The Welfare Reform and Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1999

8.—(1) Article 10 (power to make regulations requiring attendance etc.) is amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph (1), after “claimant” insert “(other than a joint-claim couple claiming a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance)”.

(3) After paragraph (1) insert—

“(1A) Regulations may make provision—

(a) for requiring each member of a joint-claim couple claiming a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance to attend at such place and such time as the Department, or any other Department, may specify;

(b) for requiring a member of such a couple to provide information and such evidence as may be prescribed as to his circumstances, his availability for employment and the extent to which he is actively seeking employment;

(c) for requiring such a couple to jointly provide information and such evidence as may be prescribed as to the circumstances of each or either member of the couple, the availability for employment of each or either member of the couple and the extent to which each or either member of the couple is actively seeking employment;

(d) where any requirement to provide information or evidence is imposed on such a couple by virtue of sub-paragraph (c), for the joint obligation of the couple to be capable of being discharged by the provision of the information or evidence by one member of the couple.”.

(4) In paragraph (2), after “Regulations under paragraph (1)” insert “or (1A)”.

(5) In paragraph (2)(a) (cases where entitlement to allowance may cease on account of non-compliance), after “in the case of a claimant who” insert “, or (as the case may be) a joint-claim couple claiming a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance a member of which,”.

(6) In paragraph (2)(b) (cases where entitlement to allowance may cease by reference to the time expired since the claimant’s last attendance)—

(a) after “he” insert “or, as the case may be, a member of the joint-claim couple”; and

(b) after “paragraph (1)(a)” insert “or (1A)(a)”.

(7) For sub-paragraph (c) of paragraph (2) (provision for entitlement not to cease where good cause shown) substitute—

“(c) provide for entitlement not to cease if the claimant or (as the case may be) either member of the joint-claim couple shows, within a prescribed period of the failure to comply on the part of the claimant or (as the case may be) a member of the couple, that the claimant or (as the case may be) the defaulting member of the couple had good cause for that failure; and”.