The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996

[F1 PART IVA PREMIUMS FOR JOINT-CLAIM COUPLES

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 1 Pts. 4A-4B inserted (19.3.2001) by The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Joint Claims) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1978), reg. 1(1), Sch. 2 para. 53(4)

20A.   Except as provided in paragraph 20B, the weekly premium specified in Part IVB of this Schedule shall, for the purposes of regulations 86A(c) and 86B(d), be applicable to a joint-claim couple where either or both members of a joint-claim couple satisfy the condition specified in paragraphs 20E to 20J in respect of that premium.

20B.   Subject to paragraph 20C, where a member of a joint-claim couple satisfies the conditions in respect of more than one premium in this Part of this Schedule, only one premium shall be applicable to the joint-claim couple in respect of that member and, if they are different amounts, the higher or highest amount shall apply.

[F2 20C.— (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), the following premiums, namely—

(a) a severe disability premium to which paragraph 20I applies;

(b) an enhanced disability premium to which paragraph 20IA applies; and

(c) a carer premium to which paragraph 20J applies,

may be applicable in addition to any other premium which may apply under this Part of this Schedule.

(2) An enhanced disability premium in respect of a person shall not be applicable in addition to—

(a) a pensioner premium under paragraph 20E; or

(b) a higher pensioner premium under paragraph 20F.]

Textual Amendments

F2 Sch. 1 para. 20C substituted (9.4.2001) by The Social Security Amendment (Enhanced Disability Premium) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/2629), regs. 1(c), 5(c)(iv)

20D.— (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) for the purposes of this Part of this Schedule, once a premium is applicable to a joint-claim couple under this Part, a person shall be treated as being in receipt of any benefit—

(a) in the case of a benefit to which the Social Security (Overlapping Benefits) Regulations 1979 applies, for any period during which, apart from the provisions of those Regulations, he would be in receipt of that benefit; and

(b) for any period spent by a person in undertaking a course of training or instruction provided or approved by the Secretary of State under section 2 of the Employment and Training Act 1973, or by Scottish Enterprise or Highlands and Islands Enterprise under section 2 of the Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Act 1990, or for any period during which he is in receipt of a training allowance.

(2) For the purposes of the carer premium under paragraph 20J, a person shall be treated as being in receipt of invalid care allowance by virtue of sub-paragraph (1)(a) only if and for so long as the person in respect of whose care the allowance has been claimed remains in receipt of attendance allowance, or the care component of disability living allowance at the highest or middle rate prescribed in accordance with section 72(3) of the Benefits Act.

Pensioner premium where one member of a joint-claim couple has attained the age of 60

20E.   The condition is that one member of a joint-claim couple has attained the age of 60 but not the age of 75.

Higher Pensioner Premium

20F.— (1) The condition is that one member of a joint-claim couple—

(a) has attained the age of 60 but not the age of 80, and either the additional conditions specified in paragraph 20H are satisfied in respect of him; or

(b) has attained the age of 60 and—

(i) was entitled to or was treated as entitled to either income support or an income-based jobseeker’s allowance and the disability premium was or, as the case may be, would have been applicable to him in respect of a benefit week within 8 weeks of his 60th birthday and he has, subject to sub-paragraph (2), remained continuously entitled to one of those benefits since attaining that age; or

(ii) was a member of a joint-claim couple who had been entitled to, or who had been treated as entitled to, a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance and the disability premium was or, as the case may be, would have been applicable to that couple in respect of a benefit week within 8 weeks of the 60th birthday of either member of that couple and the couple have, subject to that sub-paragraph (2), remained continuously entitled to a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance since that member attained that age.

