Part I The Jobseeker’s Allowance

Entitlement

1The jobseeker’s allowance.

1

An allowance, to be known as a jobseeker’s allowance, shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

C1C2C3C4C52

Subject to the provisions of this Act, a claimant is entitled to a jobseeker’s allowance if he—

C6C7C9C10a

F8is available for employment;

C7b

F9has entered into a jobseeker’s agreement which remains in force;

C7C9C10C8c

F10is actively seeking employment;

F1d

satisfies the conditions set out in section 2;

e

is not engaged in remunerative work;

C7F2f

does not have limited capability for work;

C7g

is not receiving relevant education;

C7h

is under pensionable age; and

C7i

is in Great Britain.

F32A

F11Subject to the provisions of this Act, a claimant who is not a member of a joint-claim couple is entitled to a jobseeker’s allowance if he satisfies—

a

the conditions set out in paragraphs (a) to (c) and (e) to (i) of subsection (2); and

b

the conditions set out in section 3.

2B

F11Subject to the provisions of this Act, a joint-claim couple are entitled to a jobseeker’s allowance if—

a

a claim for the allowance is made jointly by the couple;

b

each member of the couple satisfies the conditions set out in paragraphs (a) to (c) and (e) to (i) of subsection (2); and

c

the conditions set out in section 3A are satisfied in relation to the couple.

2C

F11Regulations may prescribe circumstances in which subsection (2A) is to apply to a claimant who is a member of a joint-claim couple.

2D

F11Regulations may, in respect of cases where a person would (but for the regulations) be a member of two or more joint-claim couples, make provision for only one of those couples to be a joint-claim couple; and the provision which may be so made includes provision for the couple which is to be the joint-claim couple to be nominated—

a

by the persons who are the members of the couples, or

b

in default of one of the couples being so nominated, by the Secretary of State.

3

A jobseeker’s allowance is payable in respect of a week.

4

F12In this Act—

  • “a contribution-based jobseeker’s allowance” means a jobseeker’s allowance entitlement to which is based on the claimant’s satisfying conditions which include those set out in section 2; F4. . .

  • “an income-based jobseeker’s allowance” means a jobseeker’s allowance entitlement to which is based on the claimant’s satisfying conditions which include those set out in section 3 F5or a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance;

  • F6“a joint-claim couple” means a F7couple who—

    1. a

      are not members of any family whose members include a person in respect of whom a member of the couple is entitled to child benefit, and

    2. b

      are of a prescribed description;

  • “a joint-claim jobseeker’s allowance” means a jobseeker’s allowance entitlement to which arises by virtue of subsection (2B).