Pensions Increase (Modification) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011
Under Article 69 of the Social Security Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1975 as amended, and as modified by Article 69A of that Order, the Department of Finance and Personnel (in who the functions conferred by those provisions are now vested) are required to provide by order for the increase in the rates of public service pensions. Under Article 69(7) of the 1975 Order, Article 69 of that Act has effect as if it were contained in the Pensions (Increase) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971. Section 9 (1) of the 1971 Act provides that references in the Act to a pension shall apply in relation to any allowance, benefit or compensation whether it takes the form of periodical payments or of a gratuity or other lump sum; and section 9(2)(c) provides that references to the “rate” of pension shall have effect as references also to the amount of a lump sum benefits. The increase is the percentage by which the Department for Social Development has, by direction given under the provisions of section 132(1) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992, increased the sums referred to in section 132 of that Act. These are the sums which are the additional pensions in long term benefits, namely the additional pension entitlements accruing to employees in respect of earnings after 5th April 1978.