “£26∙25” respectively,

• (iii) in sub-paragraph (c) for “£180∙00”, “£234∙00” and “£29∙60” substitute “£183∙00”, “£238∙00” and “£36∙10” respectively,

• (iv) in sub-paragraph (d) for “£234∙00”, “£310∙00” and “£48∙45” substitute “£238∙00”, “£316∙00” and “£59∙05” respectively,

• (v) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (vi) in sub-paragraph (f) for “£180∙00” substitute “£183∙00”,

• (vii) in sub-paragraph (g) for “£180∙00”, “£310∙00” and “£5∙70” substitute “£183∙00”, “£316∙00” and “£6∙55” respectively, and

• (viii) in sub-paragraph (h) for “£310∙00”, “£387∙00” and “£7∙20” substitute “£316∙00”, “£394∙00” and “£8∙25” respectively.

• (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Housing benefit for certain persons over the qualifying age for state pension credit

21

• (1) The sums relevant to the calculation of an applicable amount as specified in the Housing Benefit (SPC) Regulations shall be the sums set out in this Article and Schedules 7 and 8 to this Order; and for this purpose a reference in this Article to a numbered regulation or Schedule is a reference to the regulation of, or Schedule to, the Housing Benefit (SPC) Regulations bearing that number.

• (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (3) In regulation 53[^f00053] (non-dependant deductions)—

• (a) in paragraph (1) for “£60∙60”, “£8∙60”, “£9∙40” and “£2∙85” substitute “£73∙85”, “£9∙90”, “£11∙45” and “£3∙30” respectively; and

• (b) in paragraph (2)—

• (i) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (ii) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (iii) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (iv) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (v) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (vi) in sub-paragraph (f) for “£180∙00” substitute “£183∙00”,

• (vii) in sub-paragraph (g) for “£180∙00”, “£310∙00” and “£5∙70” substitute “£183∙00”, “£316∙00” and “£6∙55” respectively, and

• (viii) in sub-paragraph (h) for “£310∙00”, “£387∙00” and “£7∙20” substitute “£316∙00”, “£394∙00” and “£8∙25” respectively.

• (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PART 4 — JOBSEEKER’S ALLOWANCE

Age-related amounts of contribution-based jobseeker’s allowance

22

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Applicable amounts for jobseeker’s allowance

23

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Prescribed sum for jobseeker’s allowance

24

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PART 5 — STATE PENSION CREDIT

State pension credit

25

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PART 6 — EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT ALLOWANCE

Applicable amounts for employment and support allowance

26

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PART 7 — REVOCATION

Revocation

27

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SCHEDULE 1 — Provisions of Schedule 4 to the Contributions and Benefits Act asamended by this Order

SCHEDULE 2 — Part I of Schedule 2 to the Income Support Regulations asamendedbythis Order

SCHEDULE 3 — Part IV of Schedule 2 to the Income Support Regulations asamendedbythisOrder

SCHEDULE 4 — Applicable amounts specified in the Income Support Regulations

Column (1)	Column (2)
Provisions in Income Support Regulations	Specified Sum
Regulation 22A(1)[^f00089]	Applicable amount to be reduced by a sum equivalent to 20 per cent. of the specified amount.
Schedule 3[^f00090], paragraph 6(1)(b)	Half the amount which would fall to be met by applying the provisions of sub-paragraph (a).
Schedule 3, paragraph 6(1)(c)	Nil.
Schedule 3, paragraph 7(8)	100 per cent. of the eligible interest.
Schedule 3, paragraph 8(1)(b)	Nil.
Schedule 3, paragraph 10	The weekly amount of housing costs is the amount calculated by applying the formula— $A x B 52$
Schedule 3, paragraph 11(5)[^f00091]	£100,000.
Schedule 3, paragraph 11(7)(a)	The appropriate amount shall be a sum determined by applying the formula P x Q.
Schedule 3, paragraph 11(11)[^f00092]	The qualifying portion of a loan shall be determined by applying the formula— $R x S T$
Schedule 3, paragraph 12(2)[^f00093]	The standard rate is to be the average mortgage rate published by the Bank of England in August 2010 varied each time that sub-paragraph (2B) applies such that the average mortgage rate published on the reference day then becomes the new standard rate in accordance with sub-paragraph (2D).
Schedule 7, paragraph 2A[^f00094]	Nil.
Schedule 7, paragraph 7	Nil.
Schedule 7, paragraph 8(a)	Nil
Schedule 7, paragraph 15[^f00095]	Nil.