(2) For the purpose of this paragraph and paragraph 20H—

(a) once the higher pensioner premium is applicable to a joint-claim couple, if that member then ceases, for a period of eight weeks or less, to be entitled or treated as entitled to either income support or income-based jobseeker’s allowance or that couple cease to be entitled to or treated as entitled to a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance, he shall or, as the case may be, that couple shall, on becoming re-entitled to any of those benefits, thereafter be treated as having been continuously entitled thereto;

(b) in so far as sub-paragraph (1)(b)(i) or (ii) is concerned, if a member of a joint-claim couple ceases to be entitled or treated as entitled to either income support or an income-based jobseeker’s allowance or that couple cease to be entitled to or treated as entitled to a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance for a period not exceeding eight weeks which includes the 60th birthday of either member of that couple, he shall or, as the case may be, the couple shall, on becoming re-entitled to either of those benefits, thereafter be treated as having been continously entitled thereto.

(3) In this paragraph, where a member of a joint-claim couple is a welfare to work beneficiary, sub-paragraphs (1)(b)(i) and (2)(b) shall apply to him as if for the words “8 weeks” there were substituted the words “52 weeks”.

(4) For the purposes of this paragraph, a member of a joint-claim couple shall be treated as having been entitled to income support or to an income-based jobseeker’s allowance or the couple of which he is a member shall be treated as having been entitled to a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance throughout any period which comprises only days on which a member was participating in an employment zone scheme and was not entitled to—

(a) income support because, as a consequence of his participation in that scheme, he was engaged in remunerative work or had income in excess of the claimant’s applicable amount as prescribed in Part IV of the Income Support Regulations; or

(b) a jobseeker’s allowance because, as a consequence of his participation in that scheme, he was engaged in remunerative work or failed to satisfy the condition specified in section 2(1)(c) or the couple of which he was a member failed to satisfy the condition in section 3A(1)(a).

Disability Premium

20G.   The condition is that a member of a joint-claim couple has not attained the age of 60 and satisfies any one of the additional conditions specified in paragraph 20H.

Additional Conditions for Higher Pensioner and Disability Premium

20H.— (1) The additional conditions specified in this paragraph are that a member of a joint-claim couple—

(a) is in receipt of either disabled person’s tax credit or mobility supplement;

(b) is in receipt of severe disablement allowance;

(c) is in receipt of attendance allowance or disability living allowance or is a person whose disability living allowance is payable, in whole or in part, to another in accordance with regulation 44 of the Claims and Payments Regulations (payment of disability living allowance on behalf of third party);

(d) is in receipt of long-term incapacity benefit or is a person to whom section 30B(4) of the Benefits Act (long-term rate of incapacity benefit payable to those who are terminally ill) applies;

(e) has been entitled to statutory sick pay, has been incapable of work or has been treated as incapable of work for a continuous period of not less than—

(i) 196 days in the case of a member of a joint-claim couple who is terminally ill within the meaning of section 30B(4) of the Benefits Act; or

(ii) 364 days in any other case,

and for these purposes, any two or more periods of entitlement or incapacity separated by a break of not more than 56 days shall be treated as one continuous period;

(f) has an invalid carriage or other vehicle provided to him by the Secretary of State under section 5(2)(a) of, and Schedule 2 to, the National Health Service Act 1977 or under section 46 of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 or provided by the Department of Health and Social Services for Northern Ireland under article 30(1) of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972, or receives payments by way of grant from the Secretary of State under paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 to the Act of 1977 (additional provisions as to vehicles) or, in Scotland, under section 46 of the Act of 1978;

(g) is a person who is entitled to the mobility component of disability living allowance but to whom the component is not payable in accordance with regulation 42 of the Claims and Payments Regulations (cases where disability living allowance not payable);

(h) was either—

(i) in receipt of long-term incapacity benefit under section 30A(5) of the Benefits Act immediately before attaining pensionable age and he is still alive; or

(ii) entitled to attendance allowance or disability living allowance but payment of that benefit was suspended in accordance with regulations under section 113(2) of the Benefits Act or otherwise abated as a consequence of either member of the joint-claim couple becoming a patient within the meaning of regulation 85(4) (special cases),

and in either case, the higher pensioner premium or disability premium had been applicable to the joint-claim couple; or

(i) is registered as blind in a register compiled by a local authority under section 29 of the National Assistance Act 1948 (welfare services), or, in Scotland, has been certified as blind and in consequence is registered as blind in a register maintained by or on behalf of a regional or islands council.

