Citation and interpretation

1.-(1) This Order may be cited as the Pensions (2015 Act) (Commencement No. 4) Order (Northern Ireland) 2017.

(2) In this Order any reference to a numbered section or Schedule is to the section of, or Schedule to, the Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 bearing that number.

Appointed day

2.  The day appointed for the coming into operation of-

(a)section 30(5) (bereavement support payment: contribution condition and amendments) in so far as it relates to paragraphs 20 and 31 of Schedule 16 (bereavement support payment: amendments),

(b)paragraph 20 of Schedule 16 in so far as it relates to paragraph 31 of Schedule 16;

(c)paragraph 31 of Schedule 16,

is 9th February 2017.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order provides for the coming into operation of certain provisions in Part 5 of the Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 ("the Act"). Part 5 of the Act creates a new Bereavement Support Payment for persons whose spouse or civil partner dies after the coming into operation of section 29 of the Act.

Article 2 brings section 30(5), so far as it relates to paragraphs 20 and 31 of Schedule 16 to the Act, into operation on 9th February 2017. These provisions amend the power in section 155 (reciprocal agreements with countries outside the United Kingdom) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c.8) so that it applies to bereavement support payment. The power in section 155 allows the Secretary of State by Order to give effect to social security reciprocal agreements with countries outside the United Kingdom by making provision modifying or adapting domestic legislation as it applies in cases affected by such agreements.

NOTE AS TO EARLIER COMMENCEMENT ORDERS

(This note is not part of the Order)

The following provisions of the Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 have been brought into operation by earlier commencement orders as from the dates shown.