# The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 S.R. 2024/77 · made 26 March 2024 · revised to 8 April 2024 Under section 69 of the Social Security Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1975 (c.15) (increase of official pensions), where the Department for Communities under section 132(1) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c.8), directs that the sums which are the additional pensions in long-term benefits are to be increased by a specified percentage, the Department of Finance shall provide by order for the increase in the rates of public service pensions. The Pensions (Increase) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971 (c.35) defines certain terms and sets out when a pension “begins” (the day after the last day of service in respect of which the pension is payable) and how the increase applies to lump sums. Made under: Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992; Social Security Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1975 (Article 69) PDFs: Printed copy https://openlegislation.uk/pensions-increase-review-order-northern-ireland-2024/pdf/nisr_20240077_en.pdf; NI Explanatory Memorandum https://openlegislation.uk/pensions-increase-review-order-northern-ireland-2024/pdf/nisrem_20240077_en_001.pdf ## Introductory text Pensions Made 26th March 2024 Coming into operation 8th April 2024 In accordance with section 132 of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 the Department for Communities has given a direction that the sums which are the additional pensions in long-term benefits are to be increased by a specified percentage. The Department of Finance now makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 69(1), (2), (5) and (5ZA) of the Social Security Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1975 and now vested in it. ## 1 Citation and commencement This Order may be cited as the Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 and shall come into operation on 8th April 2024. ## 2 Interpretation (1) In this Order, “the 1975 Order” means the Social Security Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1975. (2) In this Order, any reference to a pension is a reference to a pension which began before 8th April 2024. ## 3 Pension increases: annual rate and lump sums (1) This article applies to an official pension if— (a) a qualifying condition is satisfied; or (b) the pension is— (i) a derivative pension, (ii) a substituted pension or, (iii) a relevant injury pension. (2) In relation to any period on or after 8th April 2024, the pension authority may increase the annual rate of the pension— (a) for a pension which began before 10th April 2023, by 6.7 per cent; (b) for a pension which began on or after 10th April 2023, by 6.7 per cent multiplied by— A 12 where A is the number of complete months in the period between the beginning date of the pension and 8th April 2024. (3) In relation to a lump sum which is payable on or after 10th April 2023 but before 8th April 2024, the pension authority may increase the lump sum by 6.7 per cent multiplied by— A 12 where A is the number of complete months in the period between the beginning date of the lump sum (or, if later, 10th April 2023) and the date on which it becomes payable. ## 4 Reductions in respect of guaranteed minimum pensions (1) Where— (a) a person is entitled to an increase in a guaranteed minimum pension on 8th April 2024; and (b) entitlement to that guaranteed minimum pension arises from an employment from which (either directly, or indirectly by virtue of the payment of a transfer credit) entitlement to the official pension also arises; the amount by reference to which any increase is calculated for the purposes of article 3(2) must be reduced by an amount equal to the rate of the guaranteed minimum pension unless the Department of Finance otherwise direct in accordance with the provision of Article 69A of the 1975 Order. (2) Where on the death of a deceased spouse or civil partner a person becomes entitled to a guaranteed minimum pension in relation to a surviving spouse’s pension or a surviving civil partner’s pension, the amount by reference to which any increase is calculated for the purposes of article 3(2) must be reduced in accordance with Article 69 (5ZA) of the 1975 Order. ## Signature Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance on 26th March 2024. (L.S.) Barry Armstrong A senior officer of the Department of Finance ## Explanatory note (This note is not part of the Order) Under section 69 of the Social Security Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1975 (c.15) (increase of official pensions), where the Department for Communities under section 132(1) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c.8), directs that the sums which are the additional pensions in long-term benefits are to be increased by a specified percentage, the Department of Finance shall provide by order for the increase in the rates of public service pensions. The Pensions (Increase) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971 (c.35) defines certain terms and sets out when a pension “begins” (the day after the last day of service in respect of which the pension is payable) and how the increase applies to lump sums. The increase to be applied is the same as the percentage (or in some circumstances a fraction of the percentage) by which the Department for Communities has, by direction under the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992, increased the sums which are the additional pensions in long-term benefits, namely the additional pension entitlements accruing to employees in respect of earnings for service after 5th April 1978. For pensions which began before 10th April 2023 the increase is 6.7 per cent. For pensions which began on or after 10th April 2023 the increases (following the calculation set out in article 3) are as follows:— Pensions Beginning Percentage Increase 10th April 2023 to 23rd April 2023 6.7% 24th April 2023 to 23rd May 2023 6.14% 24th May 2023 to 23rd June 2023 5.58% 24th June 2023 to 23rd July 2023 5.03% 24th July 2023 to 23rd August 2023 4.47% 24th August 2023 to 23rd September 2023 3.91% 24th September 2023 to 23rd October 2023 3.35% 24th October 2023 to 23rd November 2023 2.79% 24th November 2023 to 23rd December 2023 2.23% 24th December 2023 to 23rd January 2024 1.68% 24th January 2024 to 23rd February 2024 1.12% 24th February 2024 to 23rd March 2024 0.56% Article 3 of the Order provides for increases on certain deferred lump sums which become payable on or after 10th April 2023 and before 8th April 2024. The Order also makes provision for the amount by reference to which any increase in the rate of an official pension is to be calculated to be reduced by an amount equal to the rate of any guaranteed minimum pension entitlement deriving from the employment which gives rise to the official pension. --- Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2024/77 (the official version) Page: https://openlegislation.uk/pensions-increase-review-order-northern-ireland-2024 Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.