(2) In the case of a member of a joint-claim couple who is a welfare to work beneficiary, the reference in sub-paragraph (1)(e) to a period of 56 days shall be treated as a reference to a period of 52 weeks.

(3) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)(i), a person who has ceased to be registered as blind on regaining his eyesight shall nevertheless be treated as blind and as satisfying the additional condition set out in that sub-paragraph for a period of 28 weeks following the date on which he ceased to be so registered.

Severe Disability Premium

20I.— (1) The condition is that—

(a) a member of a joint-claim couple is in receipt of attendance allowance or the care component of disability living allowance at the highest or middle rate prescribed in accordance with section 72(3) of the Benefits Act (“the qualifying benefits”); and

(b) the other member is also in receipt of such an allowance, or if he is a member of a polygamous marriage, all the partners of that marriage are in receipt of a qualifying benefit; and

(c) subject to sub-paragraph (3), there is no non-dependant aged 18 or over normally residing with the joint-claim couple or with whom they are normally residing; and

(d) either—

(i) no person is entitled to, and in receipt of, an invalid care allowance under section 70 of the Benefits Act in respect of caring for either member or the couple or all the members of the polygamous marriage; or

(ii) a person is engaged in caring for one member (but not both members) of the couple, or one or more but not all members of the polygamous marriage, and in consequence is entitled to an invalid care allowance under section 70 of the Benefits Act.

(2) Where the other member does not satisfy the condition in sub-paragraph (1)(b), and that member is blind or treated as blind within the meaning of paragraph 20H(1)(i) and (2), that member shall be treated for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) as if he were not a member of the couple.

(3) The following persons shall not be regarded as non-dependant for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)(c)—

(a) a person in receipt of attendance allowance or the care component of disability living allowance at the highest or middle rate prescribed in accordance with section 72(3) of the Benefits Act;

(b) subject to sub-paragraph (5), a person who joins the joint-claim couple’s household for the first time in order to care for a member of a joint claim couple and immediately before so joining, that member satisfied the condition in sub-paragraph (1);

(c) a person who is blind or treated as blind within the meaning of paragraph 20H(1)(i) and (2).

(4) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1), a member of a joint-claim couple shall be treated—

(a) as being in receipt of attendance allowance, or the care component of disability living allowance at the highest or middle rate prescribed in accordance with section 72(3) of the Benefits Act if he would, but for his being a patient for a period exceeding 28 days, be so in receipt;

(b) as being entitled to and in receipt of an invalid care allowance if he would, but for the person for whom he was caring being a patient in hospital for a period exceeding 28 days, be so entitled and in receipt.

(5) Sub-paragraph (3)(b) shall apply only for the first 12 weeks following the date on which the person to whom that provision applies first joins the joint-claim couple’s household.

(6) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)(d), no account shall be taken of an award of invalid care allowance to the extent that payment of such an award is back-dated for a period before the date on which the award is made.

[F3 (7) In sub-paragraph (1)(d), the reference to a person being in receipt of an invalid care allowance shall include a reference to a person who would have been in receipt of that allowance but for the application of a restriction under section 7 of the Social Security Fraud Act 2001 (loss of benefit provisions).]

Textual Amendments

F3 Sch. 1 para. 20I(7) added (1.4.2002) by The Social Security (Loss of Benefit) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/490), regs. 1(1), 2(2)(b)

[F4 Enhanced disability premium

20IA.— (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), the condition is that the care component of disability living allowance is, or would, but for a suspension of benefit in accordance with regulations under section 113(2) of the Benefits Act or but for an abatement as a consequence of hospitalisation, be payable at the highest rate prescribed under section 72(3) of the Benefits Act in respect of a member of a joint-claim couple who is aged less than 60.

