Social Security Act 1975

20 Other disqualifications, etc.

(1) A person shall be disqualified for receiving unemployment benefit for such period not exceeding 6 weeks as may be determined in accordance with sections 97 to 104 of this Act (adjudication by insurance officers and other statutory authorities) if—

(a) he has lost his employment as an employed earner through his misconduct, or has voluntarily left such employment without just cause;

(b) after a situation in any suitable employment has been properly notified to him as vacant or about to become vacant, he has without good cause refused or failed to apply for that situation or refused to accept that situation when offered to him ;

(c) he has neglected to avail himself of a reasonable opportunity of suitable employment;

(d) he has without good cause refused or failed to carry out any official recommendations given to him with a view to assisting him to find suitable employment, being recommendations which were reasonable having regard to his circumstances and to the means of obtaining that employment usually adopted in the district in which he resides ; or

(e) he has without good cause refused or failed to avail himself of a reasonable opportunity of receiving training approved by the Secretary of State in his case for the purpose of becoming or keeping fit for entry into, or return to, regular employment.

(2) Regulations may provide for disqualifying a person for receiving sickness benefit or invalidity benefit for such period not exceeding 6 weeks as may be determined in accordance with sections 97 to 104 if—

(a) he has become incapable of work through his own misconduct; or

(b) he fails without good cause to attend for, or to submit himself to, such medical or other examination or treatment as may be required in accordance with the regulations, or to observe any prescribed rules of behaviour.

(3) Regulations may also provide for imposing, in the case of any prescribed category of persons, additional conditions with respect to the receipt of unemployment benefit, sickness benefit or invalidity benefit, and restrictions on the rate and duration thereof, if, having regard to special circumstances, it appears to the Secretary of State necessary to do so for the purpose of preventing inequalities, or injustice to the general body of employed earners, or of earners generally, as the case may be.

(4) For the purposes of this section, employment shall not be deemed to be employment suitable in the case of any person if it is either—

(a) employment in a situation vacant in consequence of a stoppage of work due to a trade dispute ; or

(b) employment in his usual occupation in the district where he was last ordinarily employed at a rate of remuneration lower, or on conditions less favourable, than those which he might reasonably have expected to obtain having regard to those which he habitually obtained in his usual occupation in that district, or would have obtained had he continued to be so employed; or

(c) employment in his usual occupation in any other district at a rate of remuneration lower, or on conditions less favourable, than those generally observed in that district by agreement between associations of employers and of employees or, failing any such agreement, than those generally recognised in that district by good employers;

but, after the lapse of such an interval from the date on which he becomes unemployed as in the circumstances of the case is reasonable, employment shall not be deemed to be unsuitable by reason only that it is employment of a kind other than employment in his usual occupation if it is employment at a rate of remuneration not lower, and on conditions not less favourable, than those generally observed by agreement between associations of employers and of employees or, failing any such agreement, than those generally recognised by good employers.

(5) For the purposes of this section the following definitions apply—

(a) " properly notified ", in subsection (1)(b), means notified by the Employment Service Agency, a local education authority or some other recognised agency, or by or on behalf of an employer ;

(b) " official recommendations ", in subsection (1)(d), means recommendations in writing made by an officer of the Employment Service Agency, a local education authority or the Secretary of State ;

(c) " local education authority", in relation to Scotland, means an education authority as defined in section 145(16) of the [1962 c. 47.] Education (Scotland) Act 1962; and

(d) " week " means any period of 7 days.