Section 453 — Social Security Act 2018: Orders in Council: mandatory annual CPI adjustment of rates of certain benefits

453 Orders in Council: mandatory annual CPI adjustment of rates of certain benefits (1) The rates of benefits set out in the provisions to which this subsection applies must be adjusted, by Order in Council, as at 1 April each year so that in each case the new rate is the rate at that date adjusted by any percentage movement upwards in the CPI between— (a) the CPI for the quarter ended with 31 December 1 year before the immediately preceding 31 December; and (b) the CPI for the quarter ended with the immediately preceding 31 December. (2) Subsection (1) applies to the following provisions: (a) Part 1 of Schedule 4 (rates of jobseeker support): (b) Part 2 of Schedule 4 (rates of sole parent support): (c) Part 3 of Schedule 4, including clause 2, but excluding clauses 3 and 4 (rates of supported living payment): (d) Part 4 of Schedule 4 (orphan’s benefit): (e) Part 5 of Schedule 4 (unsupported child’s benefit): (f) Part 6 of Schedule 4, other than any rate of incentive payment in subpart 3 of Part 6 of Schedule 4 (rates and component of youth payment and young parent payment, and criteria for incentive payments): (g) Part 10 of Schedule 4 (rates of generally abolished former widows’ benefits under section 21 of the Social Security Act 1964 as saved by clause 55 of Schedule 1 for reciprocity agreement applicants or recipients): (h) Part 11 of Schedule 4 (rates of generally abolished former DPB for solo parents under section 27B of the Social Security Act 1964 as saved by clause 55 of Schedule 1 for reciprocity agreement applicants or recipients): (i) Part 12 of Schedule 4 (rates of benefits payable to long-term hospital patients). (3) The adjustments (by any percentage movement upwards in the CPI) required under subsection (1) as at 1 April in any year from 2018 to 2021 (inclusive) must, despite subsections (1) and (2), be calculated,— (a) if, and insofar as, they relate to movements during quarters that end before 29 April 2010, using index numbers for those quarters of the Consumers Price Index (All Groups) published by Statistics New Zealand; and (b) if, and insofar as, they relate to movements during quarters that end after 28 April 2010, using index numbers for those quarters of the Consumers Price Index (All Groups Excluding Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products) published by Statistics New Zealand. (4) An adjustment under subsection (1) must not reduce the weekly amounts of benefits payable under those schedules. (5) Every Order in Council made under subsection (1)— (a) comes into force or is considered to come into force on 1 April of the calendar year in which it is made; and (b) applies to benefits payable on and after that date. (6) In this section, CPI means the Consumers Price Index (All Groups) published by Statistics New Zealand. Compare: 1964 No 136 s 61HA