Jobseekers Act 1995

20 Exemptions from section 19

(1) Nothing in section 19, or in regulations under that section, shall be taken to prevent payment of a jobseeker’s allowance merely because the claimant refuses to seek or accept employment in a situation which is vacant in consequence of a stoppage of work due to a trade dispute.

(2) Section 19 does not apply, in the circumstances mentioned in subsection (5) of that section, if—

(a) a direction is in force under section 16 with respect to the claimant; and

(b) he has acted in such a way as to risk—

(i) having that direction revoked under subsection (3)(b) of section 16; or

(ii) having the amount of his jobseeker’s allowance reduced by virtue of section 17, because he has failed to complete a course of training.

(3) Regulations shall make provision for the purpose of enabling any person of a prescribed description to accept any employed earner’s employment without falling within section 19(6)(b) or (d) should he leave that employment voluntarily and without just cause at any time during a trial period.

(4) In such circumstances as may be prescribed, an income-based jobseeker’s allowance shall be payable to a claimant even though section 19 prevents payment of a jobseeker’s allowance to him.

(5) A jobseeker’s allowance shall be payable by virtue of subsection (4) only if the claimant has complied with such requirements as to the provision of information as may be prescribed for the purposes of this subsection.

(6) Regulations under subsection (4) may, in particular, provide for a jobseeker’s allowance payable by virtue of that subsection to be—

(a) payable at a prescribed rate;

(b) payable for a prescribed period (which may differ from the period fixed under section 19(2) or (3)).

(7) In subsection (3), “trial period” has such meaning as may be prescribed.

(8) Regulations may make provision for determining, for the purposes of this section, the day on which a person’s employment is to be regarded as commencing.