The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996

Changes over time for: Section 146A

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[F1Meaning of “couple in hardship”

146A.—(1) In this Part of these Regulations, a “couple in hardship” means for the purposes of regulation 146C, a joint-claim couple who are claiming a jobseeker’s allowance jointly, other than a couple which includes a member to whom paragraph (3) or (4) applies, where—

(a)[F2at least one member of the joint-claim couple is a woman who is pregnant] and the Secretary of State is satisfied that, unless a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance is paid, she will suffer hardship; or

(b)one or both members of the couple are members of a polygamous marriage, one member of the marriage is pregnant and the Secretary of State is satisfied that, unless a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance is paid, she will suffer hardship; or

(c)the award of a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance includes, or would, if a claim for a jobseeker’s allowance from the couple were to succeed, have included in their applicable amount a disability premium and—

(i)where the couple have an award, a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance is not payable F3... because it is suspended [F4or the award is reduced in accordance with section 19 or 19A or regulation 69B]; and

(ii)the Secretary of State is satisfied that, unless a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance is paid, the member of the couple who would have caused the disability premium to be applicable to the couple would suffer hardship; or

(d)either member of the couple suffers from a chronic medical condition which results in functional capacity being limited or restricted by physical [F5or mental] impairment and the Secretary of State is satisfied that—

(i)the suffering has already lasted or is likely to last, for not less than 26 weeks; and

(ii)unless a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance is paid, the probability is that the health of the person suffering would, within two weeks of the Secretary of State making his decision, decline further than that of a normally healthy adult and the member of the couple who suffers from that condition would suffer hardship; or

(e)either member of the couple, or where a member of that couple is married to more than one person under a law which permits polygamy, one member of that marriage, devotes a considerable portion of each week to caring for another person who—

(i)is in receipt of an attendance allowance [F6, pension age disability payment] [F7, the care component of disability living allowance at one of the two higher rates prescribed under section 72(4) of the Benefits Act [F8, the care component of child disability payment at the highest or middle rate in accordance with regulation 11(5) of the DACYP Regulations] [F9, armed forces independence payment] [F10,] the daily living component of personal independence payment at the standard or enhanced rate in accordance with section 78 of the 2012 Act] [F11, or the daily living component of adult disability payment at the standard or enhanced rate in accordance with regulation 5 of the Disability Assistance for Working Age People (Scotland) Regulations 2022]; or

(ii)has claimed either attendance allowance [F6, pension age disability payment] [F12, disability living allowance [F13, child disability payment] [F14, armed forces independence payment] [F15,] personal independence payment] [F16or adult disability payment], but only for so long as the claim has not been determined, or for 26 weeks from the date of claiming, whichever is the earlier; or

(iii)has claimed either attendance allowance [F6, pension age disability payment] or disability living allowance and has an award of either attendance allowance [F6, 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[F17; or

[F18(iiia)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; or]

(iv)has claimed personal independence payment and has an award of the daily living component of personal independence payment at the standard or enhanced rate in accordance with section 78 of the 2012 Act for a period commencing after the date on which that claim was made;] [F19or

[F20(iva)has claimed adult disability payment and has an award of the daily living component at the standard or enhanced rate in accordance with 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]

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

and the Secretary of State is satisfied, after taking account of the factors set out in paragraph (6) in so far as they are appropriate to the particular circumstances of the case, that the person providing the care will not be able to continue doing so unless a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance is paid; or

(f)section 16 applies to either member of the couple by virtue of a direction issued by the Secretary of State, except where the member of the joint-claim couple to whom the direction applies does not satisfy the requirements of section 1(2)(a) to (c); or

(g)section 3A(1)(e)(ii) (member of joint-claim couple under the age of 18) applies to either member of the couple and the Secretary of State is satisfied that unless a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance is paid, the couple will suffer hardship; [F21or]

(h)one or both members of the couple is a person—

(i)who, pursuant to the Children Act 1989 [F22or the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014], was being looked after by a local authority;

