Social Security Act 1973
- (2) The condition referred to in subsection (1)(a) above is that the woman's family includes a child with respect to whom one of the conditions specified in section 33(1) of this Act (conditions of payment of increase for child dependants) is for the time being satisfied and who either—
- (a) at her late husband's death was, or could have been treated under paragraph 3 of the Schedule to the Family Allowances Act as, a child of his family; or
- (b) is a son or daughter of theirs; or
- (c) subject to such exceptions and conditions as may be prescribed, having at the death of a previous husband of the widow by a marriage which ended with that husband's death been a child of that husband's family, was at the death of her late husband a child of the woman's family.
- (3) The period for which a widowed mother's allowance is payable to a woman shall be any period during which she satisfies the requirements of subsection (1)(a), (b) or (c) above and for which she is not entitled to a widow's allowance:
Provided that the allowance shall not be payable for any period after the widow's remarriage or for any period during which she is cohabiting with a man as his wife.
Widow's pension.
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- (1) A woman who has been widowed shall be entitled to a widow's pension at the weekly rate specified in relation thereto in Part I of Schedule 4 to this Act if her late husband satisfied the contribution conditions for a widow's pension specified in Part I of Schedule 3 to this Act and either—
- (a) she was, at the husband's death, over the age of 40 but under the age of 65 ; or
- (b) she ceased to be entitled to a widowed mother's allowance at a time when she was over the age of 40 but under the age of 65.
- (2) The weekly rate of a widow's pension payable to a woman who was under the age of 50 at the time when her late husband died or, as the case may be, when she ceased to be entitled to a widowed mother's allowance shall be reduced by an amount equal to 7 per cent, of its amount apart from this subsection multiplied by the number of years by which her age at that time was less than 50 (any fraction of a year being counted as a year).
- (3) The period for which a widow's pension is payable to a woman shall be any period during which she is under the age of 65 and for which she is not entitled to a widow's allowance or a widowed mother's allowance :
Provided that the pension shall not be payable for any period after the widow's remarriage or for any period during which she is cohabiting with a man as his wife.
Guardian's allowance
Guardian's allowance.
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- (1) Subject to the provisions of this Act (and in particular to those of section 33 imposing limitations on payment of benefit in respect of children), a person shall be entitled to a guardian's allowance at the weekly rate specified in relation thereto in Part I of Schedule 4 to this Act in respect of a child of his family, where the circumstances are any of those specified in subsection (2) below.
- (2) The circumstances referred to in subsection (1) are—
- (a) that both of the child's parents are dead ; or
- (b) that one of the child's parents is dead and the person claiming a guardian's allowance shows that he was at the date of the death unaware of, and has failed after all reasonable efforts to discover, the whereabouts of the other parent; or
- (c) that one of the child's parents is dead and the other is in prison.
- (3) There shall be no entitlement to a guardian's allowance in respect of a child unless at least one of the child's parents satisfies, or immediately before his death satisfied, such conditions as may be prescribed as to nationality, residence, place of birth or other matters.
- (4) Regulations—
- (a) may modify subsection (2) or (3) above in relation to cases in which a child has been adopted or is illegitimate, or the marriage of a child's parents has been terminated by divorce;
- (b) shall prescribe the circumstances in which a person is to be treated for the purposes of this section as being in prison (by reference to his undergoing a sentence of imprisonment for life or of a prescribed minimum duration, or to his being in legal custody in prescribed circumstances); and
- (c) may, for cases where entitlement to a guardian's allowance is established by reference to a person being in prison, provide—
- (i) for requiring him to pay to the National Insurance Fund sums paid by way of a guardian's allowance;
- (ii) for suspending payment of an allowance where a conviction, sentence or order of a court is subject to appeal, and for matters arising from the decision of an appeal;
- (iii) for the cases in which a child is to be treated as a child of the claimant's family ; and
- (iv) for reducing the rate of an allowance in cases where the person in prison contributes to the cost of providing for the child.
- (5) In the case of a child who is a child of the family of a man and his wife, the wife only shall be entitled to a guardian's allowance; but subsections (2) to (6) of section 4 of the Family Allowances Act (which specify the persons who are to receive an allowance under that Act payable in respect of such a child) shall apply in relation to a guardian's allowance as they apply in relation to an allowance under that Act.
- (6) No person shall be entitled to a guardian's allowance in respect of a child of which he or she is the parent.
Retirement pensions and age addition
Matters affecting entitlement to pension.
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- (1) In this Act " pensionable age " means—
- (a) in the case of a man, the age of 65 ; and
- (b) in the case of a woman, the age of 60.
- (2) For the purposes of this Act a person's working life is the period between (inclusive) the year in which he attained the age of 16 and (exclusive) the year in which he attained pensionable age or died under that age.
- (3) For those purposes, a person may (subject to the following subsection) be treated as having retired from regular employment at any time after he has attained pensionable age—
- (a) whether or not he has previously been an earner;
- (b) notwithstanding that he is, or intends to be, an earner, if—
- (i) he is or intends to be so only occasionally or to an inconsiderable extent, or otherwise in circumstances not inconsistent with retirement, or
- (ii) his earnings can be expected not to exceed, or only occasionally to exceed, the amount any excess over which would, under section 26(1) below (earnings rule), involve a reduction of the weekly rate of his pension ;
and a person so treated under this subsection shall not cease to be so treated except in pursuance of an election under section 26(2) of this Act (return to work after retirement).
- (4) Subject to the following subsection, a person shall not be treated as having retired from regular employment unless he has complied with the prescribed requirements as to the giving of notice of the date of his retirement; and where the date of retirement specified in the notice falls before the date when the notice is given, the person shall not be treated as having so retired earlier than on the date of commencement of the prescribed period before the giving of the notice.
- (5) For the purposes of this Act a person who has not previously retired from regular employment shall be deemed so to retire on the expiration of 5 years from his attaining pensionable age; and references in this Part of this Act to the date of a person's retirement shall be construed in accordance with this section.
- (6) No person shall be entitled for the same period to more than one retirement pension; but where under the following sections in this Chapter a person would otherwise be entitled to more than one such pension, he shall be entitled (whichever pension he may apply for) to whichever one is from time to time the most favourable to him.
Category A retirement pension.
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- (1) a person shall be entitled to a Category A retirement pension at the weekly rate specified in relation thereto in Part I of Schedule 4 to this Act if—
- (a) he is over pensionable age and has retired from regular employment; and
- (b) he satisfies the contribution conditions for a Category A retirement pension specified in Part I of Schedule 3 to this Act;
and the pension shall commence from the date of retirement and (subject to section 26(1) of this Act (earnings rule)) be payable for the pensioner's life.
