Jobseekers Act 1995

16 Severe hardship. E+W+S

[F1 (1) If it appears to the Secretary of State—

(a) that a person—

(i) has reached the age of 16 but not the age of 18,

(ii) is not entitled to a jobseeker’s allowance or to income support, and

(iii) is registered for training but is not being provided with any training, and

(b) that severe hardship will result to him unless a jobseeker’s allowance is paid to him,

the Secretary of State may direct that this section is to apply to him.

(2) A direction may be given so as to have effect for a specified period.

(3) The Secretary of State may revoke a direction if—

(a) it appears to him that there has been a change of circumstances as a result of which failure to receive a jobseeker’s allowance need no longer result in severe hardship to the person concerned;

[F2 (b) it appears to him that the person concerned has, without [F3 a good reason]—

(i) neglected to avail himself of a reasonable opportunity of a place on a training scheme; or

(ii) after a place on such a scheme has been notified to him by an employment officer as vacant or about to become vacant, refused or failed to apply for it or to accept it when offered to him; or]

(c) he is satisfied that it was given in ignorance of some material fact or was based on a mistake as to some material fact and considers that, but for that ignorance or mistake, he would not have given the direction.

[F4 (4) In this section—

• “employment officer” means an officer of the Secretary of State or such other person as may be designated for the purposes of this section by an order made by the Secretary of State;

• “period” includes—

  (a)

  a period of a determinate length;

  (b)

  a period defined by reference to the happening of a future event; and

  (c)

  a period of a determinate length but subject to earlier determination upon the happening of a future event;

