SOCIAL SECURITY Citation, commencement and interpretation 1 1 These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security (Contributions) (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2000 and shall come into force on 6th April 2000. 2 In these Regulations “the principal Regulations ” means the Social Security (Contributions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1979 . Amendments to the principal Regulations 2 For regulation 7 of the principal Regulations (lower and upper earnings limits and earnings threshold) there shall be substituted— Lower and upper earnings limits and primary and secondary thresholds 7 For the purposes of section 5(1) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (which provides for lower and upper earnings limits and primary and secondary thresholds to be specified for each tax year in respect of Class 1 contributions), for the tax year which begins on 6th April 2000— a the lower earnings limit (for primary Class 1 contributions) shall be £67; b the upper earnings limit (for primary Class 1 contributions) shall be £535; c the primary threshold (for primary Class 1 contributions) shall be £76; and d the secondary threshold (for secondary Class 1 contributions) shall be £84. 3 For regulation 8 of the principal Regulations (equivalent amounts) there shall be substituted— Prescribed equivalents 8 1 The prescribed equivalents of the lower and upper earnings limits and the primary and secondary thresholds, for the purposes of— a sections 6(1), 6A(1), 8(1) and 9(1) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (which provide for liability for Class 1 contributions, notional payment of primary Class 1 contribution where earnings are not less than the lower earnings limit, the calculation of primary Class 1 contributions and the calculation of secondary Class 1 contributions respectively) , and b sections 37(1) and 38A(1) of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993 (reduced rates of Class 1 contributions and rebates) , shall be determined in accordance with the following provisions of this regulation. 2 Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5) of this regulation, the prescribed equivalents of the lower and upper earnings limits shall be— a where the earnings period is a multiple of a week, the amounts calculated by multiplying the lower and upper earnings limits (“the weekly limits”) by the corresponding multiple; b where the earnings period is a month, the amounts calculated by multiplying each of the weekly limits by 41/3; c where the earnings period is a multiple of a month, the amounts calculated by multiplying each of the weekly limits by 41/3 and multiplying each result by the corresponding multiple; d in any other case, the amounts calculated by dividing each of the weekly limits by 7 and multiplying each result by the number of days in the earnings period concerned. 3 Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5) of this regulation, the prescribed equivalents of the primary and secondary thresholds shall be— a where the earnings period is a month, £329 in the case of the primary threshold and £365 in the case of the secondary threshold; b where the earnings period is a year, £3,952 in the case of the primary threshold and £4,385 in the case of the secondary threshold; c where the earnings period is a multiple of a week, the amounts calculated by dividing the relevant figure in sub-paragraph (b) by 52 and multiplying the result by the corresponding multiple; d where the earnings period is a multiple of a month, the amounts calculated by dividing the relevant figure in sub-paragraph (b) by 12 and multiplying the result by the corresponding multiple; e in any other case, the amounts calculated by dividing the relevant figure in sub-paragraph (b) by 365 and multiplying the result by the number of days in the earnings period concerned. 4 The amounts determined in accordance with— a paragraph (2)(b) and (c) of this regulation, and b paragraph (3)(c) and (d) of this regulation, if not whole pounds, shall be rounded up to the next whole pound. 5 The amounts determined in accordance with— a paragraph (2)(d) of this regulation, and b paragraph (3)(e) of this regulation, shall be calculated to the nearest £0.01, and any amount of £0.005 or less shall be disregarded. 4 In regulation 9(1) of the principal Regulations (calculation of earnings-related contributions) paragraph (ii) of sub-paragraph (b) shall be omitted. Greg Pope Jim Dowd Two of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury 27th January 2000