- (2) A woman who on attaining pensionable age is married shall not be entitled to a Category A retirement pension unless either—
- (a) her marriage (to the man to whom she is married on attaining that age) took place on or after the date on which she attained the age of 55 ; or
- (b) the number of years of her working life (disregarding the year in which that marriage took place and any previous year) for which her earnings factor was sufficient for satisfaction by her of paragraph (b) of the second contribution condition for a Category A retirement pension specified in Part I of Schedule 3 to this Act was at least—
- (i) one half of the number of complete years between (exclusive) the year in which that marriage took place and (exclusive) the year in which she attained pensionable age, or
- (ii) if that number of years is an odd number, one half of the next lowest even number.
- (3) Where a woman is a widow at the time when she attains pensionable age and does not with her own contributions satisfy the second contribution condition for a Category A retirement pension specified in Part I of Schedule 3 to this Act, then the contributions of her husband (which, if she has been more than once married, means her last husband) may, to the extent provided by Schedule 8 to this Act, be treated as if they were contributions of her own.
- (4) The weekly rate of a Category A retirement pension shall be increased by l/8th per cent, of its rate apart from this subsection for every 6 days (excluding Sundays) which—
- (a) fall in the period beginning with the day on which the pensioner attained pensionable age and ending with the day before that of his retirement; and
- (b) are treated by regulations as being, in relation to him and his pension, days of increment under this subsection,
but only if the number of such days is at least 48; and a day may be so treated by reference to the pensioner or some other person having received, or not having received, benefit of any prescribed description (whether or not under this Act) in respect of that day or a period in which it falls or by reference to any other circumstances whatsoever.
- (5) In the case of a woman entitled to a Category A retirement pension, the rate of the pension (with or without any increase under subsection (4) above) shall, if—
- (a) she has had a husband and he has died, and she was married to him when he died; and
- (b) the husband either—
- (i) was entitled to a Category A retirement pension with increases under subsection (4) above, or
- (ii) would have been so entitled if he had retired on the date of his death,
be increased by 1/16th per cent, of the rate of the pension to which he was (or would have been) entitled for every 6 days which were (or would have been) in relation to him and that pension days of increment under subsection (4), but only if the number of such days is at least 48.
- (6) Where under subsection (4) or (5) above an increase is calculated as a percentage applied to a rate, there shall in arriving at that rate be disregarded any increase otherwise than under subsection (7) below.
- (7) The weekly rate of a Category A retirement pension shall be increased under this subsection if the pensioner was entitled to an invalidity allowance hi respect of—
- (a) any day falling within the period of 13 weeks ending immediately' before the day on which he attains pensionable age, or
- (b) the last day before the beginning of that period ;
and the increase shall be of an amount equal to the weekly rate of the invalidity allowance (whether the higher, the middle or the lower rate) to which he was entitled on that day.
- (8) In ascertaining—
- (a) for the purposes of subsection (5) above, the rate of the pension of a woman's former husband; and
- (b) for the purposes of subsection (7) above, the rate of a pensioner's invalidity allowance,
regard is to be had to the rates in force from time to time as increased by orders under section 39 of this Act (annual up-rating review) or by any Act passed after this Act.
Category B retirement pension (for a woman, based on her husband's contributions).
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- (1) A woman who is or has been married, and has attained pensionable age, shall be entitled to a Category B retirement pension by virtue of the contributions of her husband ; and the cases in which a woman is to be so entitled are those specified in subsections (2) to (5) below.
- (2) The first case of entitlement is where the woman is married to that husband at the time when she attains pensionable age and—
- (a) he also has attained pensionable age, and both of them have retired from regular employment; and
- (b) he satisfies the relevant contribution conditions.
- (3) The second case of entitlement is where the woman marries after attaining pensionable age and—
- (a) her husband has also attained pensionable age and both of them have retired from regular employment; and
- (b) he satisfies the relevant contribution conditions.
- (4) The third case of entitlement is where the woman's husband is dead and his death was after she attained pensionable age, and—
- (a) she was married to him when he died ; and
- (b) before his death he satisfied the relevant contribution conditions.
- (5) The fourth case of entitlement is where the woman's husband is dead and his death was before she attained pensionable age, and—
- (a) she has retired from regular employment; and
- (b) she was a widow immediately before attaining pensionable age and is entitled (or is treated by regulations as entitled) to a widow's pension; and
- (c) she became entitled to the pension in consequence of the husband's death.
- (6) The relevant contribution conditions for the purposes of the first, second and third cases of entitlement are those specified in paragraph 5 of Part I of Schedule 3 to this Act (Category B retirement pension or widow's pension, as the case may be).
- (7) A woman's Category B retirement pension—
- (a) in the first and second cases of entitlement shall—
- (i) during any period in which the husband is alive, be at the lower rate specified in relation thereto in Part I of Schedule 4 to this Act, and
- (ii) during any period after he is dead, be at the higher rate so specified ; and
- (b) in the third case of entitlement, shall be at the higher rate so specified ; and
- (c) in the fourth case of entitlement, shall be at the same weekly rate as her widow's pension.
- (8) Where a woman would but for section 23(6) of this Act be entitled both to a Category A and also to a Category B retirement pension, and section 24(7) of this Act would apply for the increase of the former pension, it shall be taken as applying also for the increase of the latter.
- (9) Subject to the provisions of this Act, a woman's Category B retirement pension shall commence from the date on which she becomes entitled under whichever of subsections (2) to (5) above is applicable in her case, and shall be payable for her life.
- (10) Where a woman is entitled to a Category B retirement pension by virtue of the contributions of her husband, the weekly rate of the pension shall be increased—
- (a) during any period in which he is alive (and she remains his wife) by 1/16th per cent, of his pension for every 6 days (excluding Sundays) which—
- (i) fall in the period beginning with the day on which he attained pensionable age and ending with the day before that of his retirement and not in a period before she married him or attained pensionable age; and
- (ii) in relation to him and his pension, were days of increment under section 24(4),
but only if the number of such days is at least 48 ; and
- (b) during any period after he is dead, if she was married to him when he died, by that amount plus an additional 1/16th per cent, of the husband's pension for every 6 days which were in relation to him and his pension days of increment under section 24(4), but only if the number of such days is at least 48.
- (11) References in subsection (10) above to the husband's pension are to that pension without any increase otherwise than under section 24(7) of this Act; and in ascertaining the rate of his pension for the purposes of subsection (10) regard is to be had to the rates in force from time to time as increased by orders under section 39 of this Act (annual up-rating review), or by any Act passed after this Act.
- (12) Where a woman has made an election in accordance with regulations under section 26(2) of this Act (return to work after retirement) and has not revoked her election, there shall be taken into account, as days of increment in relation to her for the purposes of any increase of her pension under subsection (I0)(b) above, any days after the date of her election and after the date of the death of her husband by virtue of whose contributions she is entitled to the pension, being days which would, if she were entitled to a Category A retirement pension, be days of increment under section 24(4) of this Act in relation to her and that pension.
