The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996

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Changes over time for: Section 51

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Changes to legislation:

The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996, Section 51 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 08 March 2025. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.

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Remunerative Work

51.—(1) For the purposes of the Act “remunerative work" means–

(a)in the case of [F1a claimant], work in which he is engaged or, where his hours of work fluctuate, is engaged on average, for not less than 16 hours per week; and

(b)in the case of any partner of the claimant, work in which he is engaged or, where his hours of work fluctuate, is engaged on average, for not less than 24 hours per week [F2and;

(c)in the case of a non-dependant, or of a child or young person to whom paragraph 18 of Schedule 6 refers, work in which he is engaged or, where his hours of work fluctuate, is engaged on average, for not less than 16 hours per week,]

and for those purposes, [F3“work” is work] for which payment is made or which is done in expectation of payment.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), the number of hours in which [F4a claimant] or his partner is engaged in work shall be determined—

(a)where no recognisable cycle has been established in respect of a person’s work, by reference to the number of hours or, where those hours are likely to fluctuate, the average of the hours, which he is expected to work in a week;

(b)where the number of hours for which he is engaged fluctuate, by reference to the average of hours worked over—

(i)if there is a recognisable cycle of work, and sub-paragraph (c) does not apply, the period of one complete cycle (including, where the cycle involves periods in which the person does not work, those periods but disregarding any other absences);

(ii)in any other case, the period of five weeks immediately before the date of claim or the date of [F5suppression], or such other length of time as may, in the particular case, enable the person’s average hours of work to be determined more accurately;

F6(c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3) In determining in accordance with this regulation the number of hours for which a person is engaged in remunerative work—

(a)that number shall include any time allowed to that person by his employer for a meal or for refreshments, but only where the person is, or expects to be, paid earnings in respect of that time;

(b)no account shall be taken of any hours in which the person is engaged in an employment or scheme to which any one of paragraphs (a) to (h) of regulation 53 (person treated as not engaged in remunerative work) applies;

(c)no account shall be taken of any hours in which the person is engaged otherwise than in an employment as an earner in caring for—

(i)a person who is in receipt of attendance allowance [F7, pension age disability payment] F8... [F9, the care component of disability living allowance at the highest or middle rate [F10the care component of child disability payment at the highest or middle rate in accordance with regulation 11(5) of the DACYP Regulations,] F11... the daily living component of personal independence payment at the standard or enhanced rate] [F12, or the daily living component of adult disability payment at the standard or enhanced rate][F13, armed forces independence payment]; or

(ii)a person who has claimed an attendance allowance [F14, pension age disability payment] F15... [F16, disability living allowance, [F17child disability payment,] [F18armed forces independence payment] [F19,] personal independence payment] [F20or adult disability payment], but only for the period beginning with the date of claim and ending on the date the claim is determined or, if earlier, on the expiration of the period of 26 weeks from the date of claim; or

(iii)another person [F21and] is in receipt of [F22a] [F22carer’s allowance] under Section 70 of the [F23Benefits Act [F24or carer support payment] or;

(iv)a person who has claimed either attendance allowance [F25, pension age disability payment] or disability living allowance and has an award of attendance allowance [F25, pension age disability payment] or the care component of disability living allowance at one of the two higher rates prescribed under section 72(4) of the Benefits Act for a period commencing after the date on which that claim was made][F26; or

[F27(iva)a person who has claimed child disability payment and has an award of the care component of child disability payment at the highest or middle rate in accordance with regulation 11(5) of the DACYP Regulations for a period commencing after the date on which the claim was made;]

(v)a person who has claimed personal independence payment and has an award of the daily living component at the standard or enhanced rate under section 78 of the 2012 Act for a period commencing after the date on which that claim was made][F28; or

[F29(va)a person who has claimed adult disability payment and has an award of the daily living component at the standard or enhanced rate under regulation 5 of the Disability Assistance for Working Age People (Scotland) Regulations 2022 for a period commencing after the date on which that claim was made or;]

(vi)a person who has claimed and has an award of armed forces independence payment for a period commencing after the date on which that claim was made.]

F30(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F31(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F1Words in reg. 51(1)(a) substituted (19.3.2001) by The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Joint Claims) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1978), reg. 1(1), Sch. 2 para. 14

F2Reg. 51(1)(c) and word added (7.10.1996) by The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Amendment) Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/1516), regs. 1(1), 9(2)

F3Words in reg. 51(1) substituted (7.4.1997) by The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1997 (S.I. 1997/454), regs. 1(c), 2(5)

F4Words in reg. 51(2) substituted (19.3.2001) by The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Joint Claims) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1978), reg. 1(1), Sch. 2 para. 14

F5Words in reg. 51(2)(b)(ii) substituted (18.10.1999) by The Social Security Act 1998 (Commencement No. 11, and Savings and Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/2860), art. 3(1), Sch. 12 para. 5

F6Reg. 51(2)(c) omitted (6.4.2009) by virtue of The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/583), regs. 1(2), 4(4)

F7Words in reg. 51(3)(c)(i) inserted (21.10.2024) by The Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 (Disability Assistance) (Consequential Amendments) Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/919), arts. 1(1), 6(3)

F8Words in reg. 51(3)(c)(i) omitted (7.10.1996) by virtue of The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Amendment) Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/1516), regs. 1(1), 9(3)

F9Words in reg. 51(3)(c)(i) substituted (8.4.2013) by The Personal Independence Payment (Supplementary Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/388), reg. 2, Sch. para. 16(3)(a)