The Social Security (Jobseeker’s Allowance and Mariners' Benefits) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations amend the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 (“the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations”), the Social Security (Mariners' Benefits) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1975 and the Social Security and Child Support (Jobseeker’s Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996.

Regulation 2 amends regulation 14 of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (circumstances in which a person is to be treated as available for employment). It provides for a person to be treated as available for employment in a part-week at the beginning of a claim if the circumstances set out in regulation 14(2A) apply. A new regulation 14(2A), setting out those circumstances, is inserted into the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations by regulation 2(4) of these Regulations.

Regulation 3 amends regulation 15 of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (circumstances in which a person is not to be regarded as available for employment) by providing that a person is not to be regarded as available for employment for a part-week at the beginning of a claim unless he is treated as available for that part-week in accordance with regulation 14 of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations.

Regulation 4 inserts a new regulation 18A into the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations to make provision for determining whether a person is actively seeking employment in a part-week at the beginning of a claim for a jobseeker’s allowance.

Regulation 5 amends regulation 19 of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (circumstances in which a person is to be treated as actively seeking employment). It omits one of the circumstances where a person is treated as actively seeking employment under the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations, namely in a part-week at the beginning of a claim.

Regulation 6 revokes a provision in the Social Security (Mariners' Benefits) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1975 as this provision relates to the payment of Establishment Benefit under the Merchant Navy Established Service Scheme which is no longer paid. It also revokes regulation 7(2) of the Social Security and Child Support (Jobseeker’s Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996.

These Regulations correspond to provision contained in Regulations made by the Secretary of State for Social Security and the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in relation to Great Britain and accordingly, by virtue of section 149(3) of, and paragraph 10 of Schedule 5 to, the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 8), are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.