Supplementary provisions as to Category A and B retirement pensions.
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- (1) Where the earnings of a person entitled to a Category A or Category B retirement pension, being a person who is less than 5 years over pensionable age, have exceeded £9.50 for the week ending last before any week for which he is entitled to the pension, the weekly rate of pension for the last-mentioned week shall be reduced—
- (a) where the excess is less than £4, by 5 pence for each complete 10 pence of the excess ; and
- (b) where the excess is not less than £4, by 5 pence for each complete 10 pence of the excess up to £4 and by 5 pence for each complete 5 pence of any further excess:
Provided that this subsection shall not affect the rate of the pension for the first week after the date of the beneficiary's retirement.
In this subsection " week", where used in the expression " week for which he is entitled to the pension " and in the proviso, means such period of 7 days as may be prescribed by regulations relating to the payment of pensions.
- (2) Regulations may provide that in the case of a person of any prescribed description who—
- (a) has retired from regular employment or has otherwise become entitled to a retirement pension (whether Cat-gory A or Category B) but is, in the case of a woman, under the age of 65 or, in the case of a man, under the age of 70 ; and
- (b) elects in such manner and in accordance with such conditions as may be prescribed that the regulations shall apply in his case,
this Part of this Act shall have effect as if that person had not retired or become entitled to such a retirement pension ; and any such regulations may make such modifications of this Part, as it applies in a case where a person makes an election under the regulations, as may appear to the Secretary of State necessary or expedient.
- (3) Where a husband and wife have both become entitled to retirement pensions and—
- (a) the husband's pension is Category A ; and
- (b) the wife's pension is Category B by virtue of that husband's contributions,
the husband shall not be entitled to make an election in accordance with regulations made under subsection (2) above without the consent of the wife, unless that consent is unreasonably withheld.
- (4) Where a person has given notice for the purposes of regulations under section 23(4) of this Act and the date of retirement specified in the notice falls after the date when the notice was given, a Category A or Category B retirement pension may be awarded as from the date of retirement so specified, but if so awarded shall be conditional on the person's having retired on or before that date.
Category C and D retirement pensions for old people, and related benefits.
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- (1) Subject to the provisions of this Act—
- (a) a person who was over pensionable age on 5th July 1948 and satisfies such conditions as may be prescribed shall be entitled to a Category C retirement pension at the appropriate weekly rate ;
- (b) a woman whose husband is entitled to a Category C retirement pension -shall, if she is over pensionable age and has retired from regular employment and satisfies such other conditions as may be prescribed, be entitled to such a pension at the appropriate weekly rate; and
- (c) a person who is over the age of 80 and satisfies such conditions as may be prescribed shall be entitled to a Category D retirement pension at the appropriate weekly rate if—
- (i) he is not entitled to a Category A, Category B or Category C retirement pension ; or
- (ii) he is entitled to such a pension but it is payable at a weekly irate which, disregarding any increase (for dependants) under section 31 or 35 of this Act, is less than the appropriate weekly rate.
- (2) The appropriate weekly rate of a Category C or Category D retirement pension—
- (a) shall be the lower rate specified in relation thereto in Part I of Schedule 4 to this Act where—
- (i) the pensioner is a married woman, and
- (ii) she has not, at any time since she became entitled to her pension, ceased to be a married woman; and
- (b) shall be the higher rate so specified in any other case.
- (3) A Category C or Category D retirement pension shall be payable for the pensioner's life.
- (4) Regulations may provide for the payment—
- (a) to a widow whose husband was over pensionable age on 5th July 1948 ; or
- (b) to a woman whose marriage to a husband who was over pensionable age on that date was terminated otherwise than by his death,
of a Category C retirement pension, or of benefit corresponding to a widow's pension or a widowed mother's allowance; and any such pension or benefit shall be at the prescribed rate.
Age addition.
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- (1) A person who is over the age of 80 and entitled to a retirement pension of any category shall be entitled to an increase of the pension, known as age addition.
- (2) Where a person is in receipt of a pension or allowance payable by the Secretary of State by virtue of any prescribed enactment or instrument (whether passed or made before or after this Act) and—
- (a) he is over the age of 80 ; and
- (b) he fulfils such other conditions as may be prescribed,
he shall be entitled to an increase of that pension or allowance, also known as age addition.
- (3) Age addition shall be payable for the life of the person entitled, at the weekly rate specified in relation thereto in Part I of Schedule 4 to this Act.
Child's special allowance
Child's special allowance.
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Subject to the provisions of this Act (and in particular to those of section 33 imposing limitations on payment of benefit in respect of children), a woman whose marriage has been terminated by divorce shall be entitled to a child's special allowance at the weekly rate specified in relation thereto in Part I of Schedule 4 to this Act if—
- (a) -the husband of that marriage is dead and satisfied the contribution condition for a child's special allowance specified in Part I of Schedule 3 to this Act; and
- (b) she has a family which includes a child and at that husband's death the child—
- (i) was either a child of her family or, where the child is issue of theirs within the meaning of the Family Allowances Act, a child of that husband's family, or
- (ii) would have been within sub-paragraph (i) above but for the fact that the child was not then in Great Britain; and
- (c) either—
- (i) that husband had before his death been contributing at not less than the prescribed weekly rate to the cost of providing for that child, or
- (ii) at the date of that husband's death she was entitled, under an order of a court, trust or agreement which she has taken reasonable steps to enforce, to receive (whether from that husband or from another person) payments in respect of that child at not less than the weekly rate provided or procured by that husband:
Death grant
Death grant.
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- (1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, a death grant of the amount specified in relation thereto in Part II of Schedule 4 to this Act shall be payable in respect of the death of any person (in this section and in that Part of the Schedule referred to as " the deceased ") where the case is one falling within any of the paragraphs of Schedule 9 to this Act; and in that Schedule and subsection (2) below references to a person being, or having been, a qualifying contributor are to his satisfying or having satisfied the contribution condition specified for death grant in Part I of Schedule 3 to this Act.
- (2) Regulations may provide that, in a case where the deceased—
- (a) was a child either at his death or at any time during the year in which he died or the preceding year; or
- (b) was at his death over the age of 16 and under the age of 19 and was then incapacitated for regular employment (within the meaning given to that expression by paragraph 5 of Schedule 9 to this Act),
but (in either case) a death grant is not payable by virtue of subsection (1) above, it shall nevertheless be payable if a person having such connection with the deceased as may be prescribed is or was at any time a qualifying contributor.
- (3) A death grant shall not be payable in respect of the death of a person who attained pensionable age before 5th July 1948 nor, except in prescribed cases, in respect of a death occurring outside Great Britain.
Child dependants
Increase of benefit for child dependants.
