
2025 No. 69
Pensions
The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025
Made 27th March 2025
Coming into operation 7th April 2025

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.
Citation and commencement
1 
This Order may be cited as the Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 and shall come into operation on 7th April 2025.
Interpretation
2 

(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 7th April 2025.
Pension increases: annual rate and lump sums
3 

(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 7th April 2025, the pension authority may increase the annual rate of the pension—
(a) for a pension which began before 8th April 2024, by 1.7 per cent;
(b) for a pension which began on or after 8th April 2024, by 1.7 per cent multiplied by—A12where A is the number of complete months in the period between the beginning date of the pension and 7th April 2025.
(3) In relation to a lump sum which is payable on or after 8th April 2024 but before 7th April 2025, the pension authority may increase the lump sum by 1.7 per cent multiplied by—A12where A is the number of complete months in the period between the beginning date of the lump sum (or, if later, 8th April 2024) and the date on which it becomes payable.
Reductions in respect of guaranteed minimum pensions
4 

(1) Where—
(a) a person is entitled to an increase in a guaranteed minimum pension on 7th April 2025; 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.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance on 27th March 2025.
(L.S.)Patrick Neeson
A senior officer of the
Department of Finance