(ii)with whom the local authority had a duty, pursuant to [F23either of those Acts], to take reasonable steps to keep in touch; or

(iii)who, pursuant to [F24either of those Acts], qualified for advice or assistance from a local authority,

but in respect of whom head (i), (ii) or, as the case may be, (iii) above had not applied for a period of three years or less as at the date on which the requirements of regulation 146F are complied with; and

(iv)as at the date on which the requirements of regulation 146F are complied with, that member is, or both of those members are, under the age of 21 [F25; or]

[F26(i)either member of the couple is a person who is homeless within the meaning of Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996, Part 2 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 or Part 2 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, as the case may be.]

(2) Except in a case to which paragraph (3), (4) F27... applies, a “couple in hardship” means for the purposes of regulation 146D, a joint-claim couple where the Secretary of State is satisfied, after taking account of the factors set out in paragraph (6) in so far as they are appropriate to the particular circumstances of the case, that the couple will suffer hardship unless a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance is paid.

(3) In paragraph (1) and (2), a “couple in hardship” does not include a couple one of whose members is entitled to income support [F28or an employment and support allowance] or who falls within a category of persons prescribed for the purposes of section 124(1)(e) of the Benefits Act.

(4) Paragraph (1)(e) shall not apply in a case where the person being cared for resides in a [F29care home, an Abbeyfield Home or an independent hospital].

F30(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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

F32(5B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(6) Factors which, for the purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2), the Secretary of State is to take into account in determining whether a joint-claim couple will suffer hardship are—

(a)the presence in the joint-claim couple of a person who satisfies the requirements for a disability premium specified in paragraphs 20H and 20I of Schedule 1;

(b)the resources which, without a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance, are likely to be available to the joint-claim couple, the amount by which these resources fall short of the amount applicable in their case in accordance with regulation 146G (applicable amount in hardship cases for joint-claim couples), the amount of any resources which may be available to the joint-claim couple for any person in the couple’s household who is not a member of the family and the length of time for which those factors are likely to persist;

(c)whether there is a substantial risk that essential items, including food, clothing, heating and accommodation, will cease to be available to the joint-claim couple, or will be available at considerably reduced levels, the hardship that will result and the length of time those factors are likely to persist.]

Textual Amendments

F1Pt. 9A inserted (19.3.2001) by The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Joint Claims) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1978), regs. 1(1), 2(3)

F2Words in reg. 146A(1)(a) 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(9) (with art. 3)

F3Word in reg. 146A(1)(c)(i) omitted (22.10.2012) by virtue of The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Sanctions) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2568), regs. 1(1), 4(2)(a)

F4Words in reg. 146A(1)(c)(i) substituted (22.10.2012) by The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Sanctions) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2568), regs. 1(1), 4(2)(a)

F5Words in reg. 146A(1)(d) inserted (23.10.2017) by The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Hardship) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/760), regs. 1, 2(4)(a)

F6Words in reg. 146A(1)(e)(i)-(iii) 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(5)

F7Words in reg. 146A(1)(e)(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(5)(a)

F8Words in reg. 146A(1)(e)(i) inserted (26.7.2021) by The Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 (Disability Assistance for Children and Young People) (Consequential Modifications) Order 2021 (S.I. 2021/786), art. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 5(a)

F9Words in reg. 146A(1)(e)(i) inserted (8.4.2013) by The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme (Consequential Provisions: Subordinate Legislation) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/591), art. 2(2), Sch. para. 10(5)(a)

F10Reg. 146A(1)(e)(i): comma substituted for word (21.3.2022) by The Social Security (Disability Assistance for Working Age People) (Consequential Amendments) Order 2022 (S.I. 2022/177), arts. 1(2), 5(5)(a)(i)

F11Words in reg. 146A(1)(e)(i) inserted (21.3.2022) by The Social Security (Disability Assistance for Working Age People) (Consequential Amendments) Order 2022 (S.I. 2022/177), arts. 1(2), 5(5)(a)(ii)