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- (1) Subject to section 26(1) of this Act and to the following provisions of this Chapter, the weekly rate of any benefit to which this subsection applies shall, for any period for which the beneficiary has a family which includes a child or children, be increased in respect of that child, or each respectively of those children, by the appropriate amount specified in relation to the benefit in question in column (2), (3) or (4) of Part III of Schedule 4 to this Act.
- (2) Subsection (1) above applies to—
- (a) unemployment benefit;
- (b) sickness benefit;
- (c) invalidity pension;
- (d) maternity allowance;
- (e) widow's allowance ; and
- (f) Category A, B or C retirement pension.
- (3) In the application of subsection (1) of this section to a maternity allowance, references therein to a child or children shall include references to any child or children born to the beneficiary on the occasion of the confinement by reason of whose actual or expected occurrence she became entitled to the allowance.
- (4) Subject to section 33 of this Act, the weekly rate of a widowed mother's allowance payable by virtue of section 20(1)(a) of this Act shall be increased for any period in respect of the child or, if more than one, each respectively of the children falling within paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of section 20(2) for the time being included in her family by the appropriate amount specified in relation to that allowance in column (2), (3) or (4) of Part III of Schedule 4 to this Act.
- (5) Subject to section 33 of this Act, the weekly rate of a child's special allowance shall, for any period for which the beneficiary has a family which includes 2 or more children with respect to whom the conditions specified in section 29(b) and (c) of this Act are satisfied, be increased in respect of each respectively of those children other than the elder or eldest by the appropriate amount specified in relation to that allowance in column (3) or (4) of Part III of that Schedule.
- (6) Where the beneficiary by whom an increase of benefit under this section is claimed is a married woman residing with her husband, it shall be an additional condition with respect to receipt of that increase that her husband is incapable of self-support.
Additional provisions as to increase under s. 31.
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- (1) The provisions of this section shall have effect with respect to increases under section 31 of this Act of benefits other than a child's special allowance.
- (2) Subject to section 33 of this Act, a child of the family of any woman for the time being residing with the beneficiary shall be treated for the purposes of section 31 as a child of die beneficiary's family if the child—
- (a) is an illegitimate son or daughter of theirs ; or
- (b) was born not less than 6 months before the day for which the increase provided for by that section is claimed and was wholly or mainly maintained by the beneficiary throughout the 6 months ending immediately before that day.
- (3) Subject to section 33, where a man is entitled to unemployment benefit, sickness benefit, an invalidity pension, or a Category A or C retirement pension, there shall be treated for the purposes of section 31 as included in the beneficiary's family any child to whom this subsection applies; and this subsection applies to—
- (a) a child who, on the day for which the increase provided by section 31 is claimed, could (though not otherwise included in the beneficiary's family) have been treated as so included by virtue of paragraph 3 of the Schedule to the Family Allowances Act; and
- (b) a child who could have been so treated but for the fact that the beneficiary is contributing at the appropriate rate to the cost of providing for the child;
and, for the purposes of paragraph (b) above, the appropriate rate is a weekly rate which, though not less than the prescribed rate, is less than the minimum rate for the time being required for the purposes of section 3(2) of the Family Allowances Act.
- (4) In the case of retirement pensions (except Category D)—
- (a) where a man and his wife are both entitled to a retirement pension (being a Category A or C pension in his case and a Category B or C pension in hers)—
- (i) they shall not both be entitled for the same period to an increase under section 31(1) in respect of the same child, nor shall they both be entitled for the same period, in respect of different children, to such an increase at the rate applicable to an only, elder or eldest child, nor both to such an increase at the rate applicable to a second child;
- (ii) where one of them is entitled to such an increase at either of the rates above mentioned in respect of a child not included or treated as included in the other's family, the rates of any such increases to which the other is entitled shall be the rates which would have been appropriate if that child had been the elder or eldest or, as the case may be, the second child of the other's family;
- (b) for any reference in subsection (2) above to the day for which the increase provided for by section 31(1) is claimed there shall be substituted a reference to the date of retirement or, where the beneficiary is a woman who became entitled to the pension without having retired, the date when she so became entitled;
and where, but for paragraph (a) above, a man and his wife would both be entitled to an increase of a retirement pension under section 31(1), regulations may make provision as to their priority.
Limitations on payment of benefit in respect of child dependants.
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- (1) Where, apart from this subsection, a person is entitled to receive, in respect of a particular child who is, or who falls to be treated for the purposes of the relevant provision as a child of that person's family, payment of an amount by way of a guardian's allowance under section 22, or a child's special allowance under section 29, or of an increase under any of the provisions of section 31 of any benefit, that amount shall not be payable unless one of the following conditions is satisfied—
- (a) that the child in question is living with the beneficiary; or
- (b) that the requisite contributions are being made to the cost of providing for the child.
- (2) In relation to the payment of such an amount as is specified in subsection (1) above, the condition specified in paragraph (b) of that subsection shall be treated as satisfied if, and only if—
- (a) such contributions are being made at a weekly rate not less than that amount—
- (i) by the beneficiary, or
- (ii) where the beneficiary is one of two spouses living together, by them together ; and
- (b) where an allowance under the Family Allowances Act is payable in respect of the child as a child of the beneficiary's family, the contributions are over and above those required for the purposes of satisfying section 3(2) of that Act or (as the case may be) the proviso to paragraph 1(1) of the Schedule to that Act.
- (3) For the purposes of subsection (1) above, a child's special allowance shall be treated as a payment in respect of an only, or the elder or eldest, child with respect to whom the conditions specified in section 29(b) and (c) of this Act are satisfied, without prejudice, however, to any payment by way of an increase of the allowance in respect of any other such child under section 31(5) of this Act.
- (4) Where a person is entitled in respect of a child to a guardian's allowance under section 22 of this Act, the amount (if any) payable to that or any other person by way of any other benefit under this Act in respect of children of any family shall be such, and such only, as would be payable if the first-mentioned child were not included or treated as included in any family.
Adult dependants
Increase of certain short-term benefits in respect of adult dependants.
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- (1) Subject to the provisions of this section, the weekly rate of unemployment benefit or sickness benefit shall be increased by the amount specified in relation to the benefit in question in column (5) of Part III of Schedule 4 to this Act for any period during which—
- (a) the beneficiary is—
- (i) residing with his wife; or
- (ii) contributing to the maintenance of his wife at a weekly rate of not less than that amount; and
- (b) his wife is not engaged in any one or more employments from which her weekly earnings exceed that amount.
- (2) Subject to the following subsections, the weekly rate—
- (a) of unemployment benefit or sickness benefit in the case of a beneficiary not entitled to an increase in respect of his wife under subsection (1) above; and
- (b) of a maternity allowance in any case,
shall be increased by the amount specified in relation to the benefit in question in column (5) of Part III of Schedule 4 to this Act for any of the periods mentioned in subsection (3) below.
