
1999 No. 109
PENSIONS
Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1999
Made 11th March 1999
Coming into operation 12th April 1999

Whereas by virtue of section 132 of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 a direction has been given by the Department of Health and Social Services that the sums which are the additional pensions in the rate of long-term benefits are to be increased by a specified percentage;

Now, therefore, the Department of Finance and Personnel, 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 and of every other power enabling it in that behalf, hereby makes the following Order:
Citation and commencement
1 
This Order may be cited as the Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1999 and shall come into operation on 12th April 1999.
Interpretation
2 

(1) In this Order—
 “the Act of 1971” means the Pensions (Increase) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971;
 “basic rate” and “derivative pension” have the meanings given by section 15(1) of the Act of 1971;
 “existing Orders” means the Orders referred to in the Schedule;
 “official pension” has the meaning given by section 5(1) of the Act of 1971;
 “the Order of 1975” means the Social Security Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1975;
 “pension authority” has the meaning given by section 7(1) of the Act of 1971;
 “qualifying condition” means one of the conditions laid down in section 3 of the Act of 1971;
 “relevant injury pension”, “substituted pension” and “widow’s pension” have the meanings given by section 15(1) of the Act of 1971.
(2) For the purpose of this Order the time when a pension “begins” is that stated in section 8(2) of the Act of 1971.
(3) Where, for the purposes of this Order, it is necessary to calculate the number of complete months in any period an incomplete month shall be treated as a complete month if it consists of at least 16 days.
Increases in certain pensions
3 

(1) The annual rate of an official pension may, if a qualifying condition is satisfied or the pension is a derivative or substituted pension or a relevant injury pension, be increased as set out in paragraphs (2) and (3) by the pension authority in respect of any period beginning on or after 12th April 1999.
(2) A pension beginning before 6th April 1998 may be increased by 3.2 per cent of the basic rate as increased by the amount of any increase under section 1 of the Act of 1971 or the existing Orders.
(3) A pension beginning on or after 6th April 1998 and before 12th April 1999 may be increased by 3.2 per cent multiplied byABwhere
 A is the number of complete months in the period between the beginning of the pension and 11th April 1999 and B is 12.
Increase in certain lump sums
4 
In respect of any lump sum or instalment of a lump sum which became payable before 12th April 1999 but after 5th April 1998 there may be paid an increase of 3.2 per cent of the amount of the lump sum or instalment (as increased by the amount of any increase under section 1 of the Act of 1971 or under the existing Orders) multiplied byABwhere—aA is the number of complete months in the period between the beginning date for the lump sum (or, if later, 6th April 1998) and the date on which it became payable; andbB is 12.
Reduction in respect of guaranteed minimum pensions
5 
Where—
 
(a) a person is entitled to a guaranteed minimum pension on 12th April 1999; and
(b) entitlement to that guaranteed minimum pension arises from an employment from which (either directly or by virtue of the payment of transfer credit) entitlement to the official pension also arises,the amount by reference to which any increase in the rate of an official pension provided for by this Order is to be calculated shall be reduced by an amount equal to the rate of the guaranteed minimum pension unless the Department of Finance and Personnel in accordance with the provisions of Article 69A of the Order of 1975, otherwise directs.
6 
The amount by reference to which any increase in the rate of a widow’s or widower’s pension provided for by this Order is to be calculated shall, where the pensioner becomes entitled on the death of the deceased spouse to a guaranteed minimum pension, be reduced in accordance with Article 69(5ZA) of the Order of 1975.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance and Personnel on
Dorothy Angus
Assistant Secretary
11th March 1999.
SCHEDULE
Existing Orders
Article 2(1)


 The Pensions Increase (Annual Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1972.
 The Pensions Increase (Annual Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1973.
 The Pensions Increase (Annual Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1974.
 The Pensions Increase (Annual Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1975.
 The Pensions Increase (Annual Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1976.
 The Pensions Increase (Annual Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1977.
 The Pensions Increase (Annual Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1978.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1979.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1980.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1981.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1982.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1983.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1984.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1985.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1986.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1987.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1988.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1989.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1990.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1991.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1992.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1993.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1994.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1995.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1996.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1997.
 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 1998.
