Explanatory note

These Regulations apply to persons who (being over school-leaving age on the 5th July, 1948) enter into insurance at a time which, although more than three years before their attaining the age of sixty-five in the case of a man or sixty in the case of a woman, makes it impossible for them to satisfy the condition as to yearly average of contributions necessary to qualify for widow's benefit or retirement pension. The Regulations apply to them the provisions governing the position of persons who enter into insurance within three years before attaining pensionable age, so that on attaining that age they cease to be liable to pay contributions and are entitled to a refund of that portion of each contribution they have paid which is attributable to widow's benefit and retirement pension.

The preliminary draft of these Regulations was submitted to the National Insurance Advisory Committee in accordance with section 77 of the National Insurance Act, 1946, and their report thereon, dated the 12th December, 1958, is contained in House of Commons Paper No. 37 (Session 1958–59) published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office.