Regulation 2 Amendment of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations

The Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987^f1 are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (8).

In regulation 2(1) (interpretation), after the definition of “widowed parent’s allowance”^f2 add—

• ““working age benefit” means any of the following—

  1. (a)

     bereavement allowance;

  2. (b)

     an employment and support allowance;

  3. (c)

     incapacity benefit;

  4. (d)

     income support;

  5. (e)

     a jobseeker’s allowance;

  6. (f)

     widowed mother’s allowance;

  7. (g)

     widowed parent’s allowance;

  8. (h)

     widow’s pension.”.

In regulation 16 (date of entitlement under an award for the purpose of determining the day from which benefit is to be payable and effective date of change of rate)—

In regulation 22(1)^f7 (long term benefits), for “regulations 22A and 25(1)” substitute “regulations 22A, 22C and 25(1)”.

After regulation 22B^f8 insert—

“Retirement pension

22C.

(1)

This regulation applies in relation to payment of a retirement pension to persons who reach pensionable age on or after 6th April 2010, other than to a person to whom paragraph (7) applies.

(2)

Subject to paragraphs (4) to (6), a retirement pension shall be paid weekly, fortnightly or four weekly (as the Department may in any case determine) in arrears on the day of the week specified in paragraph (3).

(3)

The day specified for the purposes of paragraph (2) is the day in column (2) which corresponds to the series of numbers in column (1) which includes the last 2 digits of the person’s national insurance number—

Column (1)	Column (2)
00 to 19	Monday
20 to 39	Tuesday
40 to 59	Wednesday
60 to 79	Thursday
80 to 99	Friday.

(4)

The Department may, in any particular case or class of case, arrange that retirement pension be paid on any other day of the week.

(5)

The Department may, in any particular case or class of case, arrange that the beneficiary be paid in arrears at intervals of 13 weeks where the beneficiary agrees.

(6)

Where the amount of a retirement pension payable is less than £5.00 per week the Department may direct that it shall be paid in arrears at such intervals, not exceeding 12 months, as may be specified in the direction.

(7)

This paragraph applies to a man who—

(a)

was in receipt of state pension credit in respect of any day in the period beginning with the day 4 months and 4 days before the day on which he reaches pensionable age and ending on 5th April 2010; or

(b)

was in continuous receipt of state pension credit from 5th April 2010 until a day no earlier than the day 4 months and 4 days before the day on which he reaches pensionable age.

Payment of retirement pension at a daily rate

22D.

(1)

Where the entitlement of a person (B) to a retirement pension begins on a day which is not the first day of the benefit week in the circumstances specified in paragraph (3), it shall be paid at a daily rate in respect of the period beginning with the day on which entitlement begins and ending on the day before the first day of the following benefit week.

(2)

Where in respect of a retirement pension—

(a)

the circumstances specified in paragraph (3) apply;

(b)

B’s entitlement to that benefit begins on a day which is not the first day of the benefit week; and

(c)

a change in the rate of that benefit takes effect under an order made under section 132 or 132A of the Administration Act^f9 (annual up-rating of benefits or basic pension etc.) on a day, in the same benefit week, subsequent to the day on which B’s entitlement arose,

it shall be paid at a daily rate in respect of the period beginning with the day on which entitlement begins and ending on the day before the first day of the following benefit week.

(3)

The circumstances referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2) are where—

(a)

the retirement pension is paid in arrears;

(b)

B has not opted to defer entitlement to a retirement pension under section 55 of the Contributions and Benefits Act^f10; and

(c)

B—

(i)

was in receipt of a working age benefit in respect of any day in the period beginning with the day 8 weeks and a day before B reaches pensionable age and ending immediately before the day B reaches such age, or

(ii)

has reached pensionable age and is a dependent spouse of a person who is in receipt of an increase for an adult dependant under section 83 or 84 of the Contributions and Benefits Act^f11.

(4)

Where benefit is payable at a daily rate in the circumstances mentioned in this regulation, the daily rate which shall apply in respect of a particular day in the relevant period shall be 1/7th of the weekly rate which, if entitlement had begun on the first day of the benefit week, would have had effect on that particular day.

(5)

In this regulation, “benefit week” means a period of 7 days which ends on the day on which, in B’s case, the benefit is payable in accordance with regulation 22C.”.

In regulation 26B^f12 (state pension credit)—

After regulation 26B insert—

“Intervals for payment of state pension credit

26BA.

(1)

Where state pension credit is payable to a person who reaches pensionable age on or after 6th April 2010, other than a person to whom regulation 22C(7) applies, it shall be paid weekly, fortnightly or four weekly (as the Department may in any case determine) in arrears on the day of the week specified in paragraph (2).

(2)

The day specified for the purposes of paragraph (1) is the day in column (2) which corresponds to the series of numbers in column (1) which includes the last 2 digits of the person’s national insurance number—

Column (1)	Column (2)
00 to 19	Monday
20 to 39	Tuesday
40 to 59	Wednesday
60 to 79	Thursday
80 to 99	Friday.

(3)

The Department may, in any particular case or class of case, arrange that state pension credit be paid on any other day of the week.

(4)

Where the amount of state pension credit payable is less than £1.00 per week the Department may direct that it shall be paid in arrears at such intervals, not exceeding 13 weeks, as may be specified in the direction.”.

In paragraph 5 of Schedule 6 (days for payment of long term benefits), for “Retirement pension shall” substitute “Subject to regulation 22C, retirement pension shall”.