SCHEDULE 5 — Part I of Schedule 4 to the Housing Benefit Regulations asamendedbythisOrder

SCHEDULE 6 — Part IV of Schedule 4 to the Housing Benefit Regulations asamendedbythisOrder

SCHEDULE 7 — Part I of Schedule 4 to the Housing Benefit (SPC) Regulations asamendedbythisOrder

SCHEDULE 8 — Part IV of Schedule 4 to the Housing Benefit (SPC) Regulations asamendedbythisOrder

SCHEDULE 9 — Part I of Schedule 1 to the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations asamendedbythisOrder

SCHEDULE 10 — Part IV of Schedule 1 to the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations asamendedbythisOrder

SCHEDULE 11 — Part IVB of Schedule 1 to the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations asamendedbythisOrder

SCHEDULE 12 — Applicable amounts specified in theJobseeker’sAllowanceRegulations

Column (1)	Column (2)
Provisions in Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations	Specified Sum
Regulation 145(1)[^f00105]	Applicable amount to be reduced by a sum equivalent to 40 per cent. or, as the case may be, 20 per cent. of the specified amount.
Regulation 146G(1)[^f00106]	Applicable amount to be reduced by a sum equivalent to 40 per cent. or, as the case may be, 20 per cent. of the specified amount.
Schedule 2, paragraph 6(1)(b)	Half the amount which would fall to be met by applying the provisions of sub-paragraph (a).
Schedule 2, paragraph 6(1)(c)	Nil.
Schedule 2, paragraph 7(1)(b)	Nil.
Schedule 2, paragraph 9[^f00107]	The weekly amount of housing costs is the amount calculated by applying the formula— $A x B 52$
Schedule 2, paragraph 10(4)[^f00108]	£100,000.
Schedule 2, paragraph 10(6)(a)	The appropriate amount shall be a sum determined by applying the formula P x Q.
Schedule 2, paragraph 10(10)	The qualifying portion of a loan shall be determined by applying the formula— $R x S T$
Schedule 2, paragraph 11(2)[^f00109]	The standard rate is to be the average mortgage rate published by the Bank of England in August 2010 varied each time that sub-paragraph (2B) applies such that the average mortgage rate published on the reference day then becomes the new standard rate in accordance with sub-paragraph (2D).
Schedule 4, paragraph 4	Nil.
Schedule 4, paragraph 14[^f00110]	Nil.
Schedule 4A[^f00111], paragraph 3	Nil.

SCHEDULE 13 — Other amounts specified in the State Pension Credit Regulations

Column (1)	Column (2)
Provisions in State Pension Credit Regulations	Specified Sum
Regulation 6(3)(a)	Nil.
Regulation 6(3)(b)	Nil.
Regulation 7(3)	Nil.
Schedule 2, paragraph 7(1)	The weekly amount of housing costs shall be calculated by applying the formula— $A x B 52$
Schedule 2, paragraph 8(2)[^f00112]	£100,000.
Schedule 2, paragraph 8(4)(a)	The sum shall be determined by applying the formula P x Q.
Schedule 2, paragraph 8(8)	The qualifying portion of a loan shall be determined by applying the formula— $R x S T$
Schedule 2, paragraph 9(2)[^f00113]	The standard rate is to be the average mortgage rate published by the Bank of England in August 2010 varied each time that sub-paragraph (2B) applies such that the average mortgage rate published on the reference day then becomes the new standard rate in accordance with sub-paragraph (2D).
Schedule 3, paragraph 2[^f00114]	Nil.