- (3) Those periods are—
- (a) any period during which the beneficiary's husband is incapable of self-support and either they are residing together or she is contributing to his maintenance at a weekly rate of not less than the amount so specified;
- (b) any period during which the beneficiary has residing with him, and is wholly or mainly maintaining, such other relative as may be prescribed, being a relative in relation to whom such further conditions as may be prescribed are fulfilled ;
- (c) any period during which some female person (not being a child) has the care of a child or children of the beneficiary's family, or of a child or children treated as such for the purposes of section 31 of this Act, being a person in relation to whom such further conditions as may be prescribed are fulfilled.
- (4) A beneficiary shall not under subsection (2) above be entitled for the same period to an increase of benefit in respect of more than one person.
- (5) Where a person is entitled to unemployment benefit or sickness benefit under section 10(2) (b) or (c) of this Act—
- (a) he shall not be entitled to an increase under subsection (2) above in repect of any such period as is mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (3); and
- (b) if he would have been entitled only by virtue of section 37 of this Act (partial satisfaction of contribution conditions) to the retirement pension by reference to which the weekly rate of the unemployment benefit or sickness benefit is determined, the amount of any increase under this section of that weekly rate shall be that which would have been applicable by virtue of that section in the case of such an increase of the weekly rate of that pension.
- (6) In this section, "relative" does not include any person who is a child, but includes a person who is a relative by marriage or adoption and a person who would be a relative if some person born iUegitimate had been born legitimate.
Increase of long-term benefit in respect of adult dependants.
35
- (1) Subject to the provisions of this section, the weekly rate of a Category A or Category C retirement pension, or of an invalidity pension, when payable to a man, shall be increased by the amount respectively specified in relation to the relevant pension in column (5) of Part III of Schedule 4 to this Act—
- (a) for any period during which the pensioner is residing with his wife ; or
- (b) for any period during which the pensioner is contributing to the maintenance of his wife at a weekly rate of not less than that amount, and his wife is not engaged in any one or more employments from which her weekly earnings exceed that amount.
- (2) Where the pensioner is residing with his wife, and the earnings of his wife for the week ending last before any week for which he is entitled to benefit under this section exceeded £9.50, the weekly rate of benefit under this section shall for the last-mentioned week be reduced—
- (a) where the excess is less than £2, by 5 pence for each complete 10 pence of the excess, and
- (b) where the excess is not less than £2, by 5 pence for each complete 10 pence of the excess up to £2 and by 5 pence for each complete 5 pence of any further excess.
In this subsection " week", where used in the expression " week for which he is entitled to benefit", means such period of 7 days as may be prescribed by regulations made for the purposes of this subsection.
- (3) Subject to the following provisions of this section, the weekly rate—
- (a) of a Category A retirement pension ; or
- (b) of a Category C retirement pension by virtue of section 27(1) (a) of this Act; or
- (c) of an invalidity pension,
shall be increased by the amount specified in column (5) of Part III of Schedule 4 to this Act for any period during which some female person (not being a child) has the care of a child or children of the pensioner's family, or of a child or children treated as such for the purposes of section 31 of this Act.
- (4) Subsection (3) above shall not apply if the pensioner is a man whose wife is entitled to a Category B retirement pension, or to a Category C retirement pension by virtue of section 27(1)(b) of this Act.
- (5) Regulations may, in a case within subsection (3) above in which the female person there referred to is residing with the pensioner and fulfils such further conditions as may be prescribed, authorise an increase of benefit under this section, but subject to a reduction in respect of the female person's earnings, other than such of her earnings from employment by the pensioner as may be prescribed, comparable to the reduction under subsection (2) above.
- (6) Subject to subsection (7) below, the weekly rate of an invalidity pension shall be increased by the amount specified in column (5) of Part III of Schedule 4 to this Act—
- (a) for any period during which the pensioner's husband is incapable of self-support and either they are residing together or she is contributing to his maintenance at a weekly rate of not less than the amount so specified ; or
- (b) for any period during which the pensioner has residing with him and is wholly or mainly maintaining such other relative as may be prescribed, being a relative in relation to whom such further conditions as may be prescribed are fulfilled.
In this subsection " relative" has the meaning given to it by section 34(6) above.
- (7) Where a person is entitled to an invalidity pension at a weekly rate determined under section 11(4) of this Act—
- (a) subsection (6) above shall not apply ; and
- (b) if the pensioner would have been entitled only by virtue of section 37 of this Act to the retirement pension by reference to which the weekly rate of the invalidity pension is determined, the amount of any increase under this section of that weekly rate shall be that which would have been applicable by virtue of that section in the case of such an increase of the weekly rate of that pension.
- (8) A pensioner shall not under this section be entitled for the same period to an increase of benefit in respect of more than one person.
- (9) So far as this section relates to the amount of the increase of a retirement pension, it shall have effect subject to section 26(1) of this Act; and any reduction to be made under that subsection shall be made, so far as necessary—
- (a) first against the amount of the benefit set out in Part I of Schedule 4 to this Act plus any increase under section 24(4) or (5) or 25(10);
- (b) secondly against the increase under this section (and before any reduction to be made under subsection (2) above); and
- (c) lastly, against any increase under section 31 of this Act.
Supplementary
Review of provision for chronically sick and disabled persons.
36
The Secretary of State shall review social security provision for chronically sick and disabled persons, and shall lay a report on his review before Parliament by 31st October 1974.
Partial satisfaction of contribution conditions.
37
- (1) This section applies to—
- (a) unemployment benefit;
- (b) sickness benefit;
- (c) maternity allowance;
- (d) widowed mother's allowance ;
- (e) widow's pension;
- (f) Category A retirement pension ; and
- (g) Category B retirement pension.
- (2) Subject to the provisions of this section, regulations may provide for persons to be entitled to a benefit to which this section applies, in cases where the first contribution condition specified in relation to that benefit in Part I of Schedule 3 to this Act is satisfied, and the second contribution condition so specified is not.
- (3) Regulations under this section shall provide for benefit payable by virtue of any such regulations to be payable at a rate, or to be of an amount, less than that specified in Schedule 4 to this Act, and the rate or amount prescribed by the regulations may vary with the extent to which the relevant contribution conditions are satisfied; but the amount of any increase of benefit in respect of a child shall be the same as if both of the relevant contribution conditions had been fully satisfied.
Ancillary provisions about benefit.
38
The provisions of Schedule 10 to this Act (being provisions which substantially replace certain provisions of Parts I and IV of the former principal Act and the enactments amending that Act relating to benefit under that Act and, in certain cases, also to benefit under the Industrial Injuries Acts and payments under the Family Allowances Act) shall have effect with respect to the manner of claiming benefit, payment of benefit, disqualifications, overlapping benefits, set-off of overpayments, alienation of benefit, administration of benefit and other matters ancillary to this Chapter and, to the extent provided by the Schedule, ancillary also to those Acts.