• “training scheme” has such meaning as may be prescribed.]]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 15-17 repealed (29.4.2013 for specified purposes, 1.7.2013 and 29.7.2013 for specified purposes, 28.10.2013 for specified purposes, 25.11.2013 for specified purposes, 24.2.2014 and 7.4.2014 for specified purposes, 23.6.2014 and further specified dates for specified purposes, 15.9.2014 and further specified dates for specified purposes, 26.11.2014 for specified purposes, 28.1.2015 for specified purposes, 16.2.2015 and further specified dates for specified purposes, 18.3.2015 and further specified dates for specified purposes, 21.9.2015 and further specified dates for specified purposes, 2.12.2015 for specified purposes, 27.1.2016 and 24.2.2016 for specified purposes, 23.3.2016 and 27.4.2016 for specified purposes, 1.2.2019 for specified purposes) by Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5), s. 150(3), Sch. 14 Pt. 1; S.I. 2013/983, arts. 4(1)(c), 5, Sch. 1 (with arts. 6, 9(1), 22, Sch. 4) (as amended: (1.7.2013) by S.I. 2013/1511; (29.10.2013) by S.I. 2013/2657; (16.6.2014) by S.I. 2014/1452; (30.6.2014) by S.I. 2014/1661; (28.7.2014) by S.I. 2014/1923; (15.9.2014) by S.I. 2014/2321; (17.11.2014) by S.I. 2014/3067; (21.11.2014) by S.I. 2014/3094; (19.1.2015) by S.I. 2015/32 (as amended (10.2.2015) by S.I. 2015/101); (10.3.2015) by S.I. 2015/634; (20.7.2015) by S.I. 2015/1537; (23.11.2015) by S.I. 2015/1930; (6.4.2017) by S.I. 2017/483; (2.2.2018) by S.I. 2018/138; (16.1.2019) by S.I. 2019/10; and (31.1.2019) by S.I. 2019/167); S.I. 2013/1511, art. 4, Sch. (as amended: (29.10.2013) by S.I. 2013/2657; (16.6.2014) by S.I. 2014/1452; (30.6.2014) by S.I. 2014/1661; (28.7.2014) by S.I. 2014/1923; (17.11.2014) by S.I. 2014/3067; (19.1.2015) by S.I. 2015/32; (10.3.2015) by S.I. 2015/634; and (20.7.2015) by S.I. 2015/1537); S.I. 2013/2657, art. 4, Sch. (with art. 6) (as amended: (16.6.2014) by S.I. 2014/1452; (30.6.2014) by S.I. 2014/1661; (28.7.2014) by S.I. 2014/1923; (17.11.2014) by S.I. 2014/3067; (19.1.2015) by S.I. 2015/32; (10.3.2015) by S.I. 2015/634; and (20.7.2015) by S.I. 2015/1537); S.I. 2013/2846, art. 4, Sch. (with art. 5) (as amended: (16.6.2014) by S.I. 2014/1452; (30.6.2014) by S.I. 2014/1661; (28.7.2014) by S.I. 2014/1923; (17.11.2014) by S.I. 2014/3067; (19.1.2015) by S.I. 2015/32; (10.3.2015) by S.I. 2015/634; and (20.7.2015) by S.I. 2015/1537); S.I. 2014/209, art. 4, Sch. (as amended: (16.6.2014) by S.I. 2014/1452; (30.6.2014) by S.I. 2014/1661; (28.7.2014) by S.I. 2014/1923; (17.11.2014) by S.I. 2014/3067; (19.1.2015) by S.I. 2015/32; (10.3.2105) by S.I. 2015/634; and (20.7.2015) by S.I. 2015/1537); S.I. 2014/1583, art. 4, Sch. (as amended (30.6.2014) by S.I. 2014/1661; (28.7.2014) by S.I. 2014/1923; (17.11.2014) by S.I. 2014/3067; (19.1.2015) by S.I. 2015/32; (10.3.2015) by S.I. 2015/634; and (20.7.2015) by S.I. 2015/1537); S.I. 2014/2321, art. 4 (as amended: (17.11.2014) by S.I. 2014/3057; (19.1.2015) by S.I. 2015/32; (10.3.2015) by S.I. 2015/634; and (20.7.2015) by S.I. 2015/1537); S.I. 2014/3094, art. 4 (with art. 6); S.I. 2015/33, art. 4 (with art. 6) (as amended: (11.2.2015) by S.I. 2015/101; (10.3.2015) by S.I. 2015/634; (6.4.2017) by S.I. 2017/483; (11.4.2018) by S.I. 2018/138; (16.1.2019) by S.I. 2019/10; (15.1.2019) by S.I. 2019/37); and (31.1.2019) by S.I. 2019/167); S.I. 2015/101, art. 4 (with art. 2(2)-(4)) (as amended: (10.3.2015) by S.I. 2015/534; (17.3.2015) by S.I. 2015/740; (20.7.2015) by S.I. 2015/1537; (14.1.2016) by S.I. 2016/33; and (21.3.2016) by S.I. 2016/407); S.I. 2015/634, art. 4 (with art. 6) (as amended: (17.3.2015) by S.I. 2015/740; (6.4.2017) by S.I. 2017/376; (16.1.2019) by S.I. 2019/10; (15.1.2019) by S.I. 2019/37; and (31.1.2019) by S.I. 2019/167); S.I. 2015/1537, art. 4 (as modified: (23.11.2015) by S.I. 2015/1930; (14.1.2016) by S.I. 2016/33; and (21.3.2016) by S.I. 2016/407); S.I. 2015/1930, art. 4; S.I. 2016/33, art. 4, Sch.; S.I. 2016/407, art. 4, Sch.; S.I. 2019/167, art. 4(5)-(7) (with art. 4(8)-(12))

F2 S. 16(3)(b) substituted (18.10.1999 for specified purposes and otherwise prosp.) by 1998 c. 14, ss. 86(1), 87(2), Sch. 7 para. 139(1); S.I. 1999/2860, art. 2(c), Sch. 1 (subject to transitional provisions in Schs. 16-18) (as amended (25.11.1999) by S.I. 1999/3178, art. 3(20), Sch. 20 paras. 1(a), 2(a))

F3 Words in s. 16(3)(b) substituted (22.10.2012) by Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5), ss. 48, 150(3), Sch. 7 para. 3; S.I. 2012/2530, art. 2(2)(f)

F4 S. 16(4) substituted (18.10.1999 for specified purposes and otherwise prosp.) by 1998 c. 14, ss. 86(1), 87(2), Sch. 7 para. 139(2); S.I. 1999/2860, art. 2(c), Sch. 1 (subject to transitional provisions in Schs. 16-18) (as amended (25.11.1999) by S.I. 1999/3178, art. 3(20), Sch. 20 paras. 1(a), 2(a))

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 12 applied (with modifications) (1.4.2002) by S.I. 2001/4022, reg. 11(f)