Part IThe Jobseeker’s Allowance

Persons under 18

16Severe hardship

(1)

If it appears to the Secretary of State—

(a)

that a person—

(i)

has reached the age of 16 but not the age of 18,

(ii)

is not entitled to a jobseeker’s allowance or to income support, and

(iii)

is registered for training but is not being provided with any training, and

(b)

that severe hardship will result to him unless a jobseeker’s allowance is paid to him,

the Secretary of State may direct that this section is to apply to him.

(2)

A direction may be given so as to have effect for a specified period.

(3)

The Secretary of State may revoke a direction if—

(a)

it appears to him that there has been a change of circumstances as a result of which failure to receive a jobseeker’s allowance need no longer result in severe hardship to the person concerned;

(b)

it appears to him that the person concerned has—

(i)

failed to pursue an opportunity of obtaining training; or

(ii)

rejected an offer of training,

and has not shown good cause for doing so; or

(c)

he is satisfied that it was given in ignorance of some material fact or was based on a mistake as to some material fact and considers that, but for that ignorance or mistake, he would not have given the direction.

(4)

In this section “period” includes—

(a)

a period of a determinate length;

(b)

a period defined by reference to the happening of a future event; and

(c)

a period of a determinate length but subject to earlier determination upon the happening of a future event.