Annual review of benefits
Annual review of benefits for purpose of up-rating.
39
- (1) As from the beginning of the first year after that in which this section first comes into force, and thereafter as from the beginning of each subsequent year, the Secretary of State shall review the rates of social security benefits then in force; and the review shall be completed in such period as will enable him (if he so determines) to prepare and lay before Parliament, not later than 30th June in the year in which the review is begun, an order under this section increasing rates of benefit.
- (2) In this section, " social security benefits "—
- (a) in relation to a review carried out at any time before the other provisions of this Chapter come into force, means benefits under the former principal Act, the Industrial Injuries Act and the Old Cases Act; and
- (b) otherwise, means benefits under this Part of this Act and the two last-mentioned Acts.
- (3) In the course of a review of social security benefits under this section, the Secretary of State shall consider—
- (a) the extent to which current rates appear to him to have retained their value in relation to the general level of prices obtaining in Great Britain from time to time since the beginning of the year in which this section first came into force or, as the case may be, the end of the period to which he had regard for the purposes of the last previous review under this section ; and
- (b) apart from the considerations of paragraph (a) above, whether any of the rates ought to be increased having regard to—
- (i) the general level of prices and earnings obtaining in Great Britain at the time of the review,
- (ii) the national economic situation as a whole and the general standard of living, and
- (iii) such other matters as the Secretary of State thinks relevant to his review of benefits;
and for the above purposes the Secretary of State shall estimate general levels of prices and earnings in such manner as he considers appropriate having regard to the objects of the review.
- (4) If on his review the Secretary of State concludes that current rates have not retained their value as mentioned in subsection (3)(a) above, he shall prepare and lay before each House of Parliament, not later than the date referred to in subsection (1) above, the draft of an order for the purposes of subsection. (5) below, framed so as to increase the rates there mentioned at least to such extent as appears to him necessary to restore their value in accordance with his conclusions on the review, and to such further extent (if any) as he thinks justified by reference to the considerations of subsection (3)(b).
- (5) Where the Secretary of State is required by subsection (4) above to lay before Parliament the draft of an order under this section, it shall be an order—
- (a) amending—
- (i) Part I of Schedule 4 to this Act by increasing all the figures specified in the second column of that Part of the Schedule, and
- (ii) Part III of that Schedule by increasing all the figures specified in columns (2), (3), (4) and (5) of that Part; and
- (b) amending Schedule 3 to the Industrial Injuries Act by increasing all the following figures specified in that Schedule—
- (i) the figures specified in the second column of paragraphs 1 (injury benefit) and 2 (maximum disablement gratuity),
- (ii) the figures specified in columns (2) and (3) of the Table setting out the rates of disablement pension for the purposes of paragraph 3,
- (iii) the figures specified in the second column of paragraphs 4 (unemployability supplement), 4A (increase of unemployability supplement in cases of early onset of incapacity for work), 7 (increase of benefit in respect of children, where no entitlement to unemployability supplement), 7A (the same, where there is entitlement to the supplement), 8 (increase of rate of injury benefit or disablement pension in respect of adult dependant), 9 (widow's pension), 11 (allowance in respect of children of deceased person's family) and 12 (maximum aggregate rate of benefit for successive accidents).
- (6) In an order made for the purposes of subsection (5) above, the increase—
- (a) of the figures for injury benefit under the Industrial Injuries Act (Schedule 3 to the Act, paragraph 1(a) and (b)) shall be at least as much as that of the figure for the higher rate of sickness benefit under this Chapter (Schedule 4, Part I, paragraph 1(a));
- (b) of the figure for the initial rate of a widow's pension under that Act (Schedule 3 to the Act, paragraph 9(a)) shall be at least as much as that of the figure for a widow's allowance under this Chapter (Schedule 4, Part I, paragraph 6); and
- (c) of the figure for the higher permanent rate of a widow's pension under that Act (Schedule 3 to the Act, paragraph 9(b)) shall be at least as much as that of the figure for a widow's pension under this Chapter (Schedule 4, Part I, paragraph 8).
- (7) Notwithstanding subsection (4) above, if it appears to the Secretary of State, in the case of any rate which is otherwise required to be increased by such an order, that by reference to the considerations of subsection (3)(a) above the increase would be only of an inconsiderable amount, the order need not increase that rate; and the order need not in the case of any rate increase it by reference to those considerations so as to result in the figure for the rate including a fraction of a penny.
- (8) An order under this section may, if the Secretary of State thinks it expedient in consequence of any provision made by the order for the purposes of subsection (5) above, and having regard to any other matters which he considers to be material to rates of social security benefits, include provision amending this Chapter, or the Industrial Injuries Act or the Old Cases Act, by altering any one or more of the figures specified in Schedule 11 to this Act (being rates of benefit or figures affecting the amount payable to a beneficiary); but no amendment shall be made under this subsection so as to reduce any rate, or the amount so payable.
- (9) In this section " rate " includes amount; and in subsections (5) to (8) above, and in Schedule 11 to this Act, " figure " means only a money sum.
- (10) If, following the completion of his review of social security benefits, the Secretary of State determines that he is not required by subsection (4) above to lay a draft of an order under this section, he shall (subject to subsection (11) below) lay before each House of Parliament a report containing an explanation of his reasons for arriving at that determination.
- (11) Where the Secretary of State so determines he may nevertheless lay before each House of Parliament a draft of an order under this section (but not later than the date referred to in subsection (1) above) if his conclusions on the review are such that, having regard to the considerations of subsection (3)(b) above, an order should in his opinion be made increasing rates of benefit; and if he lays a draft of an order in pursuance of this subsection, no report shall be required to be laid for the purposes of subsection (10) above.
- (12) Where the Secretary of State lays before Parliament a draft of an order under this section, he shall lay with it a copy of a report by the Government Actuary on die effect which, in the Actuary's opinion, the making of such an order may be expected to have on the National Insurance Fund; and where the Secretary of State determines that he is not required by subsection (4) above to lay a draft order, and also determines not to lay a draft order in pursuance of subsection (11), he shall lay before each House of Parliament, with his report under subsection (10), a copy of a report by the Government Actuary on the consequences for the Fund which may, in the Actuary's opinion, follow from those determinations.
- (13) Where the Secretary of State has laid before Parliament a draft of an order under this section, then if the draft is approved by a resolution of each House the Secretary of State shall make an order in the form of the draft.