(2) An enhanced disability premium shall not be applicable in respect of a joint-claim couple where each member of that couple or each member of a polygamous marriage of which one member of that couple is a member, is a patient within the meaning of regulation 85(4) and has been for a period of more than six weeks.]

Textual Amendments

F4 Sch. 1 para. 20IA inserted (9.4.2001) by The Social Security Amendment (Enhanced Disability Premium) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/2629), regs. 1(c), 5(c)(v)

Carer Premium

20J.— (1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (3) and (4), the condition is that either or both members of a joint-claim couple are entitled to and in receipt of an invalid care allowance under section 70 of the Benefits Act.

(2) Either or both members, as the case may be, shall be treated for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) as being entitled to an invalid care allowance where—

(a) they would be in receipt of such an allowance but for any provision of the Social Security (Overlapping Benefits) Regulations 1979; and

(b) the claim for that allowance was made on or after 1st October 1990; and

(c) the person or persons in respect of whose care the allowance has been claimed remains or remain in receipt of attendance allowance or the care component of disability living allowance at the highest or middle rate prescribed in accordance with section 72(3) of the Benefits Act.

[F5 (3) Where a carer premium is awarded but—

(a) the person in respect of whose care the invalid care allowance has been awarded dies; or

(b) in any other case the member of the joint-claim couple in respect of whom a carer premium has been awarded ceases to be entitled or ceases to be treated as entitled to an invalid care allowance,

the condition for the award of the premium shall be treated as satisfied for a period of eight weeks from the relevant date specified in sub-paragraph (3A) below.

(3A) The relevant date for the purposes of sub-paragraph (3) above shall be—

(a) the Sunday following the death of the person in respect of whose care an invalid care allowance has been awarded or F6 ... the date of death if the death occurred on a Sunday;

(b) where sub-paragraph (2) applies, the date on which the person in respect of whose care the invalid care allowance has been awarded ceased to be in receipt of the allowances referred to in paragraph (c) of that sub-paragraph;

(c) in any other case, the date on which that member ceased to be entitled to an invalid care allowance.]

(4) Where a member of a joint-claim couple who has been entitled to an invalid care allowance ceases to be entitled to that allowance and makes a claim for a jobseeker’s allowance jointly with the other member of that couple, the condition for the award of the carer premium shall be treated as satisfied for a period of eight weeks from the date on which—

[F7 (a) the person in respect of whose care the invalid care allowance has been awarded dies;

(b) where sub-paragraph (2) applies, the person in respect of whose care the invalid care allowance has been awarded ceased to be in receipt of the allowances referred to in paragraph (c) of that sub-paragraph;

(c) in any other case, that member was last entitled to an invalid care allowance.]

Textual Amendments

F5 Sch. 1 para. 20J(3)(3A) substituted for (28.10.2002) by The Social Security Amendment (Carer Premium) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/2020), regs. 1, 3(2)

F6 Words in Sch. 1 para. 20J(3A)(a) omitted (28.10.2002) by virtue of The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/2380), regs. 1(a), 3(a)

F7 Sch. 1 para. 20J(4)(a)-(c) substituted for (28.10.2002) by The Social Security Amendment (Carer Premium) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/2020), regs. 1, 3(2)

Member of a joint-claim couple in receipt of concessionary payments

20K.   For the purpose of determining whether a premium is applicable to a joint-claim couple under paragraphs 20H to 20J, any concessionary payment made to compensate a person for the non-payment of any benefit mentioned in those paragraphs shall be treated as if it were a payment of that benefit.

Person in receipt of benefit

20L.   For the purposes of this Part of this Schedule, a member of a joint-claim couple shall be regarded as being in receipt of any benefit if, and only if, it is paid in respect of him and shall be so regarded only for any period in respect of which that benefit is paid.]