President Lady Hale is being joined by Deputy President Lord Mance; former Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, Lord Kerr; Lord Hodge; and Lady Black for three days of hearings.

The justices will also host a series of other events and other activities.

Speaking ahead of today’s sitting, Liam McCollum QC, chairman of The Bar of Northern Ireland, said: “It is a privilege to welcome the Supreme Court to Belfast and I am delighted as chairman of the Bar of Northern Ireland that the Inn of Court and the associated facilities of the Bar Library have been selected for this honour.

“I am confident that hosting the Justices of the Supreme Court will invigorate the public to learn more about their local justice system as history is made with the Court leaving its London home to visit Belfast for the very first time.”

Today, lawyers for Ms McLaughlin are arguing that section 39A(1) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Under the Act, Ms McLaughlin was refused a claim for Widowed Payment’s Allowance after the death of her partner in January 2014, with whom she had lived for 23 years, because she was neither married to nor a civil partner of him at the date of his death.

The appellant won her challenge at the High Court in Belfast, but it was subsequently overturned by the Court of Appeal.

Laura Banks, the solicitor at Belfast-based Francis Hanna & Co. who is bringing the case, was profiled in Irish Legal News last Wednesday.

Ms Banks said: “The case came about because of a number of determined women; Denise Forde, Laura McMahon, myself, and most of all Siobhan McLaughlin.

“I found them all inspiring and encouraging and call them all friends, having been on this journey together – starting off with a conversation in CAB in Antrim and ending up in the highest court in the UK.”