- (14) An order under this section made in consequence of a review of social security benefits by the Secretary of State—
- (a) shall be made so as to come into force not earlier than 16th November following the date of Parliamentary approval (being the date on which the draft of the order is approved by the second House to approve it) or later than 30th November following that date;
- (b) may provide for any amendment made by it of this Part of this Act, the Industrial Injuries Act or the Old Cases Act which results in any increase of benefit to apply to benefit payable at any time after the amendment comes into force regardless—
- (i) of when any period began in which, or in respect of which, benefit is payable, and
- (ii) of any extent to which entitlement to, or the rate of, any particular benefit depends or may depend on events occurring in the past;
- (c) may provide for different amendments to operate from different dates;
- (d) shall include provision for increasing any amount by which a retirement pension payable under the former principal Act has been increased, or fell to be increased, under section 31(1) or 34(1) of that Act, any such increase provided for by the order being as nearly as may be proportional to the increase of the rate of a Category A retirement pension which results from the order; and
- (e) may include such transitional and other supplementary and incidental provisions as the Secretary of State thinks necessary or expedient, including—
- (i) adaptations of provisions of the order and of the Acts amended by it, and
- (ii) the variation or revocation and replacement of the whole or any part of any previous order under this section,
so far as appearing to him to be required in consequence of the order or the partial or postponed operation of any of its provisions.
CHAPTER III: — Supplementary Provisions
Modifications for special categories of earners
Crown servants, armed forces, etc.
40
- (1) This Act shall apply to persons employed by or under the Crown (subject to any special provision made by or under this section) in like manner as if such persons were employed earners in the employment of a private person.
- (2) Subject to the following provisions of this section, any person who is serving as a member of Her Majesty's forces shall, while he is so serving, be treated for the purposes of this Act as an employed earner in respect of his membership of those forces.
- (3) The Secretary of State may make regulations modifying this Part of this Act, in such manner as he thinks proper, in its application to persons who are or have been members of Her Majesty's forces; and regulations under this section may in particular provide—
- (a) in the case of persons who are employed earners in respect of their membership of Her Majesty's forces, for reducing the rate of the contributions payable in respect of their employment and for determining—
- (i) the amounts payable on account of those contributions by the Secretary of State and the time and manner of payment, and
- (ii) the deductions (if any) to be made on account of those contributions from the pay of those persons;
- (b) for preventing a person who is discharged from Her Majesty's forces at his own request from being thereby disqualified for receiving unemployment benefit on the ground that he has voluntarily left his employment without just cause.
- (4) For the purposes of this Act, Her Majesty's forces shall be taken to consist of such establishments and organisations as may be prescribed, being establishments and organisations in which persons serve under the control of the Defence Council.
Mariners and airmen.
41
- (1) The Secretary of State may make regulations modifying this Part of this Act, in such manner as he thinks proper, in its application to persons who are or have been employed on board any ship, vessel, hovercraft or aircraft; and such regulations may in particular provide—
- (a) for this Part to apply to such persons notwithstanding that it would not otherwise apply;
- (b) for excepting such persons from the application of this Part where they neither are domiciled nor have a place of residence in any part of Great Britain ;
- (c) for requiring the payment of secondary Class 1 contributions in respect of such persons, whether or not they are (within the meaning of this Part) employed earners ;
- (d) for the taking of evidence, for the purposes of any claim to benefit, in a country or territory outside Great Britain, by a British consular official or such other person as may be prescribed;
- (e) for enabling persons who are or have been so employed to authorise the payment of the whole or any part of any benefit to which they are or may become entitled to such of their dependants as may be prescribed.
- (2) Any secondary Class 1 contribution payable by an employer—
- (a) in respect of payments to a person employed on board a ship, vessel or hovercraft, where that person is by virtue of this section excepted from liability to pay a primary Class 1 contribution in respect of the payments; or
- (b) by virtue of this section in respect of a person so employed who is not an employed earner for the purposes of this Act,
shall be excluded from the contributions which under section 1(5) of this Act are to be taken into account for the purpose of arriving at the amount of any Treasury supplement and shall be administered and applied in such manner and for such purposes as may be prescribed.
- (3) In this section, " hovercraft" has the same meaning as in the Hovercraft Act 1968.
Married women and widows.
42
- (1) The Secretary of State may make regulations modifying this Part of this Act, in such manner as he thinks proper, in its application to women who are or have been married.
- (2) Regulations under this section shall provide for enabling a married woman or widow to elect that in any year—
- (a) her liability in respect of primary Class 1 contributions shall be a liability to contribute at the reduced, instead of the standard, rate; or
- (b) she shall be under no liability for Class 2 contributions,
and to revoke any such election.
- (3) Regulations made for the purposes of subsection (2) above shall provide so that—
- (a) a woman's election for those purposes is not to be made or revoked otherwise than in respect of a complete year (whether the year in which the election is made, or any subsequent year); and
- (b) an election made or revoked for either one of the purposes mentioned in subsection (2) is to be deemed to be made or revoked for the other purpose also; and
- (c) while an election has effect, the woman who made it is not entitled to pay any Class 3 contributions.
- (4) Regulations may, in relation to women who have been widowed, provide—
- (a) for excepting them generally from liability for contributions or for excepting them from liability for contributions of any prescribed class ;
- (b) for enabling women who are excepted under paragraph (a) above from liability for contributions of any class to elect to be liable for contributions of that class or not to be so liable, and for enabling them to revoke any such election ; and
- (c) for enabling women who are so excepted in respect of primary Class 1 contributions to elect to contribute at the standard, or at the reduced, rate ;
but any provision made by regulations under this subsection shall be subject to whatever provision is made by regulations for the purposes of subsection (3) above.
Persons outside Great Britain.
43
- (1) The Secretary of State may make regulations modifying, in such manner as he thinks proper, the provisions of this Part of this Act in their application to persons who are or have been outside Great Britain at any prescribed time or in any prescribed circumstances.
- (2) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision for modifying the provisions of this Part of this Act in their application to persons in any prescribed employment (whether under a contract of service or not) in connection with the exploitation of the resources mentioned in section 1(1) of the Continental Shelf Act 1964 or with the exploration of the sea bed and subsoil in any area designated under section 1(7) of that Act and in particular (but without prejudice to the generality of this subsection) for any prescribed provision of this Part of this Act to apply to such a person notwithstanding that he does not fall within the description of an employed or self-employed earner, or does not fulfil the conditions prescribed under section 1(10) of this Act as to residence or presence in Great Britain.
Finance
The National Insurance Fund.
44
- (1) The National Insurance Fund shall continue to be maintained under the control and management of the Secretary of State.
- (2) The Industrial Injuries Fund and the National Insurance (Reserve) Fund shall be wound up and on the appointed day all liabilities and assets which immediately before that day were liabilities or assets of either of those Funds shall be transferred to, and become liabilities and assets of, the National Insurance Fund.
- (3) Accounts of the National Insurance Fund shall be prepared in such form, and in such manner and at such times, as the Treasury may direct, and the Comptroller and Auditor-General shall examine and certify every such account and shall lay copies thereof, together with his report thereon, before Parliament.
