The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996

Interpretation

117.  In this Chapter, unless the context otherwise requires—

• “claimant" includes a young claimant;

• “liable relative" means–

  (a)

  a spouse[F1 , former spouse, civil partner or former civil partner] of a claimant or of a member of the claimant’s family;

  (b)

  a parent of a young claimant or of a child or young person who is a member of a claimant’s family;

  (c)

  a person who has not been adjudged to be the father of a young claimant or of a child or young person who is a member of a claimant’s family, where that person is contributing to the maintenance of that young claimant, child or young person and by reason of that contribution he may reasonably be treated as the father of that young claimant, child or young person;

  (d)

  a person liable to maintain another person by virtue of section 78(6)(c) of the Administration Act where the latter is the claimant or a member of the claimant’s family,

  and, in this definition, a reference to a child’s, young person’s or young claimant’s parent includes any person in relation to whom the child, young person or young claimant was treated as a child or a member of the family;

• “payment" means a periodical payment or any other payment made by or derived from a liable relative including, except in the case of a discretionary trust, any payment which would be so made or derived upon application being made by the claimant but which has not been acquired by him, but only from the date on which it could be expected to be acquired were an application made; but it does not include any payment—

  (a)

  arising as a consequence of a disposition of property made in contemplation of, or as a consequence of—

  (i)

  an agreement to separate; or

  (ii)

  any proceedings for judicial separation, divorce or nullity of marriage [F2 or];

  (iii)

  [F3 any proceedings for separation, dissolution or nullity in relation to a civil partnership;]

  (b)

  made after the death of the liable relative;

  (c)

  made by way of a gift but not in aggregate or otherwise exceeding £250 in the period of 52 weeks beginning with the date on which the payment, or if there is more than one such payment the first payment, is made; and in the case of a claimant who continues to be in receipt of an income-based jobseeker’s allowance at the end of the period of 52 weeks, this provision shall continue to apply thereafter with the modification than any subsequent period of 52 weeks shall begin with the first day of the benefit week in which the first payment is made after the end of the previous period of 52 weeks;

  (d)

  [F4 to which regulation 106(2) applies (payments in respect of children and young persons who reside at an educational establishment);]

  (e)

  made–

  (i)

  to a third party in respect of the claimant or a member of the claimant’s family; or

  (ii)

  to the claimant or to a member of the claimant’s family in respect of a third party,

  where having regard to the nature of the payment, the terms under which it is made and its amount, it is unreasonable to take it into account;

  (f)

  in kind;

  (g)

  to or in respect of a child or young person who is to be treated as not being a member of the claimant’s household under regulation 78;

  (h)

  which is not a periodical payment, to the extent that any amount of that payment—

  (i)

  has already been taken into account under this Part by virtue of a previous claim or determination; or

  (ii)

  has been recovered under section 74(1) of the Administration Act (prevention of duplication of payments) or is currently being recovered; or

  (iii)

  at the time the determination is made, has been used by the claimant except where he has deprived himself of that amount for the purpose of securing entitlement to a jobseeker’s allowance or increasing the amount of that allowance;

• “periodical payment" means–

  (a)

  a payment which is made or is due to be made at regular intervals in pursuance of a court order or agreement for maintenance;

  (b)

  in a case where the liable relative has established a pattern of making payments at regular intervals, any such payment;

  (c)

  any payment not exceeding the amount of jobseeker’s allowance payable had that payment not been made;

  (d)

  any payment representing a commutation of payments to which sub-paragraph (a) or (b) of this definition applies whether made in arrears or in advance,

  but does not include a payment due to be made before the benefit week in which the claimant first became entitled to an income-based jobseeker’s allowance, which was not so made;

• “young claimant" means a person aged 16 or over but under [F5 20] who makes a claim for a jobseeker’s allowance.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in reg. 117 substituted (5.12.2005) by The Civil Partnership (Pensions, Social Security and Child Support) (Consequential, etc. Provisions) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/2877), art. 1, Sch. 3 para. 26(6)(a) (with art. 3)

F2 Word in reg. 117 inserted (5.12.2005) by The Civil Partnership (Pensions, Social Security and Child Support) (Consequential, etc. Provisions) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/2877), art. 1, Sch. 3 para. 26(6)(b)(i) (with art. 3)

F3 Words in reg. 117 inserted (5.12.2005) by The Civil Partnership (Pensions, Social Security and Child Support) (Consequential, etc. Provisions) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/2877), art. 1, Sch. 3 para. 26(6)(b)(ii) (with art. 3)

F4 Words in reg. 117 omitted (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(6)(7)(8) of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Social Security (Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/455), Sch. 2 para. 14

F5 Word in reg. 117 substituted (10.4.2006) by The Social Security (Young Persons) Amendment Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/718), regs. 1(2)(a), 3(7)