Articles 21 and 22A of the Jobseekers (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 provide that jobseeker’s allowance may not be payable to a claimant, who refuses or fails without good cause to take part in an employment programme when directed to do so. The term “employment programme” is defined in regulation 75(1)(a) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996. One of the programmes referred to in that regulation is the Preparation for Employment Programme.

The Preparation for Employment Programme is being extended so that jobseeker’s allowance claimants aged from 50 to 59 years inclusive can be directed to participate. It was previously mandatory only for jobseeker’s allowance claimants aged between 25 and 50 years. Regulation 2 amends the reference to the Preparation for Employment Programme in regulation 75(1) so as to reflect that extension.

Regulation 3 revokes the Social Security (Preparation for Employment Programme 50 to 59 Pilot) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 which further extended the Preparation for Employment Programme on a pilot basis from 1st April 2007 to cover jobseeker’s allowance claimants aged 50 to 59 years.

These Regulations make in relation to Northern Ireland only provision corresponding to provision contained in Regulations made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 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.