- (4) Any money in the National Insurance Fund may from time to time be paid over to the National Debt Commissioners and be invested by them, in accordance with such directions as may be given by the Treasury, in any such manner as may be specified by an order of the Treasury for the time being in force under section 22(1) of the National Savings Bank Act 1971.
- (5) The National Debt Commissioners shall present to Parliament annually an account of the securities in which money in the National Insurance Fund is for the time being invested.
- (6) There shall be made out of the National Insurance Fund into the Consolidated Fund, or out of money provided by Parliament into the National Insurance Fund, such payments by way of adjustment as the Secretary of State determines in accordance with any directions of the Treasury to be appropriate in consequence of the operation of any enactment or regulations relating to the repayment or offsetting of benefit or other payments; and where in other circumstances payments fall to be made by way of adjustment—
- (a) out of the National Insurance Fund either to the Secretary of State or another government department, or into the Reserve Pension Fund established under Part III of this Act, or into the Consolidated Fund; or
- (b) into the National Insurance Fund out of the Reserve Pension Fund or out of money provided by Parliament,
then, in such cases or classes of case as may be specified by the Secretary of State by order made with the consent of the Treasury, the amount of the payments to be made shall be taken to be such, and payments on account thereof shall be made at such times and in such manner, as may be determined by the Secretary of State in accordance with any directions given by the Treasury.
Destination of contributions and Treasury supplements.
45
- (1) Contributions received by the Secretary of State under Chapter I (including those paid over to him by the Inland Revenue under section 5(4) of this Act and Schedule 1, paragraph 5(3)), shall be paid by him into the National Insurance Fund after deducting—
- (a) from contributions of any class, the appropriate national health service allocation in the case of contributions of that class ; and
- (b) from secondary Class 1 contributions, the appropriate allocation to the Redundancy Fund.
- (2) The Treasury supplements shall be paid, in accordance with any directions given by the Treasury, into the National Insurance Fund.
- (3) In subsection (1) above, " the appropriate national health service allocation " means—
- (a) in the case of primary Class 1 contributions, 0.4 per cent, of the amount determined to be that of the earnings in respect of which those contributions were paid;
- (b) in the case of secondary Class 1 contributions, 0.6 per cent, of the amount determined to be that of the earnings in respect of which those contributions were paid;
- (c) in the case of Class 2 contributions, 8 per cent, of the amount determined to be the total of those contributions ;
- (d) in the case of Class 3 contributions, 8 per cent, of the amount determined to be the total of those contributions ; and
- (e) in the case of Class 4 contributions, 0-4 per cent, of the amount determined to be that of the earnings in respect of which those contributions were paid;
and " the appropriate allocation to the Redundancy Fund ", in the case of secondary Class 1 contributions, means 0.2 per cent, of the amount determined to be that of the earnings in respect of which those contributions were paid; and in this subsection " determined" means determined by the Secretary of State in accordance with any directions given by the Treasury.
- (4) So much of any contributions as is to be deducted under subsection (1) above before payment of the remainder into the National Insurance Fund shall be dealt with as follows—
- (a) from the national health service allocation in respect of contributions of any class there shall be deducted such amount as the Secretary of State may estimate to be the portion of the total expenses incurred by him or any other government department in collecting contributions of that class which is fairly attributable to that allocation, and the remainder shall, in the hands of the Secretary of State, be taken as paid towards the cost—
- (i) of the national health service in England ;
- (ii) of that service in Wales, and
- (iii) of that service in Scotland,
in such shares as the Treasury may determine ;
- (b) from the appropriate allocation to the Redundancy Fund there shall be deducted such amount as the Secretary of State may estimate to be the portion of the total expenses incurred by him or any other government department in collecting secondary Class 1 contributions which is fairly attributable to that allocation, and the remainder shall be paid by the Secretary of State into that Fund; and
- (c) any amounts deducted in accordance with paragraphs (a) and (b) above shall be paid by the Secretary of State into the Consolidated Fund ;
and any estimate by the Secretary of State for the purposes of those paragraphs shall be made in accordance with any directions given by the Treasury.
General financial arrangements.
46
- (1) All benefit—
- (a) under Chapter II, except a Category C or Category D retirement pension, age addition (other than age addition to a Category A or Category B retirement pension), an attendance allowance, or any benefit payable under section 27(4); and
- (b) under the Industrial Injuries Acts and the Old Cases Acts,
shall be paid out of the National Insurance Fund.
- (2) Any administrative expenses of the Secretary of State or other government department in carrying this Act, the Industrial Injuries Acts or the Old Cases Acts into effect, and any of the benefits which by virtue of subsection (1)(a) above are not payable out of the National Insurance Fund, shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament, except in so far as they may be required by any enactment to be paid or borne in some other way.
- (3) The administrative expenses referred to in subsection (2) above include those in connection with any enquiry undertaken on behalf of the Secretary of State with a view to obtaining statistics relating to the operation of this Act, the Industrial Injuries Acts or the Old Cases Acts.
- (4) There shall be paid out of the National Insurance Fund into the Consolidated Fund, at such times and in such manner as the Treasury may direct, such sums as the Secretary of State may estimate in accordance with any directions given by the Treasury to be the amount of the administrative expenses incurred as mentioned in subsection (2) above, excluding—
- (a) expenses attributable to the carrying into effect of provisions of this Act relating to the benefits which by virtue of subsection (1)(a) above are not payable out of the National Insurance Fund ; and
- (b) any other category of expenses which the Treasury may direct, or any enactment may require, to be excluded from the Secretary of State's estimate under this subsection.
Reports by Government Actuary.
47
- (1) As from the end of the period of 5 years from the appointed day, or such shorter period as the Treasury may direct, the Government Actuary shall review the operation during that period of this Part of this Act, the Industrial Injuries Acts, and the Old Cases Acts.
- (2) Thereafter as from the end of each period of 5 years, or such shorter period as the Treasury may direct in respect of any review, the Government Actuary shall review the operation (during the period since the end of the last period to be the subject of a review) of this Act and those Acts.
- (3) It shall be the object of a review by the Government Actuary under this section to determine the extent to which the level at which the National Insurance Fund stands from year to year may be expected in the longer term to bear a proper relation to demands in respect of payments of benefit; and for this purpose the Actuary shall take into account current rates of contributions, the yield to be expected from contributions in the longer term, and such other matters as he considers to be relevant as affecting the present and future level of the Fund.
- (4) After completing his review, the Government Actuary shall report to the Secretary of State his opinion on the question referred to in subsection (3) above; and the Secretary of State shall lay a copy of the report before Parliament.
National Insurance Advisory Committee
The Committee and its functions.
48
- (1) The National Insurance Advisory Committee constituted under section 88 of the former principal Act shall continue in being by that name, to give advice and assistance to the Secretary of State in connection with the discharge of his functions under this Part of this Act and to perform such other duties as may be assigned to them by or under this Part; and—
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