Part 1Employment and support allowance

General

24Interpretation of Part 1

(1)

In this Part—

F1“child” means a person under the age of 16;

“claimant” means a person who has claimed an employment and support allowance;

F2“contributory allowance” has the meaning given by section 1(7);

“employment” and “employed” have the meanings prescribed for the purposes of this Part;

“entitled”, in relation to an employment and support allowance, is to be construed in accordance with—

(a)

the provisions of this Act,

(b)

section 1 of the Administration Act (entitlement dependent on making of claim), and

(c)

section 27 of the Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14) (restrictions on entitlement in certain cases of error);

F2“income-related allowance” has the meaning given by section 1(7);

F2“income support” means income support under section 124 of the Contributions and Benefits Act;

“limited capability for work” shall be construed in accordance with section 1(4);

“limited capability for work-related activity” shall be construed in accordance with section 2(5);

“period of limited capability for work” has the meaning prescribed for the purposes of this Part;

“prescribed” means specified in, or determined in accordance with, regulations;

“regulations” means regulations made by the Secretary of State;

F1“single person” means an individual who is not a member of a couple (within the meaning of Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012);

“week” means a period of 7 days beginning with a Sunday or such other period of 7 days as may be prescribed;

F1“work” has such meaning as may be prescribed;

F1“work-focused interview requirement” has the meaning given by section 11B;

F1“work preparation requirement” has the meaning given by section 11C;

F3“work-related activity” has the meaning given by section 13(7).

F3“work-related activity”, in relation to a person, means activity which makes it more likely that the person will obtain or remain in work or be able to do so;

F1“work-related requirement” has the meaning given by section 11;

(2)

For the purposes of this Part, the assessment phase, in relation to a claimant, is the period—

(a)

beginning, subject to subsection (3), with the first day of the period for which he is entitled to an employment and support allowance, and

(b)

ending with such day as may be prescribed.

(3)

Regulations may prescribe circumstances in which the assessment phase is to begin with such day as may be prescribed.

F4F5(3A)

For the purposes of this Part, a person is a lone parent if the person—

(a)

is not a member of a couple (within the meaning given by section 137(1) of the Contributions and Benefits Act), and

(b)

is responsible for, and a member of the same household as, a person under the age of 16.

F5(3B)

For the purposes of subsection (3A)(b) regulations may make provision—

(a)

as to circumstances in which one person is to be treated as responsible or not responsible for another;

(b)

as to circumstances in which persons are to be treated as being or not being members of the same household.

(4)

For the purposes of this Part, a person is a member of the support group if he is a person in respect of whom it is determined that he has, or is to be treated as having, limited capability for work-related activity.