Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.-(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013 and shall come into operation on 8th April 2013.

(2) In these Regulations "the Up-rating Order" means the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2013(d).

Exceptions relating to payment of additional benefit by virtue of the Up-rating Order

2.  Section 135(3) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (effect of alteration of rates of benefit under Parts II to V of the Contributions and Benefits Act) shall not apply if a question arises as to either-

(a)the weekly rate at which the benefit is payable by virtue of the Up-rating Order; or

(b)whether the conditions for receipt of the benefit at the altered rate are satisfied,

until that question has been determined in accordance with the provisions of the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1998(6).

Persons not ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland

3.  Regulation 5 of the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1978(7) (application of disqualification in respect of up-rating of benefit) shall apply to any additional benefit payable by virtue of the Up-rating Order.

Amendment of the Social Security Benefit (Dependency) Regulations

4.  In paragraph 2B of Schedule 2 to the Social Security Benefit (Dependency) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1977(8) (prescribed circumstances for increase of a carer's allowance)-

(a)in sub-paragraph (a) for "£215" substitute "£220"; and

(b)in sub-paragraph (b) for "£28" and "£215" substitute "£29" and "£220" respectively.

Amendment of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations

5.  In paragraph 4(2A) of Schedule 8A to the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987(9) (deductions from benefits and direct payment to third parties) for "£23∙25", in each place, substitute "£23∙50".

Revocation

6.  The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012(10) are revoked.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations contain only provisions in consequence of an order under sections 132 and 132A of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 and accordingly, by virtue of section 149(3) of, and paragraph 3 of Schedule 5 to, that Act, are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.

Regulation 2 provides that where a question has arisen about the effect of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2013 ("the Up-rating Order") on a benefit already in payment the altered rate will not apply until that question is determined.

Regulation 3 applies the provisions of regulation 5 of the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1978 so as to restrict the application of the increases specified in the Up-rating Order in cases where the beneficiary lives abroad.

Regulation 4 raises from £215 to £220 and £28 to £29 the earnings limits for child dependency increases payable with a carer's allowance. These increases were abolished by sections 1(3)(e) and 60 of, and Schedule 6 to, the Tax Credits Act 2002 but are saved for transitional cases by virtue of Article 2 of the Tax Credits Act 2002 (Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order (Northern Ireland) 2003.

Regulation 5 increases from £23∙25 to £23∙50 the amount allowed for personal expenses where a person is in accommodation for which part of his benefit is paid direct to the person to whom charges in respect of that accommodation are payable.

Regulation 6 makes a consequential revocation.