The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2024

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order is made as a consequence of a review under sections 150 and 151A of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (c. 5) (“the Administration Act”) and includes details of the sums mentioned in those sections.

The Order is also made as a consequence of a review under section 150A of the Administration Act and includes details of the sums mentioned in that section.

Part 2 of the Order relates to social security benefits, pensions and allowances.

Article 3 and Schedule 1 increase the benefits and the increases for dependants (excepting those referred to in article 3(2)) specified in Parts I, III, IV and V of Schedule 4 to the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (c. 4) (“the Contributions and Benefits Act”).

Article 4 increases the rates and amounts of certain pensions and allowances under the Contributions and Benefits Act.

Article 5 increases the sums payable as part of a Category A or Category B retirement pension by virtue of sections 15(1) and 17(2) and (3) of the Pension Schemes Act 1993 (c. 48) on account of increases in guaranteed minimum pensions.

Article 6 increases the rates and amounts relating to the state pension under Part 1 of the Pensions Act 2014 (c. 19) including the full rate, amounts exceeding the full rate, the rate of increments and inherited increments.

Article 7 specifies the dates from which the sums specified for rates or amounts of benefits in articles 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12 and 13 are altered.

Article 8 increases the weekly rate of statutory sick pay.

Article 9 increases the weekly rate of statutory maternity pay.

Article 10 increases the weekly rates of statutory paternity pay, statutory adoption pay, statutory shared parental pay and statutory parental bereavement pay.

Article 11 increases the rate of graduated retirement benefit.

Article 12 increases the amount of a Category C retirement pension.

Article 13 increases the prescribed maximum additional pension for the purposes of section 52(3) of the Contributions and Benefits Act.

Article 14 increases the rates of disability living allowance.

Article 15 increases the rates of personal independence payment.

Article 16 increases the weekly rates of age addition, and the rates referred to in article 16(2) for claimants entitled to long-term incapacity benefit who were subject to regulation 2(3) of the Employment and Support Allowance (Up-rating Modification) (Transitional) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/3270).

Article 17 increases the weekly rates of transitional invalidity allowance, and the rates referred to in article 17(2) for claimants entitled to long-term incapacity benefit who were subject to regulation 2(3) of the Employment and Support Allowance (Up-rating Modification) (Transitional) Regulations 2008.

Article 18 increases the rates of widowed mother’s allowance, widow’s pension and widowed parent’s allowance.

Article 19 specifies the rates of bereavement support payment.

Part 3 of the Order relates to income support and housing benefit.

Article 20 states the amount of sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of income support. Article 20(3) and Schedule 2 set out the personal allowances and article 20(4) and (5) and Schedule 3 set out the premiums.

Article 21 provides for the percentage increase of sums payable by way of special transitional additions to income support.

Article 22 states the sum by which any income support of a person involved in a trade dispute is reduced.

Article 23 states the amount of the sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of housing benefit and the appropriate maximum housing benefit. Article 23(6) and Schedule 4 set out the personal allowances and article 23(8) and Schedule 5 set out the premiums.

Article 24 states the amount of the sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of housing benefit for certain persons over the qualifying age for state pension credit. Article 24(6) and Schedule 6 set out the personal allowances and article 24(7) and (8) and Schedule 7 set out the premiums.

Part 4 of the Order relates to jobseeker’s allowance.

Article 25 increases the age-related amounts for contribution-based jobseeker’s allowance.

Article 26 states the amount of sums relevant to the applicable amount for the purposes of income-based jobseeker’s allowance. Article 26(3) and Schedule 8 set out the personal allowances; article 26(4) and (5) and Schedule 9 set out the premiums and article 26(6) and Schedule 10 set out the premiums for joint-claim couples.

Article 27 states the sum by which any jobseeker’s allowance of a person involved in a trade dispute is reduced.

Article 28 increases the amounts of jobseeker’s allowance for the purposes of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/378).

Part 5 of the Order relates to state pension credit.

Article 29 specifies the amounts relevant to state pension credit.

Part 6 of the Order relates to employment and support allowance.

Article 30 states the amount of sums relevant to the calculation of the applicable amount for the purposes of employment and support allowance under the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/794). Article 30(2) and (3) and Schedule 11 increase the contributory allowance of employment and support allowance and the prescribed amounts for income-related employment and support allowance; article 30(4) and (5) and Schedule 12 set out the premiums and article 30(6) increases the components.

Article 31 increases the prescribed amounts for employment and support allowance set out in regulation 62 of the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/379) and in that regulation as modified under the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (Commencement No. 9 and Transitional and Transitory Provisions and Commencement No. 8 and Savings and Transitional Provisions (Amendment)) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/983).

Part 7 of the Order relates to universal credit.

Article 32 and Schedule 13 specify the amounts relevant to universal credit.

Article 33 increases the amounts specified for the transitional severe disability premium element in paragraph 5 of Schedule 2, and paragraph 5 of Schedule 3, to the Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/1230).

Article 34 provides for the revocation of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2023 (S.I. 2023/316).

In accordance with sections 150(8), 150A(5) and (9) and 151A(6) and (7) of the Administration Act, a copy of the report of the Government Actuary giving their opinion on the likely effect on the National Insurance Fund of the making of this Order was laid before Parliament with the draft Order.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.